Paintings by Ming Jan
詹明芬



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About the Artist




詹明芬畢業於臺灣輔仁大學，自幼即熱愛藝術、花卉、園藝，大學時期師從名畫家李可梅先生，學習傳統國畫技巧，擅長寫意花鳥蟲獸及山水，並在李教授設於新生南路之復興畫苑當助理教師。移民來美後，先後在德州及灣區老人中心授課，最近幾年又向嶺南大師簡國藩先生學習嶺南派技法，獲益匪淺。基於對中國國畫其高雅古典風格之喜愛，因此數十年來努力不懈，從不間斷！更希望能將此古老、深奧的中華文化一代代在海外延續下去!
Ming-Fen Jan (詹明芬) graduated from Fu Jen Catholic University in Taiwan. Ever since Ming was young, she has gravitated towards art and gardening. During college, Ming studied the art of Chinese painting under the master painter Ko Mei Lee (李可梅). In 1987, she immigrated to the United States and started teaching in 1997. In the past twenty years, Ming has had many wonderful students of all ages (from ages 4 all the way to 93) that are enthusiastic about Chinese painting. Her students’ positive outlook and passion inspire her to constantly learn and improve herself. Ming's hope is that she can influence the younger generation of artists to continue preserving the history and culture behind Chinese painting.  

Artist Statement
中國文學博大精深、浩瀚無垠，中國繪畫 "遠看山有色，近觀水無聲" 又 "忽聞海上有仙山 ，山在虛無縹緲間"  的深遠意境，更令人嚮往沈醉！一幅淋漓盡致、變化莫測的宣染畫作，題上優雅、古樸的詩句，譲中國繪畫中特有的墨韻，更加清新脫俗、賞心悅目！我也為此，逍遙紙間、神馳其中、樂此不疲！

我從小就喜愛藝術，更愛聖潔純真的花朵，即使是野地裏、石縫中鑽出的小花，也會譲我感動莫名。在畫畫之前必先仔細觀查植物的生長規律，她們的枝葉花朵相互交錯，要畫出其左顧右盼、晶瑩剔透的美妙姿態，除了種花、賞花、愛花之外，不斷地反覆臨摹、練習是必經之路，尤其是生宣紙，不易掌握水份，稍不留神不是太潤就是乾枯，初學者很難掌控其墨色，一旦學會調墨、調色，學會 " 一筆法 "之後，接下來的百筆、千筆就自然𣈱，水到渠成！

國畫中的四君子，以梅花為首，一二月開花，繁花開盡嫩葉才抽出，在蒼勁堅挺的老幹上要寫其玉骨冰清之情，又要留下暗香浮動之影！春風雖未到，冰下蕊先知，就是對梅花絲絲入扣的描繪。桃花又不同，畫此花時要襯上綠中帶紅的半月形新葉，正如古詩中：寄語看花人仔細，緋桃千葉半開時，這"半開" 正是描述三、四月間桃樹初出的嫩葉，又說：去年今日此門中， 人面桃花相映紅，一語道盡美人與桃花雙雙沈浸在春風中之嬌美與柔媚。而畫竹則要葉不離枝，枝不離幹，在幹與幹之間的竹節上才能出枝，萬萬不可 " 節外生枝 " ！寫竹要寫其頂天立地，瀟灑臨風之氣概，而 " 未出土時先有節，到凌雲處總無心 "，正是對翩翩君子的美言！

對初學者而言，一定要淵源於傳統法則，承受前人優越技法，才不失中國畫的獨特風格，畫到一定程度有基礎之後，才可不用拘於傳統，走出藩籬，畫出自己的格調和風采！親愛的朋友，何不張開你的慧眼，醞釀你的思緒，讓你的妙筆生花、紙上生香？畫一朵永恆不凋謝的花，她盛開的笑容將在你心中綻放，花香必也留在深遠的記憶之中。但願與所有愛花、愛畫的朋友共勉！
Chinese painting has always run in parallel to China's history and culture. Closely related to Chinese calligraphy, painters often utilize similar strokes to paint as well as to write. Similarly, a painting is not considered finished until a deliberately reserved blank space on the paper has been inscribed with a short poem describing the painting, the painter's name, and their personal seal for authentication. Unlike art often seen in the Western canon, traditional Chinese paintings emphasize less on adherence to reality—there is no definitive angle of view or light source. The painter has a fair amount of freedom to show their artistic expression through their composition by utilizing the negative space of the foreground and background. A skillful artist balances light and wet brushstrokes with dark and dry ones to evoke a certain mood. These characteristics are the essence of Chinese painting and continue to stand the test of time.

From my own experience, the subdued colors of the distant hills and the silent murmurs of a bubbling stream in a painting have the power to stretch my imagination and transport me to a different place. l am constantly mesmerized by magnificent paintings complemented with exquisite calligraphy. They never cease to amaze me. When I paint, I focus completely on the task at hand.
  
My passion for art started early in childhood. I have always loved flowers and plants; I find joy in seeing wildflowers blooming or tiny blossoms poking out from the crevices of rocks. Before painting them, I like to study the way they grow in nature, making every effort to capture their beauty, including the graceful way they dance in the wind.

It's not easy to paint on raw xuanzhi (rice paper); it can be difficult to control the water and paint. To develop these skills, practice is key. By learning “bird and flower” Chinese painting, one often starts with the Four Gentlemen, namely the four plants: the plum blossom, the orchid, the bamboo, and the chrysanthemum. These plants also symbolize the four seasons. It might take years for one to master the brushstroke techniques used in painting the Four Gentlemen, but once one has obtained these core skills, other subjects become easier. 

For beginners, I can't emphasize enough the importance of studying the styles and principles of traditional Chinese painting. Learning from the masters is a crucial step for all artists. Don't deviate—not until you have acquired the complete knowledge of the basics, such as mixing several colors on a brush tip or mixing colors with black ink. Be patient, your style will emerge when you are ready. My friends, why not challenge yourselves? Let your brush encapsulate the beauty of that flower you have always wanted to paint. The flower you create will never wilt and will forever bloom in your heart; its fragrance in your memory, for years to come.

English version is based on Ming Lee's Chinese mission statement
—Translated by Shauley Cheng