Chinese Lantern Dream Mini Painting

Chinese Lantern Dream Mini Painting, originally uploaded by plasticpumpkin.

mini painting (Artist trading card size; the size of a baseball card), done with Japanese watercolors and a Niji water pen, on white rice paper. Available.

Lately I’ve been playing with a Japanese Niji water pen (a portable, almost-sumi style brush, with a body which can hold water). It’s a very different animal from the Chinese brushes I’m used to, and it’s been fun to expierment.

I love Chinese lanterns. I love Japanese lanterns. Heck, I love lanterns of any size, shape, and origin.

The soft glow of an illuminated paper or silk lantern, set against a night sky is enchanting–yet so is the soft glow of a red lantern against the fresh, sunny sky. The glow is not quite as prominent, but it still whispers.

I’d have my entire house filled with lanterns, if my cats didn’t also enjoy them.

View the ACEO art card on Etsy.

Lomas & 5th St, Albuquerque, NM

Lomas & 5th St, Albuquerque, NM, originally uploaded by plasticpumpkin.

This is a figurative cityscape , done with a Japanese sumi ink pen, on white paper. You’re heading East on Lomas, during late August, toward the corner of 5th st., in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The shadows stretch as 4:00 rolls into 5…

This is an 11 x 14 piece. $28.00

Available.

Lonely Temple

Watercolor & ink on white mat board. A lonely Taoist temple sits atop a winding path of stone stairs.

This is a very small painting (only a few inches), done on recycled mat board.

What is loneliness?

View this painting in my Etsy shop.

Man in the Wilderness

Man in the Wilderness, originally uploaded by plasticpumpkin.

Traditional Chinese brush painting on an off-white rice paper scroll.

A man finds himself in the wilderness, and reaches out to it.

We can philosophize about nature all we want. We can sit inside an office building, with our false sense of climate, and our polished windows. We can tailor our yards with measured pockets of grass, and perfectly aligned stones…

In the end, we aren’t a part of nature in our modern world–until we step out into it. Until we reach out for it, and accept it into our lives.

This ancient philosopher, wandering a stylized, ancient Chinese landscape, is reaching out for that special understanding we get, when we notice the slant of light in August, or the change in the crisp air of early spring, with warmth at the seams.

View this daily painting on Etsy.

I Remember Oahu

I Remember Oahu, originally uploaded by plasticpumpkin.

Original watercolor and sumi ink painting done on heavy watercolor paper.

This is an ACEO art card (3 1/2″ x 2 1/5″ - trading card size). It’s fun to work on such a small canvas!

This reminds me of a moment, frozen in time–1990, Oahu, Hawaii. The sky there is a different creature, a different phase of the world.

View this little card in my Etsy shop.

Amitayus Long Life Buddha

Amitayus Buddha  is the Buddha of long life, good fortune and wisdom. Buddha Amitayus is the samboghakaya “enjoyment body” of Buddha Amitabha who is the “emanation body.” He radiates love and immortality wherever he goes.

He is painted using traditional Chinese brush painting techniques, on soft, white rice paper.

I did Amitayus with the traditional Taoist method of a single subject, against a crisp white background.

The thing I enjoyed doing most was his playful smile.

View Amitayus in my Etsy shop.

San Andreas

Growing up in Southern California, I had access to fascinating geologic formations caused by local earthquake fault lines. The massive, twisted structures that had been formed by the constantly moving San Andreas fault were among the most powerful I saw.

This freeform landscape was done, while thinking about a narrow, yellow earth valley near Palmdale, California–where the low hills, and higher mountains in the distance, formed a folded route, which seemed to cut right through the planet.

This painting was done with Chinese brush painting techniques and a Japanese KOI water brush, on white rice paper.

9″ x 12″

View the painting on Etsy.

To the Very End

Painting a day–from January 27th. A little slow to post, but here it is!

A strange, wild plant grows in captivity. It winds and twists, with the fierce, tireless growth of its native terrain–yet a quiet, green pot holds it in place.

Sometimes we have to alter our path, to make way for obstacles–but they never have to stop us completely. Even the wild plant, potted and contained, can flourish–if it works with its environment and adapts.

This painting is done using traditional Chinese brush painting techniques, with a Koi water pen, on white rice paper.

View this little slice of Tao in my Etsy shop. 

Painting a Day 8/29/07 - The Yellow Emperor

Painting a Day -8/29/07

The Yellow Emperor (yes, on Magenta).

The Yellow Emperor, originally uploaded by plasticpumpkin.

This is my Painting a Day entry for 8/29/07. I realize I’m posting these out of order, but I hope they are still enjoyable.

This is a traditional Chinese brush painting using inks and watercolor on white rice paper. The paper is slightly textured with mulberry fibers (it’s actually a Japanese Unryu paper).

The Yellow Emperor is an important figure in Chinese religion, folklore, and history. He is the legendary, immortal emperor–thought to have brought all kinds of civilized practices, skills, and arts to the people of ancient, prehistoric China. He is one of the Taoist immortal beings, a powerful deity who rules with wisdom, kindness, skill, and strength.

Painting a Day 9/11/07

The Plumbing
9/11/07

Painting a Day project

The Plumbing #2, originally uploaded by plasticpumpkin.

I know, I know! I’m behind already on my Painting a Day entries. Don’t worry, though. I have a few backed up that I’ll be sharing.

This piece, called “The Plumbing” was done using watercolor pencils, water, and brushes on September 11th, ‘07. I am fascinated by machinery, especially old industrial revolution-era contraptions and abandoned, obsolete equipment. These tanks and pipes were done from scratch, from my mind. What do they do? I feel as though they’re part of a bizarre pumping or distillation system… unkempt.

Size: 11 x 15