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Anyone familiar with plein air painting in these times knows that there are several Chinese painters that are making their mark, through their use of color, application of paint, individual brushstroke technique, ability to draw, and sensitivity for their subjects. I am thinking right now of Mian Situ, arguably one of the finest figural/historical painters in the world, and excellent landscape painters Michael Situ and Jason Situ.There is nothing halfway about any of these master painters.

So it was with no doubt that I predicted that my week was in good hands as I left for Los Angeles, to study with Ruo Li at his two workshops, one in a studio complex on San Fernando Road for two days, and then on the beach at Leo Carillo State near Malibu for the third day.

  Ruo Li deliberately begins his painting from a photograph in the studio.

The primary properties of color, we learned according to his opening speech about the Nature of Painting, are hue, value and purity. It is most important that the color be applied as deliberately selected, and unsullied by other colors foreign to the artist's intent of the moment. Even as he began his color work, we could see how deliberately he selected and applied his color.

Working always seated, Ruo is limber and focused.

In just about an hour and 20 minutes, on a very smooth linen canvas proportioned about 8x16, Ruo achieved this result:

Clean, loose, dynamic, controlled yet decisively and confidently free in the making, this painting was truly a masterpiece!

We moved to Malibu for the third day, where Ruo sat on a tiny ledge to paint a scene of rocks and waves (and wind!) at the state beach:

  Ruo shades both his palette and panel, enlisting the aid of a student to hold the umbrella!

Careful color choice and pure application of paint--despite the very best efforts of the wind to discourage him--produced this result:

  This, from this:  

The three paintings I produced that afternoon, Friday,with Ruo's input were these:

9x12      8x10  8x10

(and this little 6x8, Monolith, before the workshop started that morning):

Ruo Li was an excellent demonstrator. His wife, Whitney, translated more complex and abstract concepts for him, from his Chinese. Mostly it was the strength of his demonstrated mastery of the nature of painting that best communicated his teaching. On the drive home, I found myself reciting, "Hue, Value, Purity--Hue, Value, Purity..." Though I still don't know the Chinese word for "excellence," I know I've seen it.