Paint My Loves

After having my first daughter, I watch her grow up everyday.  I can feel time slipped away so fast that I could not remember all the precious moments well enough.  I sometimes would even fear I would forget how she looked like, how she crawled, how she smiled and how she ate as a baby, as a little girl.  Though in smarts phone era, taking photo is just a handy job with no effort at all.  But I don't like instant food.  Painting can help me to process my emotions and communicate to my loved ones in a deeper level.  Most importantly, paintings can become tangible memories of the family when hanging on the wall! Lol


Without formal portraiture and figure drawing training, I know these paintings are not perfect.  But, these really helped me to record my love to my dearests.


The first piece depicted the moment we went to Thailand at Luvia's 1-year-old.  She didn't enjoy much of the texture of the sand and cried.  Without saying a word, Daddy just held her and gave her a kiss and hug.  Under the sunlight, this scene was really full of love.  I wanted to remember it and turned it into painting.  Though it looks like a bit cartoon, I really enjoyed the process and the outcome!

Daddy's Hug with Love, 16"x20", Oil on Canvas

This second piece was the scene that Luvia playing with her cousins together.  She was roughly 1.5 years old by that time.  Her cousins treated her as their young sister.  Only when they were around, Luvia would run and play happily and care-freely.  They both definitely were her first two friends in life! Hope they all could remember their happy childhood, how they loved each other and enjoyed the company together.

Three Gangs Enjoying Childhood, 16"x20", Oil on Canvas

Art Jamming Pain

I tried Art Jamming back to 10 years ago, well before I started to paint.  In a social setting, people brought in reference photos to paint whatever they liked.  After the event, we all said "Oh! Painting is so much fun!"


After I touched my hands on oil painting, I have given another chance to join an art jam event.  The experience this time was totally different.  Since in art jam, I was given to use acrylic paint to paint a huge unprimed canvas (22"x48") which I never handled before.  My experience with the acrylic paint was a nightmare, it dried super fast when compared to oil paint and its plastic and sticky texture were difficult to manage.  After 4 hours struggled with the paint, I only got plenty of frustrations with an unfinished canvas.  Of course, it was their marketing strategy to ask you to purchase more painting hours!


But I didn't give in.  I brought the canvas home and continued to work on this huge painting project.  This time, I changed the medium to what I am more familiar of - oil paints.

I designed to install a window view for my tiny home.  After working for several nights, this painting project was completed!

Can you feel the wind is blowing to your face?  Can you feel how intense is the red of the poppy field?  I just love it!  After all, I can say again "Painting is so much fun!!"

Floral Painting

 

Like most of the people, when started learning oil painting, I was asked to paint many black and white still life to get used of the properties of oil paint.  Gradually, color was introduced.

I was somehow lack of patience.  I would keep asking my instructor when I could try painting something else.  But when the opportunity finally came, I found it was difficult to control the paints, the color, the texture.  Sometimes, the color became too muddy.  Sometimes, the paint became too thick and slippery.  I realised I was lack of the "color language" to paint.

There is no fast track, at least no for me.  Only with patience and practice, I can now get used of oil paint and am in love it!

Here are two beginner level floral paintings I've done in my painting journey.  After I learned to paint, I become more aware of still life, flowers and people around me.  Sometimes, I starred at things as if I need to paint them right away.  I love to see how's the color changed, how the light reflected on the subject...  Painting really enriched my life. :) 

"Hello Camellia" 11"x 14" Oil on Canvas

Before I painted a larger size, I started with a small study.  But then, I changed the background color to a more neutral one. 

Camellia Study, 8"x10" Oil on Canvas



Beginner's Heart



Self-Portrait, Oil on canvas, 2015
I picked up painting again after having
my first daughter

I always want to start a painting blog but just delay and delay.  Finally... here I am!

To me, painting is the most theraputic process in the world.  I can be so focused and attuned to my own feelings.  In busy world nowadays, that is a precious moment for self-nurturing.

I didn’t have the luxury to learn painting when I was little.  I found my passion in painting only after I worked in office work. I joined painting class after work. Unfortunately, the long working hours could not allow me to continue.  Since then, I paint on and off for a few years during leisure time.  After I have my first daughter, life became even more intense and busier.  Of course, I enjoy my family time and playing with my daughter so much but I also felt parts of me has been detached. 

Luckily, painting found me again (sob sob...)

I started to paint again whenever my little sweetheart fell asleep.  I keep painting whenever I have leisure time. 

Through painting, I found myself again. 

As a mum and a working woman, I won't let people to define who I am.  I always see my genuine self through my artworks.