"Hung Liu Reflections"

Hung Liu, Visage IV, oil on canvas, 72 x 72 inches, 2004

Let me begin with Hung Liu's art. When she pulled that huge brush to begin painting the three concubines I was screaming, "NOOOOO!!!" on the inside while watching the screen intently. My husband got a kick out of it. I surely thought she was going to mess it up...and was so amazed to see how much magic she has running through her hands and right onto the canvas. I'm not a huge fan of her artwork, but I am a huge fan of her as an artist. She paints with her heart and with spirit. I admire that greatly.

In reading all the different painting technique from the chapter, I was "wowed" with the whole concept of mixing paint and other substances to create tempera. I was especially intrigued by egg yolk tempera. I may never be able to eat my sunny side up eggs the same way.

I loved the oil on canvas piece by William de Kooning called Door to the River. It screams energy. I can imagine many people could look at a painting and say they could paint one just like that. I'm willing to bet their painting wouldn't be as full of life, though, as this particular one is.


Willem de Kooning
Door to the River, 1960
Oil on canvas

I love paintings that take me back to a place in life. While I recognize the need to have art in the world that expresses sadness, hatred, repression and grief (Amoung many other negative emotions) I am drawn more to the pieces that make me feel happy inside. That doesn't mean I don't appreciate one over the other. I guess I just don't want to hang something in my home that is going to remind me or take me back to a bad place in society or even my life for that matter. I think it is fascinating how two different people can look at the same piece of art and come up with two completely different assumptions as to what the artist meant to capture or convey through his strokes.

Art is so magical. Artists are magicians without all the hocus pocus! Instead of a wand, they have their brushes or stencils, or whatever they choose to use. Pretty cool, I think.