* All images used with permission. Please do not distribute without first contacting the artist.
Flowers have long been used in both Western and Eastern art as a symbol of joy and beauty. Jingshen You blends a traditional Chinese style with European Impressionism to capture the ethereal beauty of nature. With muddled, relaxed shapes that mirror the effect of ink or watercolor paints, his sunflowers and water lilies are rendered in a quick, loose style. The work is soft, cool, and atmospheric. Water lilies are stacked on top of each other, floating and dripping across the canvas. Their delicate disarray is lighthearted and whimsical. The sunflowers flank a small trail heading off into the horizon, inviting the viewer into the scene. Jingshen’s inspiration comes from his Chinese culture, and his father who was also an artist. His work exudes a strong sense of pride and appreciation for his heritage. However, the flowers represent a universal simplicity. Jingshen chooses flowers as his subject matter because they make him happy, and this simple joy is projected in the paintings.
