The Art of Observation and Patience with artist Gloria Chan "I see nature as a “Generous Kingdom” because it is what all living things rely on."
Gloria Chan
How does your work interact with the theme of “A Generous Kingdom V: Art that Explores Story, Symbolism, and Beyond”?
I see nature as a “Generous Kingdom” because it is what all living things rely on. This painting is based on a moment that I captured when I walked in a forest. That moment is something that I can only describe as the pure pleasure of being immersed in nature itself. Through the painting, I want viewers able to feel that moment of relief being in such environment. It is something that only nature is “generous” to show and share with us.
What draws you to the medium you chose? And tell us a little about your process (I don’t believe in giving it all away).
The medium that I used is oil paint. While I was creating this piece, I was exploring the medium of oil paint, so I thought it will be great to give it a try and to produce a difficult landscape. At first, I did a monochromatic sketch with burnt umber. Then, I filled in colors.
What are the strengths of the medium? What are the challenges?
The character of taking longer time to dry is definitely one of the double-edge swords of oil paint. It gives me time to continue to work on it (even over several nights), but taking longer to dry also slows progress compared to other mediums, and requires many layers.
If you could tell your viewers one thing, what would you tell them?
There are always beautiful things around us. It is just a matter of whether taking the time to notice and discover it.