A FEW DETAILS ON TECHNIQUE….

Yu Ping and Chen Feng paint their works using ‘gauche’… opaque watercolor paints (as opposed to translucent… which is the typical watercolor).  The make many of their paints by grinding minerals, boiling teas and the like.  The figures are painted onto a very, very thin Chinese rice paper, and then affixed to a stronger paper stock.  After which, the works are all ‘matted’ in silk brocade cloth, and trimmed.  Standard sizes??  Don’t even think about it.  If any two happen to match exactly… it’s probably a coincidence!  There are the occasional ‘pairs’ though. 

The team continue their teaching at The University of Hubei, in Hubei Province of Central China, and are indeed considered 'State Treasures'!

The couple works collaboratively on most pieces… each seems to have their forte`.  Most paintings include signatures and stories done with traditional Chinese ‘chops’ (stamps), and many include a written passage about the painting, it’s meaning, or it’s feeling.  Most of the work is based on their own family history, or documents the now-dying ancient customs of the rural Chinese.  Quite a bit also features ceremonial Dynasty events!  Of late, Chen Feng has been throwing in some very contemporary pieces, definitely a walk on the wild side!  Oh… even the incredibly fine ‘line work’ detail is brushwork… not from a pen!   It’s incredible to watch ChenFeng do this technique!

The majority of their paintings are unframed… although we do indeed frame here at Crow Valley!  And we do have a selection ‘ready framed’ at all times… so you can see how they look framed (really great!!  Especially the ‘bamboo’ frames!).

To see more of their work, click here.

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