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The Grasshopper, my trade mark piece of work

This painting was done as a companion to the Cicada painting. I so enjoyed the form and the subject matter of the Cicada, that I wanted to create another one but with the leaf in a different orientation. Again the grasshopper was done with a elaborate brush, paying attention to minute details and the banana leaf in the Xieyi style.

I submitted this painting along with others to the Portland Open Studios and was accepted to be one the exhibiting artist. In fact this painting was also shown in the Asian Reporter and was used in one of the POS ads.

Now, when I look at this painting, I could find quite a few faults with it. Lets look at some of them. The picture on the bottom helps to illustrate my point. First, the hind legs are crooked. I've drawn a straight line out along the axis of the legs and somehow the rear portions bend and deviates from the line.The antennae should not have bulbs at the tips; these look like butterfly antennae! Then the leaf was not done with the same determination and forcefulness as the Cicada painting. I've circled the portion of the leaf to show as an example. The strokes were tentative and segmented.

Nonetheless, perhaps of all these imperfections, especially the weird angle of the hind legs, this painting seems to possess energy and a certain liveliness. The subject matter is no longer static.

an old master

This is an emulation of a painting by the old master Qi Baishi. The cicada is done in a very realistic, defining style. One can appreciate the veins on the translucent wings. The lone cicada

is hugging a stylistic banana leaf. This simplistic arrangement creates motion and serenity at the same time. I enjoyed painting the life like insect, and the deliberate, forceful side tip brushing of the banana leaf.

This painting actually evoked a lively discussion between one of my teachers and I. My teacher does not condone the mixing of styles, i.e. the insect borders on the Gonbi style of exact lines and forms, and the leaf is a definite Xieyi style, which emphasizes on free, impressionistic brush strokes.

I especially enjoyed the Zen like quality of this painting. I often times find myself in the room with just this painting in the light, and do my day dreaming.