A White Peacock - 一只白孔雀



I remember that my father took me to the Beijing Zoo when I was about five one Sunday morning. There were about 20 peacocks that lived on a bird island with a hundred other birds, like crays, swans, ducks, etc... When we arrived, there were some parents with their children watching birds - especially the peacocks. I was told that the peacocks might open up their feathers when they saw pretty colors. Some parents would dress up their children with colorful clothes, but I only wore in my father's favorite color, sky blue. We both mentioned the same white peacock was our favorite. It seemed that white peacock heard us and turned around facing me, then opened up its feathers immediately. A lot of people clapped their hands for what they saw - the most glorious shining feathers opening up against the morning sunlight - like a Chinese fan. Of course to me as a little girl, it was the most beautiful and precious moment to experience joy with my father when he big and strong hand was holding my small hand... and I wished it could last longer, protected me in my life and guided me into his art world...

My father was a great Chinese artist but died in an accident so suddenly when I was only ten. Since then my little world could never be balanced well and I decided not to touch any paint brushes when I was fourteen. I tried to hide my emotion...

Time flies! After decades, I had realized that I should not bury my art expression any longer! Finally I decided to start painting again! One day this white peacock appeared in my head vividly in the art class. Usually, we should tell our instructor what we were trying to paint, why and how etc... I could only follow my emotion on this canvas panel at that moment, It was the first time I used a palette knife, but I barely could see anything clearly with tears in my eyes till this piece was completed...

Original Art Story

A female model's first sitting

Plein Air @ Santa Clara University Santa Clara CA

Six hours study with the same sitter

Sketching @ Apple Park Cupertino CA

Portrait and figurative studies of a model

Live study of a young model in a red dress

Plein Air @ Mission San José Fremont CA 加州風景寫生

Plein Air @ Ed Levin County Park, Milpitas CA

Plein Air @ Elim Assembly of God Church Santa Clara CA 加州風景寫生

Capitola Plein Air 8th Annual Art Festival 2023