Purple Haze

My sumi-e images are inspired from the spirit of nature such as plants, trees, flowers, and especially bamboo. Bamboo symbolises strength and the ability to bend. Bamboo combines upright integrity and accommodating flexibility. "When the storm comes, it bends with the wind. When the storm ceases, it resumes its upright position." Bamboo can be said to be a symbol of Chinese culture. Along with the pine and the plum, it is one of the "three friends in the winter". Because on cold days, when most plants wither, these three plants still stand in the wind. Such a spirit is highly admired by Chinese. So even today people still like to plant some bamboo in a corner of the garden. Matched with several well-placed stones, it can make an elegant picture. There are artists who have specialised in painting bamboo throughout their entire lives. To non-experts, bamboo looks simple to paint, but to artists, it requires a whole lifetime of study. I have been painting for over 40 years and I am just a humble beginner.