Inside Great Masters' Minds

Great art lessons from art forgers. The forgers are not only excellent craftsmen, but also brilliant psychoanalysts and art critics, and of course criminals.

http://www.artnews.com/2013/11/20/fakers-fakes-fake-fakers/

Excerpt from the article:

How to Draw like Poussin?

Drawing by Nicolas Poussin

“Even Poussin did not learn how to draw like Poussin without years of practice. For just as no one could play the violin in imitation of [a master], unless they had first learned to play it rather well, so it is that no one can draw an imitation of a master draughtsman without being a pretty good draughtsman himself. Long years of practice added to arguably a solid art school background had given me proficiency in the art, and I could at least claim to understand the visual language Poussin used. But now I had to learn his dialect, his accent, his pitch, his almost imperceptible inflections and mannerisms, subtleties that he himself may not have been aware of.”  Eric Hebborn 


How to draw like Matisse?

Drawing by Henri Matisse

“With Matisse, for example, I had to be particularly careful. At the beginning . . . I used a very easy, flowing line for a Matisse drawing. Because he had, I thought, a very simple line. And then suddenly later on I realized that his hand was not as secure as mine. Obviously, when he stopped work to glance up at his model, his line stopped, too, with just that tiny little bit of uncertainty. Where I went very securely on, Matisse was hesitant, insecure. I had to correct that; I had to learn to hesitate also. "  Elmyr de Hory

Creation of Adam

Good images touch people at the time; great images touch people through the ages.

"Creation of Adam"
Michelangelo

We came across some version of this iconic image at some point of our lives. Most recently I saw it on the wall of a local realtor's office. As a proud Italian American,  he had photoshoped his face into the picture as Adam.

I'm not religious in any sense but "Creation of Adam" moves me deeply every time I look at it. Aren't we all looking for inspiration, redemption, hope and transcendence? As a skilled storyteller, Michelangelo chose to freeze the very moment when the two hands are about to touch but have not yet touched, the moment when a human being is about to become truly alive. It generates great anticipation among the viewers, make us anxiously wonder what would happen next.

That's why great art never ages. It invites the viewers to be part of the creation, to interpret the meaning contained in the void in-between the two fingers.

Nothing in Life Goes Waste

                                                                   "Blue Monday"
                                                                         20"x16"
                                                                       Layla Wu

I thought of Henri Matisse when I was working on "Blue Monday".

Before leaving for Moscow, Olya handed out copies of Matisse's letter to Mr. Henry Clifford. I read the letter a couple of times and forgot all about it. However nothing in life goes waste, what we saw, heard and felt, will somehow find a way into our current work. When I was in front of a live model days later deciding on the composition , a few sentences from the letter struck me out of nowhere. "I have always tried to hide my own efforts and wished my works to have the lightness and joyousness of a springtime which never lets anyone suspect the labors it has cost." Matisse wrote in the letter. "It's only after years of preparation that the young artist should touch color - not color as description, that is, but as a means of intimate expression." At that moment, the thought of Matisse gave me permissions to be bold, bold enough to trust and follow my instinct. I changed my position of the easel and rearranged my setup so I could capture the model and her mirrored image. "Then he (the young artist) can hope that all the images, even all the symbols, which he uses, will be the reflection of his love for things, " Matisse continued, "a reflection in which he can have confidence if he has been able to carry out his education, with purity, and without lying to himself. He will place it in accordance with a natural design, unformulated and completely concealed, that will spring directly from his feelings..."

Today is a remarkable day - I start to appreciate Henri Matisse.

                                                       "Odalisque with Magnolias"
                                                                  Henri Matisse
                                                                 Oil on Canvas

The Workshop

Maite's workshop was a great success! I learned so much at this workshop and had lots of fun creating artworks with contemporary art techniques. Here's a piece I did during the workshop.

For this exercise I used a photo from photographer Sage Sohier. I had the exact same hair style when I was eight years old, an age when we came to understand what joy and sorrow are.

Special thanks to Losina Art Center for providing such an excellent opportunity for learning, exploring and experimenting!

Mix Until Done

I'm really looking forward to taking the workshop with artist Maite Agahnia!

(artworks by Maite Agahnia)

I was involved in promoting and marketing the workshop and got to meet with the artist in person ahead of time. Here's the video I produced for the workshop.

Video: Workshop with Maite Agahnia

"The Only Thing I Forgot"

My painting "The Only Thing I Forgot " won the first place in Off Track Gallery's monthly show!

Paul Kauffman Solo Show

Out of curiosity and respect, I went to Paul Kauffman's solo show. It turned out to be one of the most joyful and inspiring Saturday afternoons I had ever spent!

Paul Kauffman's artwork1

Paul Kauffman's artwork2

Paul Kauffman's artwork3

Paul Kauffman (left) and Layla Wu (right)

I'm truly amazed by how much one can achieve if he devotes himself to the things he loves. I met Paul when he first started taking classes from Olya Losina a few months ago and witnessed his speedy transformation into a professional artist. I understand the struggles he has to go through and sacrifices he has to make in order to be a successful artist.

Paul's success showed us that it can be done, if only you have faith and are willing to do whatever it takes.

Fragmented Truth

(artwork by Layla Wu)

This project reminded me of a scene from a Korean film "3 Iron" by director Kim Ki-duk (one of the greatest filmmakers in our era, a twisted genius). The female character discovered a large photograph of herself hanging on the wall in a photographer's apartment. She cut the photograph into pieces and re-arranged them on the wall. The end result is eerily beautiful and mysterious. 

More about the movie "3 Iron"

A Weekend with Pablo Picasso

An unforgettable weekend with Pablo Picasso at Lyceum Theater in San Diego.

Quotes from the play "A Weekend with Pablo Picasso"

"Art is a lie that makes us realize the truth."
"Inspiration does not exist; if it does, it must find you working."
"I take my audience on to a discovery, a discovery that can only be led by me."
"Don't try, do; don't seek, find."
"I paint until I have nothing more to say."
"(on possibility) I always ask "why not"? (is this a reference to JFK's "when people ask 'why', I always ask 'why not'?)

Trance

Fallen Angel

It's very liberating being able to use bold colors and stark outlines. I started the painting in my live model class with Olya Losina and did the final touches in my studio. Olya often tells us not to try too hard to make things "perfect". Many paintings were destroyed because the artists can't stop messing with them.