Coming Naturally

I express all of my emotions through my paintings. My feelings are inspired by my thoughts, mood, and enthusiasm,

each of which I am unable to express through words.

In the beginning, I regarded my paintings as creations which should reflect my passions.

As time went on, my paintings started to have their own thoughts and mood and increasingly influenced and controlled my own feeling, guiding me as they neared perfection. Upon the completion of a painting I would be filled with admiration, amazed with what my work has become. Where does this the ability to release oneself come from? It is an ability inspired by nature! We could almost say my works are created by nature. How amazing it is! This release is similar to Michelangelo’s sculptures. Michelangelo considered the figure as being imprisoned within the block of marble. By removing the excess stone, the form was released. The inspiration which is drawn from nature is the same. The closer I am to nature, the more natural my paintings will be.

The difference between Western oil painting and Chinese ink painting is material and ideological, similar to the differences between water and stone in the natural world. Although the artist can convey their own impression through both types of paintings, each medium has its own textures and a separate nature which shape the painting. The most significant difference between Western oil painting and Chinese ink painting is how the artist conveys a perfect image of nature. Painting and other forms of art always follow this philosophy. Because of this, the artist does not need to rigidly adhere to any preconceived idea within Chinese ink painting, Western oil painting, woodcut, sculpture, music, poem or novel. We attempt to convey and give a vivid portrayal of our consciousness. That is why my ideology is based upon my consciousness.

My consciousness and personal philosophy have been shaped by reading countless books, wandering down many roads, and my exposure to and reflection upon the diverse perspectives of people I have met. Looking back on the last 20 years of my life, nature has been the greatest of all teachers, shaping my works and influencing the paths I follow.