44 Watercolor artist | OCTOBER 2019
ON INSPIRATION
Kuo: I strongly believe that
inspiration is revealed quietly when
the mind is free and unaware of the
environment. In the past, I sought
out subjects and objects—such as
colorful, discarded beverage cans—
to paint. Later, I came to realize that
the subject lacked a personal quality.
Th e stunning chaos and bright colors
weren’t connected to my own
inspiration. Th e lotus ponds, on the
other hand, may be ordinary, but my
imagination is speaking when the
viewers peer into this creative space.Zhang: I’m inspired by nature.
I observe vivid natural imagery in
diff erent moods and lighting. Every
morning, I linger happily in my home
garden to watch the many buds and
blossoms greet the morning sun. Th e
dewdrops on the petals and leaves areHsin-I Kuo
Kuo is a native of Taichung,
located on the western side
of central Taiwan. The city is
a gateway for exploring the
country’s mountainous
interior. Kuo attended the
National Taichung University
of Education, earning an
MFA in 2016. She lives in
Taichung in a three-story
building. She converted the
second fl oor into her paint-
ing studio.
There, Kuo keeps two
6 ½-feet-long working tables
to support two oversized
paintings that may be in
progress at any one time.
“The tables can be joined
easily for paintings that are
longer than 6 feet,” Kuo says.
“Or, I can paint the whole
piece upright by leaning it
against the wall.”
The artist’s work focuses
on lotus ponds, a compelling
subject that has inspired her
art-making for more than six
years. “I never get tired of
painting the lotus ponds,”
Kuo says. “Whenever I start a
new piece, it’s just like meet-
ing a new friend and happily
making a fresh connection.”
She looks to nature to
find beauty but turns inward
to create artwork that com-
municates on a deeper level.
“We must be humble in the
face of nature,” she says.
“To compose a painting,
I connect my eyes with my
inmost heart to dig deeper.”so inspiring. Th is vitality calls me
out to paint. Th is intimate observa-
tion of the petals and leaves
enhances my fl oral paintings.
My studio has abundant natural
lighting with windows that open
out to the garden for inspiration.
Th e blooms I paint originate in my
garden, but it’s my inspiration that
keeps the subject fresh.ON CHOOSING WATERCOLOR
Kuo: Watercolor fi ts my personality
well. Other water-based materials
are compatible with watercolor, so
I often mix Chinese ink, and other
colored inks and dyes, in my work.Zhang: Th e medium expresses
my concepts well. It’s a friendly
medium for the language of art
and a lovely tool for communicating
with people.