Watercolor Artist – October 2019

ArtistsNetwork.com 49

truthofbeautyandgoodness.
I embracehumanity.

Zhang:Westernartis inspiredby
natureandhumanitywhileEasternart
is basedlargelyonvisualobservation.
Westernpaintingstronglydisplays
anindividualartist’sinnerfeelings
whileEasternpaintingrepresents
thedirectimitationoftheartist’s
visionandperception.
InChina,mostprofessionalartists
createtheirartworkaccordingtoa
themesetforthbythenationalart
exhibitionsandcompetitions.It’san
artculturethatcelebratestechnique
overcreativity.
Becauseoftheconnectionofthe
internet,however,thingsarechanging

gradually.I cantestifytothisfrommy

ownteachingexperience;mystu-

dentswelcomemysuggestionsto

expresstheirinnerexpressionrather

thansimplypaintingwhattheysee.

Theyseemtoenjoytheprocessmore

andareveryeagertolearn.

ONTHEPOPULARITY

OFWATERCOLOR

Kuo:There’sanactivetrendtopaint

withwatercolorinTaiwan.Collectors

arelookingseriouslyintocollecting

watercolorpaintings.Myworksare

collectedbybothTaiwaneseand

internationalartlovers.The conve-

nienceofinternetnetworking

strengthensthecommunication

amongartistsacrosstheglobe.It’s

importanttoshareEasternsymbols

andtocelebratetheTaiwaneseiden-

titywiththeworld;however,each

artistenjoysanindependentidentity

thatreflectstheuniquenessofhisor

herownculture.

Zhang:Watercoloris actuallythemost

practicedartmediuminChina.It’s

common to fi nd watercolor depart-

ments in the universities. Th e internet,

which links the world together;

Chinese translations of books from

foreign publishers; visits by interna-

tional artists—these all inspire and

motivate Chinese artists. Th ey’re keen

to develop new skills and techniques,

and to integrate traditional Chinese

watercolor into contemporary styles.

Th e unique combination has become

popular, which is welcome not only in

China but across the world. Th e

Chinese collectors who put a high

value on traditional watercolors are

becoming more relaxed with their

investments, collecting more new and

modern watercolor artworks. WA

Hong Kong-based artist and writer,

Isabelle V. Lim ( isabelleart.com), has

painted in watercolor since childhood.

She also works in pastel and has earned

Master Pastelist status in the Pastel

Society of America and the Société des

Pastellistes de France, and Master

Circle status in the International

Association of Pastel Societies.

ABOVE
Lotus Pond Theater
(watercolor on paper,
40x60) by Hsin-I Kuo

LEFT
Elegant Chrysanthemum
(watercolor on paper,
10¼ x15) by JinSong Zhang