My love for painting started when I was four years old, under the influence of my family. My grandfather was a doctor, but he enjoyed painting and crafting in his free time. He turned his paintings into a portfolio, and I enjoyed looking at his landscape painting in the Chinese style. He gave me some chalks, and I would spend hours doodling on the ground. My father, as an architect, grasped the skills of drawing architecture with a pen and coloring it with watercolor. I still vividly remember when I was a kid, my father took me to the nearby park to sketch the beauty of nature. When the spring breeze turned into a cherry blossom shower, the delicate pinkish petals touched my sketch paper, sparkly with a hint of fragrance. I spent ten years honing my skills and developing my style every weekend. Although I had to take a break from painting during my teenage years to focus on my studies and prepare for the college entrance exam, I never lost my passion for art.
After moving to the US, I rekindled my childhood hobby and turned it into my passion. I took some online painting classes and read books, sometimes just by watching Youtube videos. One book that had a profound impact on me was "Steal Like an Artist" by Austin Kleon, where he pointed out that "nothing is completely original and all creative work builds on what came before." This perspective gave me the freedom to experiment with my paintings, taking inspiration from other artists' works and incorporating my own understanding and emotions into each piece.
Watercolor flower paintings are a testament to the delicate beauty of nature. I tried my best to capture the soft petals and delicate stems in a way that evoked a sense of serenity and tranquility. The fluidity of the watercolor medium makes it difficult to control the outcome of a piece, but I tried to harness its unique qualities with both precision and spontaneity.
My acrylic landscape paintings, on the other hand, work on showcasing the bold and striking beauty of the natural world. The fast-drying nature of acrylics allows for layering and blending in a way that watercolors cannot, and I take full advantage of this by experimenting with different brush techniques and textures.
I find joy in every aspect of the painting process. From the initial inspiration to the final brush stroke, I am constantly exploring new techniques. Through my art, I represent themes such as flowers, landscapes, and animals. Each painting is an opportunity to tell a story and connect with the audience on a deeper level.
As a learning science major, I usually reflect on my own painting learning experience. In constructivism, learners construct new knowledge rather than passively take in information. When they experience the world and reflect on their experiences, learners build their own ideas and incorporate new information into their pre-existing knowledge. I approach each new painting as an opportunity to construct my knowledge and reflect upon my experiences. As I create and reflect upon my work, I continue to build upon my skills and style. Sometimes, after watching some painting videos, I thought I could do a similar painting without any obstacles. However, only by actually painting can I know what kind of difficulties I would encounter, which reminded me of constructionism as a "learning-by-making" approach.
If you're a fan of watercolor and acrylic, or if you're simply looking for art, join me on this artistic journey and see what magic we can create together.