Imagekind Gallery Zen

Lotus Dream

Free As The Dragonflies

With the warm weather here now, I can now enjoy the outdoors. How I love to be free...free like the dragonflies.

No Worries

This is a different take on my previous fusion piece, Who Cares About The Storm Above. Here I have added the chinese phrase "Fishies Couldn't Care Less About The Storm Above". May this painting bring you peace, calm and serenity

Dance of the Dragonflies

Summer is here! My husband and I can finally venture outdoors and have some fun, like the dragonflies dancing in the sun!

Dragon

Happy Year of the Dragon! This is my wild grass calligraphy for the Chinese character, dragon. Chinese writing dates back to over 5000 years ago. Chinese characters evolved from pictographs to more abstract ideograms to the modern-day character, which bears a slight resemblance to its pictographic origins. The characters are divided into 3 main categories : pictographs , ideograms , phonograms. Dragon is a pictograph. The original oracle bone script is a rough drawing of the dragon. It has evolved to the modern day character but you can still vaguely see the head and body on the left side, the back and tail on the right side.

Year of the Dragon

January 23, 2012 is Chinese New Year's Day, ushering in the Year of the Dragon. Wishing you all good luck and good health in the new year! The Chinese calendar is a lunisolar calendar, incorporating elements of a lunar calendar with those of a solar calendar. The start of the year is based on the cycles of the moon, and can fall anywhere between late January and the middle of February. This year it falls on January 23. A complete cycle takes 60 years and is made up of five cycles of 12 years each. The animals representing the rotating 12 year cycle are the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, ram, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. In addition to the 12 animals, the Chinese Zodiac involves 5 elements: metal, wood, water, fire and earth. These elements are associated with the 5 major planets Venus, Jupiter, Mercury, Mars, and Saturn, respectively. The 5 elements and the 12 animals combine to create a 60-year cycle. This cycle, along with Yin and Yang, directions, the positions of the sun and moon, and a birth date and time are all used to help foresee a person's future.

Love Is In The Air

Watercolour and Chinese Ink

First Snow

We just had our first snow today. Not much accumulation though. I did this with watercolour and a Chinese brush. I would call it a semi-sumi since I used watercolour paper and not rice paper.

With My Head Held High

This is inspired by the Chinese saying which is shown at the top left of the painting, meaning with my head held high. The actual saying is "vow not to bow"

The Trek South

It's that time of the year when the Canada geese are migrating south. It's a beautiful scene.

Happiness Is Getting Along

This is inspired by the Chinese saying "happiness in getting along harmoniously" which is the 4 characters at the top of the painting. This world would be a much happier place if we can all accept our differences and just get along.

Who Cares About The Storm Above

Trying to merge east with west, and inject a bit of whimsy into traditional Chinese art. (Chinese ink & watercolour on rice paper)

With Will and Determination

I saw a bird dive for its prey and it reminded me of the Chinese saying "Go for it with will and determination". 30% of all net proceeds from the sale of this picture will be donated to the ART for Cancer Foundation.

Wish Upon The Sky

Sumi-e painting on rice paper

Laughing Buddha

Sumi painting of Budai, the Laughing Buddha

What's up

Sumi parrot done on rice paper

Take A Good Look At This World

Sumi eye on rice paper

Unity is Strength

sumi painting

Heavenly Blue

Blend of sumi and watercolour

Each Finds Joy In His Own Way

Sumi painting inspired by the Chinese saying "one finds joy in one's own way". The characters on the top left means oneself + finds + own + joy.

Feeding Frenzy

Chinese brush painting

Lotus That Purifies The Heart

Chinese brush painting. In response to Imagekind's blog post, I will be donating all of my profits from this piece this year to Red Cross towards disaster relief in Japan. Hope those who are suffering will find peace in their hearts.

Soaring High

Chinese ink wash of crane on Xuan paper.
30% of all net proceeds from the sale of this picture will be donated to the ART for Cancer Foundation.

On Typha Pond

chinese brush painting on xuan paper

Like Fish With Water

These are my pet betta fish - Alfa and Beta. The 4 Chinese words on the right is the Chinese saying "like fish with water". This Chinese ink wash painting is done on parchment paper.

Dance with Me

Chinese brush painting on xuan paper

Together We'll Fly Side By Side

This Chinese ink painting is inspired by a Tang dynasty poem which has the phrase "On earth, may we be branches entwined; in the sky, may we be birds flying side by side"

Tweeting Bird Amidst Fragrant Flowers

Chinese ink and wash painting done on thin Xuan Paper. The four words shown are: bird +tweet+flower+fragrant. It is the Chinese saying "birds are tweeting, flowers are fragrant" meaning everything is so wonderful.

Good Things Come In Pairs

Chinese Ink Painting on Rice Paper

Amidst The Rain And Gloom

Acrylic on canvas, done with Chinese brush

Love Is Many A Splendored Thing

Chinese calligraphy for LOVE