Artist Statement

To travel in hope of magical glimpses

to a natural world

a moment in time

passing

fluid

the flash of an emerald green underbelly

a low flying flock at sundown

the cry of a thousand nesting seabirds

a sense of a before and after

of coming from and

going to

of movement

restful or spirited

of freedom

life

Painting in watercolour offers a unique directness. The essential qualities of light and energy ever present in the natural world are the very essence of the medium itself. In search of a simplicity and beauty through the painting of a line, shape, colour, the process is immediate and instinctive. Remaining true to both medium and subject, with every brush mark visible, I strive to allow the paint the freedom to speak for itself – thus creating a dialogue between myself, the viewer and the ever evolving work.

When painting a bird it does not matter how much detail your painting has, nor what technique and media are used. It is essential to capture the essence of the bird: its texture, activity and sound – its life. Lian Quan Zhen