Jean Shen's Chinese Brush Painting
Exhibit and Reception- Summer 2015
Exhibit and Reception
"Chinese brush painting is about capturing the essence of life on paper. It is about capturing your life into your painting so that your fish swishes in the water, your bird sings, and your bamboo stands tall with dignity and vitality. " Jean Shen
Come enjoy the Chinese brush paintings of Jean Shen
at Girard Gourmet,
7837 Girard Avenue, La Jolla, Ca. 92037,
from June to August, 2015.
at Girard Gourmet,
7837 Girard Avenue, La Jolla, Ca. 92037,
from June to August, 2015.
Reception on Friday, June 26, 5 PM to 7 PM.
All are welcome, children included.
Jean teaches this ancient art
of dancing with bamboo brush
with ink and color on rice paper
at the Athenaeum School of the Arts.
of dancing with bamboo brush
with ink and color on rice paper
at the Athenaeum School of the Arts.
A note from Jean Shen about the exhibit:
Dear students and friends,
It was a wonderful reception with lots and lots of friends and students and their guests milling around studying the paintings. I was glowing with happiness as were the paintings glowing with happiness as well. Ha Ha! Our beloved Penny of the Athenaeum School of the Arts and Jeff of Girard Gourmet were pouring wine and Martinelli cider while many partook of the beautiful spread of appetizers provided by Diana and Francoise, owners of Girard Gourmet.
It was a blessing to talk with many people and I had a chance to take a few people to look at the "BLESSING" calligraphy and show them how the four parts of the ancient character says: "A man walking in the garden with God is blessed." Furthermore, that this painting and the two small ones of the terns in flight were "rescued" paintings from the water stain caused by a flooding in my art room. They were rescued at 5:00 AM that fateful morning when "disaster" struck and I had the presence of mind to quickly and calmly do washes on them to take away the water stain. This includes the Red Cardinal sitting calmly at dusk. It was the red color of this bird that spread to four other paintings. Yet, they were all proudly in the exhibit, more beautiful than before the disaster.
In fact, a very excited gentleman came to tell me about the Red Cardinal painting and the red roses painting next to it. He said the way I painted the roses and the cardinal they have "eyes" following him wherever he went! The icing on the cake was that six paintings are sold already. There was quite a "war" of people vying to purchase the red goldfish and also the ocean scene with the moon. The tall pine in Yosemite went to the 91-year old neighbor of my daughter Valerie. The two terns - "Freedom" and "A Flight in Wind" were sold as a pair, which I am so very glad about. And the sea gull looking straight into your eyes was snapped up while we were just hanging the paintings. There may be more...
Ken and Stephanie Goldman, fellow Athenaeum instructors and well-known artists internationally, came to my reception. It was a treat to hear from Stephanie complimenting me about my underwater scenery with the tiny yellow fishes. That is my first experience painting in such a modern style. She strongly urged me to paint wall size paintings of fishes. Whoa! That will be a stretch into modern Chinese brush painting, which may be possible new grounds to conquer.
I love asking people which is their favorite painting, and why. So, write me if you like to share! And if you haven't been to my show yet, do stop by and enjoy it. Get one of Francoise's cookie creations which are so artistic, and a cup of tea or coffee and sit with my paintings. One guest wrote that she found each painting evoking and imparting such peace to her. It is my heart's desire that my paintings capture the peacefulness of creations, and moreover, the peace that comes from the Creator!
Jean Shen
