Fang-Chian Tsai 

My latest artistic creations are based on the Chinese ancient paintings from the Song Dynasty (960 C.E.) to the Republic of China [Taiwan] ( 1911-now ) with an emphasis on the ink-inspiration styles .

I started practicing Chinese calligraphy at the age of 10 and began learning ink painting at the age of 14. The use of ink and writing brushes began very early in my life .

After entering the fine arts department of the teacher's college, in addition to calligraphy and ink painting , I also learned Western methods of artistic expression such as sketching, watercolor, oil painting, print and sculpture . Over time , Chinese calligraphy and ink painting became less popular, however I continued to practice these skills since both of these two forms of artistic expression are considered necessary for basic art education in elementary schools in Taiwan.

Due to political factors, Taiwanese at that time hoped to get closer to the West by learning Western things. However, Chiang Kai-Shek actively educated the Taiwanese people to become Chinese since he retreated to Taiwan in 1949. The countless treasures of ancient Chinese calligraphy , ink paintings , crafts , antiques as well as much ancient Chinese philosophical thought and literature have become the beauty of Chinese culture which is deeply ingrained in the Taiwanese mind.

"Living in the countryside in the great time of Chaos " is the wisdom of the ancient Chinese . A large amount of knowledge lived in the mountains and forests during the big chaos in the 3rd to the 7th centuries and around the tenth century of ancient China. These people created literature first ; Mr. Tao Yuanming was the representation . After this , the paintings came and Mr. Fan Kuan and Mr. Guo Xi were the representatives . Of these arts , the later Chinese generations named them " mountain and forest literature " and " mountain-and- water painting " . The latter was also named " Chinese landscape painting" .

The Chinese landscape painting was conceived from mountain and forest literature , so its content does not only express the beauty of landscapes but also the secluded thought and yearning for a peaceful life from within.

The artwork I created from 2021 were re-creations of those parts that touched my heart as I appreciated the artwork of ancient Chinese paintings .

The traditional Chinese ink paintings were drawn on silk or rice paper but either silk or rice paper is not easily obtained in the USA , not to mention framed silk or rice paper painting  in the USA. Utilizing the local materials to create artwork is the best way for an artist to create , so I use acrylic and canvas to create Chinese ink style artwork .

I am grateful for the Chinese painting skills I learned when I was young which gave me enough confidence to adjust to Eastern and Western culture when I immigrated to the USA in 2014. Regardless of  what I encountered in the US , my heart is full of tranquility and joy from the moment I picked up  the paint brush throughout the entire process until the final results.

                                                                                                FC TSAI  2023 in Cary, NC USA

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