Beijing Series (2015- 17)
This series brought me closer to the warm friendly hospitality and experiences I have enjoyed with a few great friends from this part of the world. I am inspired by many aspects of the cultures and history of Asia and hope to return there some day. As my wife was presenting to an international conference in Beijing in September of 2015, and through her efforts, I had the privilege of being given a private lesson by a Beijing artist, Li Xianlong, also an associate professor and teacher.
Relaxing over tea in an elegant highrise office/studio, and with each of us equipped with our cellphones, we exchanged photos of our work and talked about our love of painting with a few mutually understood words in English and Chinese. I was amazed by his mastering of the Chinese brush, paper, inks and paints. My afternoon with him will be an experience I will always remember.