Category: Art Practice

Nude Sketch

I practice pencil drawing as a hobby with no real foundational skills. This is about friendship with fellow blogger Rob from Friends without Borders instead of showcasing my art work.

I did this sketch based on a picture Rob provided to me. It took me almost a year to complete it. It’s not because I am a slow sketcher. It’s because a life event stopped the project for over ten months. I was glad that I completed (the best I can) by the end of 2023.

Thank my friendship with Rob!

Nature Declares

Oil painting attempt “heart”

My heart is an island
Your eyes are the ocean
Your shoulder is the land
Our love shimmers
from the view of an airplane

Prayer

Oil painting attempt “pray”

Humbly pray
in fetal position
Supplication has merit
Thanksgiving opens heaven’s gate

Inferno

Oil painting attempt on Australia bush fire

lost in the swamp of heat
without relief, reprieve
disintegrate into ash
cease to exist

梦东园

Oil painting attempt on Eastern Garden, Suzhou, China

杨柳青袖随风摇
亭台青瓦傲立高
竹林深处露湖光
东园梦里忆故人

Flame in Snow

An oil painting attempt of an imaginary tree in winter snow

slash the wrist of muted winter
snow bleeds flaming leaves
hang heavily on earthy branches
break the spell of seasonal blues

Vincent

This is the version of you
my unskilled hand could manage
I know you won’t mind
because you didn’t think
your name would be remembered
or your face would tell fascinating history

You painted every scar into beauty
I am one of the many
in awe of your creativity
and touched by your humility

A Sole Parent

This poem was written using this drawing practice as a prompt.

Drawing is a process
of getting to know him
more
through the fine lines
he acquired
from the pain
of raising them
alone

Drawing of an old man (in progress)

Beach Boy

Pencil drawing of Ben at Balmoral Beach, NSW Australia