Never too far Sun Ying solo exhibition 2014.08.09 - 31 PREFACE WORKS SCENE TEXT	□ Sun Ying -- Blossom after Seven Years by Hu Tingting She has been sharing her paintings and experiences via the internet in the past seven years, and her audiences on the web have encouraged her to persist. Today, the budding girl image is fading away to be replaced by a more exquisite lady in white veil with more delicate facial expressions. It is like magnolia 's full blossom in early spring exuding touching fragrance and maturity. Always by Your Side You always have the feeling that Sun Ying is not far away. I noticed her dream land several years ago from forwardings on a famous website called Douban. The pink girl images in the playful background would, from time to time, evoke memories of my childhood. In the past seven years, Sun Ying kept sharing her works and experiences on the internet, and her audiences on the web have encouraged her to persist. Today, the budding girl image is fading away to be replaced by a more exquisite lady in white veil with more delicate facial expressions. It is like magnolia 's full blossom in early spring exuding touching fragrance and maturity. A two-bedroom apartment, and most of the living room is for painting -- this is the new studio chosen by Sun earlier this year, and a ten-minute walk brings her back home from the studio. She would work in the studio from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day. "I do not have rigid plans about next steps, " replied Sun Ying briefly. She decided to pick a new studio when she realized that her home is not big enough to house large-scale paintings. The idea of having a new working studio came naturally to her mind when she found that she had to find sufficient space to hold "Always by Your Side. " The 3.9 meters long new work took Sun nearly four months. A girl nestles along whale back, turns her head to the side, and her tranquil sight falls upon the whale 's huge body. The giant body floating in the dark forest is further encompassed by lights emitted by fireflies, yielding naturally a sense of security. If taken as a mirror of her real world, Sun said perhaps her sense of security came from her family, or to be more accurate, from her husband who have always been supportive. A Warm Life Paintings are likes of the artist -- this is more than accurate in the case of Sun Ying. She plays different roles in the world out of her own creation, and all her sentiments can become reasons of happiness or sadness with herself as the protagonist in that world. In our communication, she did not talk much, and usually tended to pause briefly before offering a short answer, like she has been thinking about something. Songs from Douban FM radio sing softly in her studio, and they are usually of a gentle, graceful style. Talking about her painting experience, she recalled how she worked & painted from 2008 on, and quit her job to start a painting career with the full support of her husband without acknowledging her parents in May, 2009. Also the courage came from more than 10,000 favorable comments from Douban website. From then till her first solo exhibition in 2011, in a sense, she kept contesting with painting. She said "tough " was the best description of her life during that period. She refused to ease herself at any time during the day. She is immersed into painting, into the pictures and stories wherein. Pressure from quitting her job was gradually shifted to hammering of her artistic language. If we say the start of Sun Ying 's artistic creation is unintentional, then it is the boundless imagination that opens another window for her. The language of lens as well as professional study in film and painting have taught her how to convey meaning via spatial relationships and character modeling. Along with the pass of time, her painting evolved from the healing "Winnie Diary " in 2008 to a maiden with headwear. We observe her tuning the grasp of "delicacy " of her brushes, which is best exemplified by facial expression in "Star. " For Sun Ying, what she created is not merely a person, an object, but more a life with breath and warmth. In her artistic path, Sun continuously expanded her understanding of the emotions of images in her paintings and enhanced her techniques. Though Sun Ying started her artistic career out of interest, many years of painting experience has taught her the key is to improve her understanding of painting at the technical level, and she has stopped touching people merely with her artistic instinct. I believe it is also a challenge that every artist who is brave enough to challenge him/her-self would face eventually. A Better Road It is said there is no "better road. " There is only one road -- the road at your choice. The key is, you have to walk up bravely and keep on going. In the case of Sun Ying, we can observe the butterfly effect brought by her perseverance as well as her faith and composure. Her personality and voice from her heart helped her to choose the "better road " that she is now walking on. She said unintentionally "I started late " to describe her feeling that time is short. On the other hand, Sun clearly knows what she wants when her artistic career is now on the rise. The road she has walked through is forged by collisions from accumulation from hundred of works, ever more stringent self-requirement, clear creative thinking, and her introverted character. Abstinence of internet comes as an extremely difficult decision for most youngsters. Sun Ying, in her new studio, deliberately cut herself off from the internet and returns to a life with only herself and painting. Inspiration more often plays the role of "additive " in her creation. She got used to finding desirable answers from piles of drafts. She will have hues and composition in her drafts, and then further expand her works. To create each piece of independent work, Sun works like a film director sitting behind the camera staring at the visual language in the monitor to ponder on the artistic landscape upon every shot and stoke. In that camera, the protagonist is only herself or animal characters created by her. Simple background invites audience to look into the character 's inner world. It Looks Beautiful Animals and girls are the most frequent protagonists in Sun Ying 's works, and through that, she managed to retain her share of fair persistence deliberately. Girls and animals are mostly associated with relationships like "guardian, " "heart, " and "always by your side. " The girl in her woks sometimes wear a tinge of sadness, a longing look, or let-go of mind with a drooping eye, each with a unique story and smart verbal conversion. The perspective of an artist born in the 1980s and deja vu experience can always pull near audience 's heart. Some people say, life is never the way as you imagine. However, through the interpretation of Sun Ying, we know that imagination originates from the outlook of life. Painting meets her demand for understanding of new things, so she takes the patience to modify it over and over again for the best final presentation. That reminds me of the blossom of magnolia with pink pistil and green twig in early spring in due time. The blossom is never delayed for lack of attention nor extended for your fondness. It just blooms beautifully in its own way. "One day I might try to present my works in sculptures. " Sun Ying unveiled her ambition and expectations for a new attempt. She does not belong to the impulsive type of person. Rather, "think twice " is her guideline for action. This way of doing things seems somewhat slow, but I believe Sun Ying, upholding a serious and responsible attitude, will embrace a fruitful result. Art has become part of her life. No more emphasis is needed -- it is just there. Every heart is more or less planted with a seed for happiness. In the growth process, the seed may die prematurely for lack of water or natural factors. But there will always be one day, as long as you are willing to believe, that a constant perseverance would nurture a fruitful outcome with more than happiness. Sun Ying 's story is a best example of this idea. "Your works are very warm, and I get warmth and energy after watching your works. " That is the most often-heard comments from audiences of Sun Ying 's works. Sun would humbly accept their praises, but deep in her heart, she understands that it is not enough. Actually my first impression of Sun Ying is a person of modesty. I even came to the idea of spending a whole afternoon silently watching her painting, and that might be a distinct communication experience. Interpretation by language is, inevitably, biased. In the face of a vigorously creative artist, it is too early to draw a summary.
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Never too far
Sun Ying solo exhibition
2014.08.09 - 31

□ Sun Ying -- Blossom after Seven Years

by Hu Tingting

She has been sharing her paintings and experiences via the internet in the past seven years, and her audiences on the web have encouraged her to persist. Today, the budding girl image is fading away to be replaced by a more exquisite lady in white veil with more delicate facial expressions. It is like magnolia 's full blossom in early spring exuding touching fragrance and maturity.

Always by Your Side

You always have the feeling that Sun Ying is not far away. I noticed her dream land several years ago from forwardings on a famous website called Douban. The pink girl images in the playful background would, from time to time, evoke memories of my childhood. In the past seven years, Sun Ying kept sharing her works and experiences on the internet, and her audiences on the web have encouraged her to persist. Today, the budding girl image is fading away to be replaced by a more exquisite lady in white veil with more delicate facial expressions. It is like magnolia 's full blossom in early spring exuding touching fragrance and maturity.

A two-bedroom apartment, and most of the living room is for painting -- this is the new studio chosen by Sun earlier this year, and a ten-minute walk brings her back home from the studio. She would work in the studio from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day. "I do not have rigid plans about next steps, " replied Sun Ying briefly. She decided to pick a new studio when she realized that her home is not big enough to house large-scale paintings. The idea of having a new working studio came naturally to her mind when she found that she had to find sufficient space to hold "Always by Your Side. " The 3.9 meters long new work took Sun nearly four months. A girl nestles along whale back, turns her head to the side, and her tranquil sight falls upon the whale 's huge body. The giant body floating in the dark forest is further encompassed by lights emitted by fireflies, yielding naturally a sense of security. If taken as a mirror of her real world, Sun said perhaps her sense of security came from her family, or to be more accurate, from her husband who have always been supportive.

A Warm Life

Paintings are likes of the artist -- this is more than accurate in the case of Sun Ying. She plays different roles in the world out of her own creation, and all her sentiments can become reasons of happiness or sadness with herself as the protagonist in that world. In our communication, she did not talk much, and usually tended to pause briefly before offering a short answer, like she has been thinking about something. Songs from Douban FM radio sing softly in her studio, and they are usually of a gentle, graceful style. Talking about her painting experience, she recalled how she worked & painted from 2008 on, and quit her job to start a painting career with the full support of her husband without acknowledging her parents in May, 2009. Also the courage came from more than 10,000 favorable comments from Douban website. From then till her first solo exhibition in 2011, in a sense, she kept contesting with painting. She said "tough " was the best description of her life during that period. She refused to ease herself at any time during the day. She is immersed into painting, into the pictures and stories wherein. Pressure from quitting her job was gradually shifted to hammering of her artistic language.

If we say the start of Sun Ying 's artistic creation is unintentional, then it is the boundless imagination that opens another window for her. The language of lens as well as professional study in film and painting have taught her how to convey meaning via spatial relationships and character modeling. Along with the pass of time, her painting evolved from the healing "Winnie Diary " in 2008 to a maiden with headwear. We observe her tuning the grasp of "delicacy " of her brushes, which is best exemplified by facial expression in "Star. " For Sun Ying, what she created is not merely a person, an object, but more a life with breath and warmth. In her artistic path, Sun continuously expanded her understanding of the emotions of images in her paintings and enhanced her techniques. Though Sun Ying started her artistic career out of interest, many years of painting experience has taught her the key is to improve her understanding of painting at the technical level, and she has stopped touching people merely with her artistic instinct. I believe it is also a challenge that every artist who is brave enough to challenge him/her-self would face eventually.

A Better Road

It is said there is no "better road. " There is only one road -- the road at your choice. The key is, you have to walk up bravely and keep on going. In the case of Sun Ying, we can observe the butterfly effect brought by her perseverance as well as her faith and composure. Her personality and voice from her heart helped her to choose the "better road " that she is now walking on. She said unintentionally "I started late " to describe her feeling that time is short. On the other hand, Sun clearly knows what she wants when her artistic career is now on the rise. The road she has walked through is forged by collisions from accumulation from hundred of works, ever more stringent self-requirement, clear creative thinking, and her introverted character.

Abstinence of internet comes as an extremely difficult decision for most youngsters. Sun Ying, in her new studio, deliberately cut herself off from the internet and returns to a life with only herself and painting. Inspiration more often plays the role of "additive " in her creation. She got used to finding desirable answers from piles of drafts. She will have hues and composition in her drafts, and then further expand her works. To create each piece of independent work, Sun works like a film director sitting behind the camera staring at the visual language in the monitor to ponder on the artistic landscape upon every shot and stoke. In that camera, the protagonist is only herself or animal characters created by her. Simple background invites audience to look into the character 's inner world.

It Looks Beautiful

Animals and girls are the most frequent protagonists in Sun Ying 's works, and through that, she managed to retain her share of fair persistence deliberately. Girls and animals are mostly associated with relationships like "guardian, " "heart, " and "always by your side. " The girl in her woks sometimes wear a tinge of sadness, a longing look, or let-go of mind with a drooping eye, each with a unique story and smart verbal conversion. The perspective of an artist born in the 1980s and deja vu experience can always pull near audience 's heart. Some people say, life is never the way as you imagine. However, through the interpretation of Sun Ying, we know that imagination originates from the outlook of life. Painting meets her demand for understanding of new things, so she takes the patience to modify it over and over again for the best final presentation. That reminds me of the blossom of magnolia with pink pistil and green twig in early spring in due time. The blossom is never delayed for lack of attention nor extended for your fondness. It just blooms beautifully in its own way.

"One day I might try to present my works in sculptures. " Sun Ying unveiled her ambition and expectations for a new attempt. She does not belong to the impulsive type of person. Rather, "think twice " is her guideline for action. This way of doing things seems somewhat slow, but I believe Sun Ying, upholding a serious and responsible attitude, will embrace a fruitful result. Art has become part of her life. No more emphasis is needed -- it is just there. Every heart is more or less planted with a seed for happiness. In the growth process, the seed may die prematurely for lack of water or natural factors. But there will always be one day, as long as you are willing to believe, that a constant perseverance would nurture a fruitful outcome with more than happiness. Sun Ying 's story is a best example of this idea.

"Your works are very warm, and I get warmth and energy after watching your works. " That is the most often-heard comments from audiences of Sun Ying 's works. Sun would humbly accept their praises, but deep in her heart, she understands that it is not enough. Actually my first impression of Sun Ying is a person of modesty. I even came to the idea of spending a whole afternoon silently watching her painting, and that might be a distinct communication experience. Interpretation by language is, inevitably, biased. In the face of a vigorously creative artist, it is too early to draw a summary.

□ Sun Ying -- Blossom after Seven Years

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