Ch'iJust kicking off the new year with something I put away many months ago - taking sketches and adding color in Photoshop. I had a lot of fun this morning playing around...here is Ch'i or qi (氣), "life-force" in Chinese culture.
I don't know if I mentioned this before but I am a proud Chinese-American. I was born and raised in California and experienced a childhood of very American traditions but also Chinese traditions as well. Every weekend my family would travel up to San Francisco to enjoy dinners at my grandparents' houses. We'd feast on 7 to 9 courses of cantonese dishes, and celebrate birthdays and Chinese New Year's with special dishes, candy, and of course fireworks (bricks, they'd call them). Recently I've been taking my kids to Chinese school each Saturday to learn Mandarin. This is our third year and it's been h-a-r-d, that's for sure. What a tough language to learn! Anyway, our teacher, Lao-shi Chang, taught us how to do a little tai-chi, and though we only learned a little, I enjoyed the idea of moving a ball of energy smoothly, consciously and focused to bring balance and stability. I studied a few years of Aikido as well and it brought back many good memories of the peace that I felt practicing the art. Here's to balance and calm in the new year!
I don't know if I mentioned this before but I am a proud Chinese-American. I was born and raised in California and experienced a childhood of very American traditions but also Chinese traditions as well. Every weekend my family would travel up to San Francisco to enjoy dinners at my grandparents' houses. We'd feast on 7 to 9 courses of cantonese dishes, and celebrate birthdays and Chinese New Year's with special dishes, candy, and of course fireworks (bricks, they'd call them). Recently I've been taking my kids to Chinese school each Saturday to learn Mandarin. This is our third year and it's been h-a-r-d, that's for sure. What a tough language to learn! Anyway, our teacher, Lao-shi Chang, taught us how to do a little tai-chi, and though we only learned a little, I enjoyed the idea of moving a ball of energy smoothly, consciously and focused to bring balance and stability. I studied a few years of Aikido as well and it brought back many good memories of the peace that I felt practicing the art. Here's to balance and calm in the new year!
FELIZ AÑO 2011 SHIRLEY! BENDICIONES PLENAS PARA TI Y TU FAMILIA EN ESTE NUEVO AÑO. VINE A SEGUIRTE DESDE VENEZUELA. TE INVITO A VISITARME. BESITOS.MARISELA:)
ReplyDeleteWow Shirly she is beautiful! I really like the movement in this picture, she looks so graceful and calm, just like she should whilst doing Tai Chi! I love the sound of those 7 to 9 courses yummo!!! Happy New Year Shirley to you and your family! I'm looking forward to another year of creative fun and following your beautiful work!!! Take care xoxox
ReplyDeleteouch, I just lost my entire comment! I guess I was talking too much!!! So, I was saying how great it was that you and your kids were taking Mandarin. My daughter did her internship in college, her minor is Chinese, teaching Mandarin, Cantonese, and English to Chinese-American kids in Atlanta. She is in Beijing right now celebrating her birthday. She would love the 7 to 9 course meals, it's right up her alley. She just posted a picture on facebook of she and her boyfriend having baozi for breakfast(she likes the red bean paste ones). I really need to learn to make it for her, it's her favorite. I'm sure she will get her fill of them in China, so I am making tiramisu for her as a belated birthday celebration when she comes back through Georgia on her way back to Virginia. Love your tai-chi girl, she is graceful and beautiful. Take care with that ball of energy ;).
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year, Shirley. This illustration is so beautiful and serene - I really love her. Thanks for sharing a little more about you, personally. I've heard that Mandarin is one of the hardest languages to learn - and so I wish your children much success. I loved reading about all your family traditions - it's so important to keep one's cultural background alive. I made many traditional Portuguese treats for the holiday (to honor my dad's heritage). It's always a good reminder of your roots. :) Have a great Sunday! Theresa
ReplyDeleteWow What a wonderful way to start off the New Year! Great post. You are so interesting! Thanks for sharing your fabulous work with us in 2010. Looking forward to 2011. Happy New Year! PB&J! (peace, blessings & joy)
ReplyDeleteawesome!! i love it!! my best wishes for your new year too! :-D
ReplyDeleteShirley,
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year to you! This is very free piece. I love the style. Thanks for sharing a "piece" of you! A very big happy new year to you! and i look forward to seeing more of your wonderful whimsical work in 2011! xxoo
Such a beautiful and peaceful illustration Shirley. It sounds like you had a wonderful start the year. x
ReplyDeleteI love the character in this! Its amazing what a little photoshop color will do sometimes!
ReplyDeleteHow beautiful this is Shirley! Good luck with your language classes - I know from living in the Far East that it is very difficult to learn Mandarin - too many tones and Cantonese even more!)
ReplyDeleteSweet Shirley, this painting is amazing! I love how visible the sketch lines are...your fluency with brushstrokes is remarkable! Thank you for sharing more about your personal life, I always find it interesting how culturally rich this blogging community is.
ReplyDeleteAs with Cantonese dishes? I would eat Chinese Crispy Duck everyday if I could!! YUM! ♥♥♥
Wow
ReplyDeleteNice job
I like your style and colors
Congratulation and happy new year
ohh Shirley, I love this little tai chi girl! she has such a serene focus- well captured! And you can really feel the slow, purposeful movement in her arms, hands and body. I really like how you show the energy glow above her hands and the contrasting shadows.
ReplyDeleteWow 7-9 courses, geesh that makes my husband's Italian feasts sound teeny. I bet there are so delicious! Yum!
Hi Shirley, what power she holds in her hands, that is an awesome picture! Enjoy your studies, that is one very, very hard language. I also loved hearing the snippets about your ancestry, thanks for sharing. Have a peaceful 2011
ReplyDeleteJane x
The movement in this is really great! My wife is from Hong Kong, so we celebrate Chinese New Year with our kids as well (and, increasingly, our neighborhood, which is getting into it). And my father-in-law does Tai Chi.
ReplyDeleteSo sweet and calm!Love the feeling it gives me:)
ReplyDeleteYou are great!Happy New Year!
wow...breathtaking!!! love your style and the peacefulness of this illo!
ReplyDeleteWarm regards for 2011
<3 !!!!
ReplyDeleteShirley, Shirley! Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteOh wow, she is beautiful! She has wonderful flow, very fluid and graceful. And her expression -- so calm and peaceful. II thought this was watercolor!
Hope the year is full of wonder and opportunity and joys! I missed you!
You inspired me so much. I follow you.
ReplyDeleteShirleyy!! happy new year...
ReplyDeletethis is very very inspiring, magically so:)
I always love the idea of starting fresh, trying something new at the beginning of the year. Sometimes it works out for me, sometimes not. It looks like you've got a good handle on a brilliantly creative new year. Always a good thing to see.
ReplyDeleteIt is beautiful, the combination of traditional drawing and adding digital color.
ReplyDeleteAnd it was wonderful to read about the two cultures you've been given from your parents. It must be giving a rich feeling.
This is so gorgeous and powerful! Loved the looseness of the sketch and the composition. Wow...
ReplyDelete