Wu Jian'an

"Willow in a Breeze, " Framed Paper-Cut, 2012

2012

Chinese scholars used natural imagery and scenery to aid in contemplation within the walls of their studios. The complex beauty inherent to landscapes and natural forms inspired clea...

This Korean hanging scroll from the mid-20th century honors traditional calligraphy painting with delicate detail and a refined composition, thought to inspire clear and concise thinking. Expressing the beauty and resilience of nature’s flora, ink calligraphy artists traditionally select plants and flowers as the subjects of their works, each chosen for its auspicious meaning, literary resonance, or scholarly virtue. This particular example depicts a quiet natural landscape of three plants growing side-by-side along a rocky hill. Strong bamboo stalks sway above a branch of delicate prunus branches, while elegant orchids blossom in the foreground. Each painted by a different artist, these sacred plants represent the cycle of the seasons: the plum blossom for winter, the orchid for spring, and the bamboo for summer. Brushed with black ink for a monochromatic expression, the painting relies on value rather than color to convey depth and texture within this simple setting. The collaborative painting is contrasted by a beautiful blue silk brocade border woven with a repeating pattern of blossoms and vines. Each plant is signed individually in ink along with the artist’s seal. Painting has been remounted. Includes a wooden scroll...

Chicago-based fine art painter Bruno A. Surdo is classically trained in drawing and oil painting in the tradition of Renaissance masters. With strong command of the human form, Surdo...

Chicago-based fine art painter Bruno A. Surdo is classically trained in drawing and oil painting in the tradition of Renaissance masters. With strong command of the human form, Surdo creates dynamic compositions of people and places that communicate a rich commentary on the world around him. Depicting trees from personal encounters, Surdo’s latest body of work entitled “Tree Spirits” takes us on a foray into the forest, where leaves, branches and burls express something deeply personal. Applying his mastery of figurative realism to the natural world, he experiments with form and texture to uncover the intangible spirits of trees. Entitled “Faith,” this small-scale charcoal drawing depicts a tree trunk carved with two deep cuts in the shape of a cross. The carving has healed over, assimilated into the bark as just another interesting detail. Up close, the work is loosely drawn with a heavy hand, but from afar, the natural scene still achieves a sense of realism. The tree trunk is conveyed through chaotic scribbling and aggressive strokes of light and dark charcoal, resulting in a pattern that simulates the rough texture of bark. Light falls softly on the tree, illuminating its form against the dark, atmospheric surroundings. The striking imagery of this work conveys the strong emotional response elicited by Surdo’s personal encounter with this tree. Restricting the composition to only the scarred portion of the tree trunk, Surdo focuses on symbolism of the cross carved into the tree’s side. The carving was inflicted upon the tree by an individual, whether as an act of graffiti or the object of adoration. Despite this wound, the tree persists and grows, adapting and changing until the mark is but another interesting detail. The tree’s spirit endures and speaks to the strength it takes to heal oneself, whether physically or mentally. Charcoal on paper...

The series is dedicated to the artist's home town Riga. Māris Abiļevs (born 23 April 1956 in Kazakhstan) is a Latvian graphic artist and printer, brother of graphic artist Andris Ab...

The series is dedicated to the artist's home town Riga. Māris Abiļevs (born 23 April 1956 in Kazakhstan) is a Latvian graphic artist and printer, brother of graphic artist Andris Ab...

The series is dedicated to the artist's home town Riga. Māris Abiļevs (born 23 April 1956 in Kazakhstan) is a Latvian graphic artist and printer, brother of graphic artist Andris Ab...

Winter landscape. 2022. Paper/mixed media, 20.8x29.4 cm Liga Kalnina Artist Liga Kalnina(1990) is born in Riga, Latvia. Her artist interests is mainly realistically based -landsc...