Sunday, August 31, 2008

A day with Chinese artists

Last Tuesday, I had the pleasure of being invited by Jan Brown Checco to spend the day with some artists visiting from China. I met them at Jan's house, who I oddly had never met even though she lives less than a third of a mile from my house. We had coffee and I was given wonderful little books showing each of the artists work.
We then went to my studio in Eden park and I discussed my work. As none of them spoke much, if any English, it was interesting having these discussions through an interpreter, who I thought did an amazing job.
We had lunch in the park and then set up to draw and paint. At this point we were joined by Carl Samson. I worked on the same painting the entire time, but the Chinese artists buzzed around doing tons of sketches. It was fun to watch them work. Doing drawings of the ducks and all of them did wonderful sketches of me working. Of course how could they resist.
Here is the 8x10 sketch I did at the edge of the pond. It needs some ducks in it. I may go back to work on it.

It was a lovely time except for some idiot with a gas powered remote control monster truck. Unfortunately I did not have my sword, or I would have handled the situation. I thought it best to show the Chinese my peaceful nature. I will hunt him down later.

After dinner, we went to Carl's studio where we all drew from our favorite model Lisa.

Friday Laura and I went to an opening at Xavier of collaborative works done by artists from Cincinnati, China and Munich.


Here we are in my studio- Pictured left to right: Tang Qin, Jan Brown Checco, Huang Jing, Me (That is not a Chinese name- I mean it is me, Richard Luschek), Jigang Qin, and He Zhenahai.
Tang was as cute as can be, and does lovely work that looks like late impressionists paintings- She is the student of Huang. Huang does expressive paintings, my favorites seemed to be influenced by the work of Klimt, the other two artists are sculptors who have both done major public works in China.
I would love to be able to visit them in China and do some landscape painting in their beautiful country.

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