Triptych in blue by Mina Hsing spotlights the elegance of cherry blossoms where lacy branches belie their strength. Scroll down for more artwork...
Born in Shanghai, China, where she learned classical Chinese brush painting in her youth, the artistry of Mina Hsing, is at once riveting and unique to her.
Mina came to the United States in 1963 through a very round-about way that included stints in Hong Kong and Brazil before finally arriving in California to study art and math.
Her subject matter today is limited to cherry blossoms because they are so rich in meaning to her. Not only are they China’s country flower, but they illustrate strength, able to bloom even when snow is on the ground. She believes they represent the human life cycle, with tree roots and different-sized branches searching for their own direction and representing generations of families.
Starting with textured rice paper covered with gold metallic paint and then adorned with graceful cherry blossoms, her work is both arresting and peaceful.
Because she was once a framer and gallery owner, she’s very particular how she finishes off her pieces with mats and frames, doing it all herself. The end result is a fully color-coordinated piece that resonates symmetry and balance.
The process she developed includes crumpling purchased rice paper, opening it carefully and patting it down gently (keeping the wrinkles as natural looking as possible), and then pasting it onto an acid-free mat board.
Once dry, she uses acrylic gold paint which accents the wrinkles even more creating an eye-catching, textured background on which to start painting.
Using a half-moon shaped sable brush, and holding it the way she learned in Shanghai, energy flows through the brush onto her work – barely kissing the paper. She describes this process as meditative.
She uses oil paint so that she can add multiple layers to make the cherry blossoms look vivid and alive.
Her price range runs from $120 for a small 12” x 12” to $1,200 for a 30” x 40” painting. Learn more at: Mina Studios, Oriental Art Gallery, Chinese Brush painting, artist Mina Hsing
Collection of Mina's paintings from her display at the Geneva Art Fair.
By Mina Hsing
From Mina Hsing's Geneva Art Fair booth -- sorry about the reflections!
Mina Hsing enjoying the day at her Geneva Art Fair booth.
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