Note on Year of the Tiger

I just completed this meticulous (“gongbi”) styled jungle scene yesterday. This sumi-e technique uses two brushes simultaneous and focuses stubbornly on the details through many layers of the painting process. Gongbi is known for taxing the endurance of the most patient of painters. Usually, I know when a gongbi work is near completion when I begin to hate the process, and I’m tempted to make finishing the highest priority.

The Year of the Tiger is the space on the Chinese 12-year cyclical calendar that celebrates those whose birthdays fall after the year of the rat. Impetuous, powerful, brash, these tiger-ish folks must thrive in today’s world, it would seem; so, traditionally tigers have been associated with protective courage and endurance, yin (female) strength, and show up on boy’s baby shoes, and the clothes of generals and hunters. However, my use of the gongbi style in this painting messages something a little different. Brush strokes present individual hairs and whiskers of the tiger and the micro-down on the juvenile bird perched above his head. This attention to fine details declares the magnificence of the Designer’s mind and His purposes and understanding that penetrates every minute part of human experience.

The painting narrative includes a yellow bird. No, not Tweety, though the idea-worm has already entered my mind. The little guy surveys the tiger and occupies a place of honor, just as much as his massive neighbor. One might say, they are visiting as equals, learning, engaging, but not threatening or cringing. There is almost something Edenic about the scene. Best wishes to you during this Year of the Tiger!