Fongwei Liu

Portrait painting in progress

2012-02-14T21:01:00.000-08:00

Summer Workshops Announcement

2012-02-13T17:09:00.001-08:00

I am going to have two Plein Air Workshops with Silvana Gallery this summer. One is in Barcelo Puerto Vallarta, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, another one is in Mammoth Lake, California.

Silvana did perfect arrangements for the workshops, if you love to paint, breathtaking and scenery, join me this Summer !! I would love to paint with you :)

Austin Workshop Announcement

2012-02-08T22:17:00.000-08:00

I am going to have a 3 days Portrait and Clothed Figure Workshop at Austin, TX from 18th to 20th this May. My good friend Qiang Huang will host the workshop for me, please check the information on Qiang Huang's blog, and more detail information on Fongwei's Workshop Flyer.

Look forward to see you in Austin !!

By the way, the painting I am sharing here today is called "Christmas in the park", I really enjoyed paint this painting :)

Award and Workshop

2012-02-02T10:46:00.000-08:00

I am so proud to be the “Winner of the Southwest Art Award” on Southwest Art magazine February 2012 from “6^th Annual Great American Figure Artists Exhibition” – Waterhouse Gallery. Thank you Southwest Art and Waterhouse Gallery!

Workshop Announcement

I plan to do weekend drawing and painting workshop once a month at my studio, Santa Clara, California. This month will be 18^th and 19^th, please contact me at fongweiliu@gmail.com if you are interested, I still have two more spots available.

Last Fall

2012-02-01T12:51:00.001-08:00

After rain - SOLD

2012-01-31T09:30:00.000-08:00

Song of the Morning

2012-01-26T15:39:00.000-08:00

Cottage in the vineyard - SOLD

2012-01-23T22:33:00.000-08:00

Click Here to Bid

Rose study - SOLD

2012-01-17T08:16:00.001-08:00

Click Here to Bid

I painted a same rose twice by different approach, and this is the one I kept for a while :)

Flowers in the pot - SOLD

2012-01-15T12:34:00.001-08:00

Click Here to Bid

My painting "Lunch Time" won a price from BoldBrush Painting Competition last month, the painting still available at Silvana Gallery, please contact Silvana if you are interested in the painting :)

Happy New Year!

Morning Coffee

2011-12-27T12:35:00.000-08:00

Available at Waterhouse Gallery.

This is a painting I did week ago before a cruise to Mexico, I may have some small studies from the cruise later when I get chances, it was a wonderful cruise with our friend families :)

I wish you have a happy new year!

Fongwei

Break In Studio Series

2011-12-05T20:36:00.001-08:00

Available at Waterhouse Gallery.

Who was that girl? Once a mom saw this painting, she told me "Could be my daughter :)" I really like the moment that she was taking the break in the studio.

Clashing Waves

2011-11-29T19:31:00.000-08:00

Available at Waterhouse Gallery.

First try for waves, interesting! Ah, maybe paint more.

Signe

2011-11-22T19:25:00.000-08:00

Charcoal Sketch - SOLD

2011-11-14T20:13:00.000-08:00

Sold by Waterhouse Gallery.

This is the big version of one of my small studies I did before, available at Waterhouse Gallery, Santa Barbara for Great American Figurative Artists Exhibition 2011, the opening will be 19th this month, wish to see you there.

I was not able to send the recent postings out via the Google group and I don't know why, please let me know if you can help.

I have sent a email "test" to my group to test, and then I realized that it may sent out, sorry for that if you have got that email.

Kitchen Scene

2011-11-10T16:30:00.000-08:00

Available at Waterhouse Gallery.

Tracking Dream

2011-11-06T10:24:00.001-08:00

Available at New Masters Gallery.

This is another painting I just sent to New Masters Gallery recently, please contact them if you are interested in having it.

I really admire many artists who can paint daily. I can only paint one day per week, a poor weekly painter.

By the way, my daughter titled this painting, I like it :)

Figure Study 10-31 - SOLD

2011-11-03T23:38:00.000-07:00

By the window

2011-11-01T13:50:00.000-07:00

Available at New Masters Gallery.

Tendai

2011-10-30T18:49:00.000-07:00

The finished painting.

The detail of head.

The detail of torso.

Available at Waterhouse Gallery

Tendai - part 1

2011-10-24T10:35:00.000-07:00

Available at Waterhouse Gallery.

I am working on a two days pose painting, and this is what I have for the first day. I would like to share a little of my approach for painting a model more than one day today.

At the beginning, I need to have an idea about composition, the design of color and value; of course, most important is the idea for the painting, these take a lot of time for me sometime.

Then I will mark some key spots for the proportion. When I continue on the painting, I will just focus on one part of the painting each day, and try to finish the part as much as I can. I find this is the best way for me to paint a live model because next time she may not pose the same thing for you :) but I will still need to come back adjust the whole painting later.

I will try to do some set up for next time by the end of the day, therefore I will have some chances to apply different techniques on the painting later.

Tendai is a beautiful African girl, the texture on the canvas showing through her face added a trace feeling of wildness to her, I like it.

Portrait of Richard - SOLD

2011-10-19T12:45:00.001-07:00

I am teaching a graduate school online painting class this semester, here is a "exercise" I did for the class over the weekend.

I have not done this for long time, and this is the first time I paint the "exercise" from a photo reference. A little too tight, but not too bad for a demo :)

Studying Rembrandt

2011-10-11T17:23:00.001-07:00

Available at Waterhouse Gallery.

This is the big painting I did by one of my small study, now you can tell who painted the painting in the background :)

Richard - SOLD

2011-10-07T20:44:00.001-07:00

Here is a study I did today in San Francisco. I picked this angle and I like it!

La Traviata

2011-09-29T14:04:00.000-07:00

Click Here to Bid

I did this small painting last evening with friends, it reminds me the time back to many years ago when I practicing the drawing.

Girl with hat - SOLD

2011-09-23T16:22:00.000-07:00

Today's effort, pretty expressive, isn't it?

Figure study series - SOLD

2011-09-20T00:16:00.000-07:00

Another small study.

Cityscape - New York - SOLD

2011-09-17T12:11:00.000-07:00

This is a small cityscape study I did a while ago, just for sharing :)

Girl with white shawl - SOLD

2011-09-13T16:56:00.000-07:00

Click Here to Bid

This is a small study for a big painting. A beautiful girl lean on the red door, her white shawl really catches my attention.

I will share the big painting later.

Girl Reading - SOLD

2011-09-10T09:24:00.001-07:00

Steak House - SOLD

2011-09-06T21:26:00.001-07:00

This is a moment from an evening of downtown San Diego when we visit the city earlier this year. I really like the actions in the kitchen, this is a small study, and I also did a big painting this week for a upcoming exhibition this November, I will share the paintings later :)

By the way, I have another upcoming exhibition - International Salon of Figurative Art at Silvana Gallery with many great figurative artists this month, the opening of the exhibition will be this weekend, September 10th. Please check it out if you are nearby.

Shangri - La -- the Village - SOLD

2011-08-31T12:34:00.001-07:00

Shangri - La -- the Temple -- SOLD

2011-08-29T10:44:00.000-07:00

Museum scene 2 - SOLD

2011-08-25T12:55:00.000-07:00

Museum scene 1

2011-08-23T10:56:00.001-07:00

Click Here to Bid

My last post was an accident, I clicked "enter" instead of "backspace" :(
Please discard it if you received by email, sorry.

Mid-night Street - SOLD

2011-08-20T08:52:00.000-07:00

I had been at Shuhe old town three years ago, I like the night there very much, even better than Lijiang old town, but did not get chance to paint it last time.

My previous painting is the busy time of the night, it's all about the motion and energy. The town is totally calmed down after mid-night, the calmness is the only thing I want to talk in this one, it is the feeling in my memory.

I believe the feeling is the soul for the artist!

Night Market - Shuhe old town

2011-08-18T10:05:00.000-07:00

Click Here to Bid

Hey, I am back :)

I had a great vacation at my hometown this summer, and did a few small studies there, not much :( I may use them for big painting later.

A couple of night scenes, here is one of them, enjoy!

Russian Girl

2011-06-05T12:39:00.000-07:00

Available at Waterhouse Gallery.

I am going to China for a two and a half months vacation. I will bring my painting tools with me, but might not be able to post my new paintings on my blog.

My email will be available if you want to contact me :)

Wish you a wonderful summer ! :)

Rose study series - SOLD

2011-05-26T15:35:00.000-07:00

The show last weekend

2011-05-25T08:52:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of the opening of my show at Silvana Gallery May 21th, I have more pictures on my facebook if you are interested.

The show had been recorded by Countdown Los Angeles Television Show on KCAL 9 and interviewed by art critic Terri Martin. I will share the video later if I look good on the TV :)

Thanks for everyone who come to my show, and special thanks to Silvana Ambar, the gallery owner who made everything possible!

The invitation from Silvana Gallery

2011-05-18T16:03:00.000-07:00

My show is coming ! Hope to see you there this weekend.

Hen - SOLD

2011-05-16T19:09:00.001-07:00

I like to paint this way! :)

Rose study series - SOLD

2011-05-14T21:54:00.001-07:00

Pink Roses

2011-05-11T12:19:00.000-07:00

Available at New Masters Gallery

Something wrong with blog, 6 comments disappeared :(

The roses are blooming everywhere around my house, love to paint them!

Kitten - SOLD

2011-05-10T14:07:00.001-07:00

Click here to bid

The kitten is so cute! I have to paint her :)

Cooking for the festival

2011-05-09T08:15:00.000-07:00

Available at Silvana Gallery.

The fire is really cool, isn't it ? :)

The painting is for my solo show at Silvana gallery, the opening reception is May 21th, 6pm to 10pm, I will be there.

Also I am going to have an open studio at my home studio in Santa Clara, California this Saturday and Sunday 11am to 5pm, just want to get more connection with local people. Although most of my painting already sent to Silvana gallery for my show, but if you are nearby and want to visit me this weekend, please feel free to send me an email for my address.

Blooming Roses - SOLD

2011-05-07T01:58:00.000-07:00

Click here to bid

I like the size of the canvas, will paint more in this size...

Rose study series - SOLD

2011-05-05T17:14:00.000-07:00

Click here to bid

Another small rose study in different approach, I actually spent a lot of time on this small painting, back and forward many times, and I think the result is not bad :)

Rose study series - SOLD

2011-05-04T11:19:00.000-07:00

Click here to bid

I think the small study offer me more chances to try some new ideas that I was afraid to try on the big paintings.

On this small rose study, I applied high key and less modeling, so I got more room to play on the colors, please let me know how do you think and if you like it :)

Frowning Rooster - SOLD

2011-05-02T20:05:00.001-07:00

Click here to bid

My daughter named it. Hum, pretty fun :)!

Tahoe Snow - SOLD

2011-05-01T07:24:00.001-07:00

Inspired by some artist friends, I started to do some small studies (no bigger than 8" x 10") before I paint them to a big canvas. I think this is very helpful to see the design (composition) and the unity of value pattern and color pattern before I spend a lot of time on a painting.

For my small studies, you have chance to get them by a very good price from "Daily Paintworks" if you like them :) but my painting bigger than 8" x 10" will be more finished quality and the gallery price.

Kelsey - SOLD

2011-04-23T19:40:00.000-07:00

A double lights portrait demo I did yesterday, hope I got more time for the painting.

flower series

2011-04-15T17:34:00.000-07:00

Available at Silvana Gallery.

My first try for flower painting.

Some friends ask me if I want to change my subject because recently I painted landscape, still life, bird, and a lot of other things, I think I never changed my subject, I enjoy capturing all the beauty around us, it is just like I have all the good food on my list, after eating some meals, I may want to try some vegetables.

Enjoy the painting :)

Lunch Time

2011-04-06T22:19:00.001-07:00

I did not feel well (cough) for a few weeks, I should not play soccer before recovered :(

So I did not paint enough for a while, need to catch up now!!

This is a painting I did a month ago, and did a few changes but no time to retake a picture. It will be the biggest painting for my solo at Silvana Gallery this May (I want to but I don't think I will have chance to paint something bigger before my show).

Enjoy it, and hope to see you at Silvana Gallery :)

Sweet Dream

2011-03-29T17:34:00.000-07:00

Available at Silvana gallery.

Lemon and Carnation

2011-03-23T14:14:00.001-07:00

Available at Silvana gallery.

Lemons

2011-03-14T20:27:00.000-07:00

Available at Silvana gallery.
Lemons from our lemon tree, very fresh :)

Fishing - SOLD

2011-03-05T22:27:00.000-08:00

Sketches

2011-03-01T00:02:00.000-08:00

Available at Silvana gallery.

I planed to do one finished portrait painting per year, here is the one for this year, spent me about 5 days on it. the best result was on the second day, but I did not stop, back and forward a few times and used all the techniques I can imagine on the painting. I don't really like the finished result, and I almost teared the painting by the end of day five but didn't do it, I know I am getting old now :) I will do a better one next year.

Still learned a lot during the process, I feel much more comfortable when I work on next big painting, I will share the painting later when it's finished, I like it a lot.

Portrait Demo 2 - SOLD

2011-02-25T23:05:00.000-08:00

I had lecture about color today, and did this small demo in my class.

By the way, I am working on bigger paintings for my solo, it's take me at least a few days to finish one painting, also I don't want to post all my big paintings here before my solo, so people can see some of my new paintings in the opening of my show, but if I have small piece like this, I will share with you here :)

Figure for my solo

2011-02-09T09:34:00.000-08:00

Available at Silvana Gallery.

I have replaced the image :)

Last month I did 3 big nude figure paintings for my solo at Silvana gallery this May, here is two of them.
I am not good at take picture for the big painting, but I can tell you that the original paintings looks way better than the images here, please join me for the show at Silvana gallery if you want to see the original piece. I will have the detail information later on my blog.

Portrait Demo 1

2011-02-07T11:09:00.000-08:00

Available at Waterhouse Gallery.

I never done monochrome painting before, here is the first one I did for my portrait painting class last week. Feel good to back to the same class room when I was student.

Seaside

2011-02-02T14:51:00.000-08:00

Available at Silvana gallery.

Children always my favorite subject to paint. Tomorrow is Chinese New Year, don't forget the lucky money (压岁钱) for them tonight :)

Small still life

2011-01-30T14:18:00.000-08:00

I did this small still life with my artist friends last week, they did the beautiful set up, I like it.

Black knight - SOLD

2011-01-28T00:26:00.000-08:00

Quiet creek

2010-12-30T19:01:00.000-08:00

Available at Silvana gallery.

Merry Christmas

2010-12-25T15:29:00.000-08:00

Available at Silvana gallery.

After the cold and foggy weather, I may need some sun shine for my life.

Merry Christmas!

Foggy Standford 2

2010-12-22T16:35:00.000-08:00

Available at New Masters Gallery.

One more landscape from Standford, please email me if you are interested to purchase these two small beauties.

Foggy Standford 1

2010-12-21T15:02:00.000-08:00

Not for sell.

Just finished a small landscape, this is first time I painted on an Oil Primed Linen Panel, not bad :) Please email me if you are interested.

Sketches - SOLD

2010-12-11T18:55:00.001-08:00

by New Masters Gallery.

Small Still Life (persimmons) - SOLD

2010-11-23T23:09:00.000-08:00

A small painting I did tonight with two of my artist friends, it was fun to paint with friends. This is a pretty small painting for me, but please email me if you are interested.

Natural Light - SOLD

2010-11-19T18:50:00.000-08:00

by Silvana Gallery.

I enjoyed to paint from both cool and warm lights.

Tomorrow I am going to down to the Waterhouse Gallery, Santa Barbara for the opening of "Great American Figurative Artists Exhibition", hope to see you there :)

Girl with a jar

2010-10-27T16:24:00.000-07:00

Available at New Masters Gallery.

Figurative Series (Mary in the studio)

2010-09-29T20:49:00.000-07:00

Available at New Masters Gallery.

Mary is a good artist, and she is so lovely, I am glad that she modeled for me, maybe I will do more paintings from her.

By the way, one of my last year's summer head study (#8) has been selected to Oil Painters of America's Western Regional Exhibition at Mountain Trails Gallery in Jackson, Wyoming, the show will start from October 9 through November 10.

I am also going to have a group show "Great impressions - Masters of Fine Art" at Silvana Gallery Oct 23th, I have 7 paintings for the show, I will try to be there. You can find more information about the show and me at "American Art Collector" October 2010 issue.

Figurative Series (Before the performance 2) - SOLD

2010-08-28T15:57:00.000-07:00

by Silvana Gallery.

Figurative Series (Before the performance)

2010-08-17T21:43:00.000-07:00

Available at Silvana Gallery.

Figurative Series (learn from master)

2010-06-25T01:13:00.000-07:00

Available at Silvana Gallery.

This was a moment from my museum trip to DC, the girl was learning form a Rembrandt's self portrait, really catched my eyes.

The awards banquet

2010-06-04T10:39:00.000-07:00

A little behind, I came back from my trip to DC and NYC a few weeks ago, here is a picture of the winners on the stage of the 12^th Annual International Portrait Competition hosted by the Portrait Society of America. The trip was great, met a lot of great artists and saw a lot of great paintings.
I am a little busy with my family recently, but I will keep post my new works here as soon as I get chance to paint.

Landscape Series (Provence, France) - SOLD

2010-04-08T23:49:00.000-07:00

I am going to have a Fine Arts museum trip to New York and Washington DC with my friends later this month. I want to see some paintings from Fechin, Rembrandt and Sargent, any suggestion about good museums in that area?

Figurative Series (03-28-10)

2010-03-28T19:59:00.000-07:00

Available at Silvana Gallery.

I have a good news here, my painting "A quiet moment" (January 8th's post) has been selected to the top 30 of 12th Annual International Portrait Competition by Portrait Society of America.
I expected something better, but I am still very happy this time because I only did one finished portrait painting last year.

Figurative Series

2010-03-20T16:36:00.000-07:00

#1 24" x 30" Available at Silvana Gallery.

#2 24" x 30" Available at Silvana Gallery.

Figurative Series (Make a friend 2)

2010-03-04T17:30:00.000-08:00

Available at Silvana Gallery.

I painted a few kids paintings recently. This is a new subject for me, but I really enjoyed to paint it. I think I will paint more if I have the chance later.

Small Still Life 03-02-10

2010-03-02T19:58:00.000-08:00

If there is no light, we are not able to see any shape, value or color. So, no matter what the subject is, we just painting the light.
I put the still life under the "portrait light", than painted it as a portrait painting, and if I put them under the nature light, I think I can paint it as a landscape painting (I will do it later once I get a stabled nature light). So I think the subject should not be a matter for an artist, the matter is how to see the subject in the light environment.
Please email me if you are interested in this one.

Figurative Series (Make a friend)

2010-02-21T12:17:00.000-08:00

Available at Silvana Gallery.

Figurative Series (Fresh and Sweet)

2010-02-16T19:10:00.000-08:00

Available at Silvana Gallery.

It's took me longer to finish a painting since this month and I don't know why, I hope it just temporarily because I know that I still have too many paintings need to be finished :)

Here is the one I would like to share with you today.

Happy Chinese New Year of Tiger - SOLD

2010-02-13T12:23:00.000-08:00

This is a painting I posted before, and later I used it as an example for my graduate study class (a theory and writing class) a year ago, I post it here again to share a little bit of my thought with you.

Tomorrow is valentine's day and it is also the first day of the year of tiger in China, I wish everyone a good year ahead! 虎虎生風, 虎年行大運!

Below was my writing for the GS class:

"I want to use this painting to “mapping” some of my current concepts about painting.
Idea: My idea for the painting.
Sharp, value, color: The elements I always need to keep in mind when I paint.
Finished and Unfinished: finish the important part and the contrast with unfinished part will bring the viewer’s eyes to the focus of point, also make the unfinished part looks like finished. With out finished part, the unfinished part will looks like nothing.
Detail and No detail: less detail in the shadow part will make other part looks more detail.
Edge control and Brush works: Use the edge control to make the painting looks 3D; Use brush works to make the fur looks like real.
Chinese painting techniques: The techniques I want to add in to my oil painting (hybrid)."

Small Still life

2010-02-10T22:53:00.000-08:00

I got a chance to paint this still life tonight with an artist friend. I have not paint any still life for many many years, except the one did for my homework when I was working on my MFA. But the still life is not some thing new for me, the time back to high school when I was in China, I painted still life 3 hours every night.
It was fun to paint this small painting, this subject is good for practice the skill and it is easy to set up. You will see more small still life from my blog, hopefully each one has a new idea.
Please email me if you are interested this painting.

Small Seascapes (Mendocino - the cliff beach) - SOLD

2010-01-29T18:23:00.000-08:00

It was very interesting to paint this one. The value of the sea water, the beach and the cliff were very close, I used the local color to separate them; moving the rock around on the canvas was fun for the composition; the size and edge was the tool to create the space; the brushwork helped to express the different texture... I think this is the beauty of the oil painting, and this is why I love the oil painting.
Please email me if you are interested to purchase this small beauty.

Apple face - SOLD

2010-01-24T23:19:00.000-08:00

Small Landscapes (Stanford Dish Series) - SOLD

2010-01-19T22:42:00.000-08:00

Small Landscape 6

Small Landscape 5

Small Landscapes (Stanford Dish)

2010-01-16T20:06:00.000-08:00

Small work 1, 8 x 10.

Small work 2, 8 x 10.

I am planning to do some small landscape paintings now and for the bigger painting later. Please email me if you are interested to purchase any of the small one.

BBQ for the festival

2010-01-12T19:50:00.000-08:00

Available at Silvana Gallery.

Are you planning for a BBQ this year?

This is the first narrative painting I have done, it is not an easy subject to paint.

I was attracted by the kebab and wondered about how to paint it, this is the reason I started this painting, but I think the beauty of the painting is the hard working chefs.

Girl Protrait - SOLD

2010-01-08T20:07:00.000-08:00

by Silvana Gallery.

Yes, I graduated. No more nude figure :) The reason I chose nude figure as my final project was that I wanted to use the hardest subject to practice my skills, and now is the time for me to paint some thing that I want to paint :)

Some friends asked me about what do I want to paint now? The answer is simple: anything touches me, the subject does not matter to me.

This is the only "finished" portrait painting I completed in this couple years. Although I call it portrait, but her face was not the first focus point I wanted to paint. I think some time the body language could expresses the emotion and feeling too. I don't have the title for this painting yet, so, please let me know if you have a good title for it.

Happy New Year from Fongwei

Final 6 - SOLD

2009-12-09T09:04:00.000-08:00

by Waterhouse Gallery.

Both this painting and my "sleeping beauty" are not finished yet. I post them out because I don't know when I will finish them. My final is over :) I want to take a short break and then paint something else.

I really enjoyed in apply the different paint application on my painting, even work on a half dried painting. I find more rooms to play with color and express my idea and feeling.

Final 5 - the sleeping beauty

2009-11-23T19:20:00.000-08:00

Available at New Masters Gallery.

I tried to push my self more about color on this painting, and I find that the higher key painting will be easier to apply the color on it, the lower key painting will be harder, like my last painting. And also when I focus more on drawing (likeness and value) I will lose the color, it's just like the impressionism painting and realism painting, but I think this is also the nature. So I believe that for an artist, as soon as he find the "balance point" of the drawing and the color, he will established his own style, and the "balance point" will be depend on the artist's "art taste".
Huihan pushed me more on the paint application, you can see a little bit from this painting. I will try more on my next painting. I feel I can get more rooms to do the "fine art" with varied paint applications.

An old story 2 - SOLD

2009-11-19T23:04:00.000-08:00

by New Masters Gallery.

I painted this girl again a few weeks ago, it took me long time to finish it because the moving. I really like this subject, will paint it more after my final subject.

Figure drawing 4

2009-11-14T23:32:00.001-08:00

Figure drawing 3

2009-11-11T15:51:00.000-08:00

Figure drawing 2

2009-11-10T12:02:00.001-08:00

Figure drawing 1

2009-11-09T12:56:00.001-08:00