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“Reason and the gut must work together if anything meaningful is to be made.” 

-Enrique Martinez Celaya (On Art and Mindfulness, 2015)

While working on a painting, allowing expression (gut) to present in an effective way (reason) can be crucial. An example of this delicate balance can be seen clearly in Chinese brush painting.

A few years ago, I was fortunate enough to study the fundamentals of Chinese brush painting with Yumiko Glover (www.instagram.com/yumikoglover). She was an MFA student in the Art Department at UC Santa Barbara where I worked. Yumiko studied with Yida Wang at the University of Hawaii at Manoa (www.yidawangstudio.com).

“Begonia”, in the style of Qi Baishi.

The materials used in Chinese brush painting are quite simple: ink, rice paper and brush. Chinese calligraphy and ink painting have been practiced for thousands of years. I had a brief exposure to the art. 

Once a stroke is put on the paper it cannot be erased or adjusted.  I found it sometimes tedious practicing the Chinese character for “eternal” (shown above) over and over again, trying to get command of the different strokes and build my control of the brush. Despite this, I kept at it, knowing that was the only way to improve.

Making expressive, emotive strokes requires a great deal of practice. One must understand how the ink will flow, how to control the pressure of the brush, and what dilution of ink to use. To get to where one can automatically use the tools of painting to get across a spontaneous, intuitive brushstroke, takes many hours--or years--of practice. 

As a result of experimenting with Chinese brush painting, my art practice expanded to include more abstraction and expressive work. Below is one of my new works in pastel, my favorite medium. 

"Color Study #8" 

Artwork consisting only of great technique will lack soul, however, wild expression can miss the mark without an underlying command of the medium that comes only from putting in the time.

In my own practice, I bounce back and forth between cognition and emotion. It is an intricate dance; I am thrilled when the process flows, and subsequently, when others are able to understand my intent.

Carol Talley

www.caroltalley.com