Saturday, October 3, 2009

Shanghai Zhujiajiao International Watercolour Biennial Exhibition 2010

Much to my surprise, an invitation arrived from the Chinese government to join mega-heroes Guan Wei Xing and Ong Kim Seng on the jury of this new international exhibition, taking place in conjunction with the 2010 World Expo. I've longed to meet those two incredible masters, and never dreamed it would come about like this. It's probably the biggest honor I've received in watercolor, and I've also been asked to display an "American Nicholas Simmons painting"! I'll go over in March for the selection process, and then again in April for the opening.


Shanghai Zhujiajiao International Watercolour Biennial Exhibition website.

Ong Kim Seng and Guan Wei Xing

25 comments:

perugina said...

I am thrilled for you with this news NNG! Congratulations!
You belong among these incredible artists, deservedly so and am not surprised in the least.
Enjoy this part of your cammino – walk/journey. To be able to meet these incredible artists Guan Wei Xing, Ong Kim Seng and others who will walk with you will mark a special time in 2010 – don’t walk to fast, take it down to a ramble to ensure you taste all the flavours, see all the colours and absorb all the sound.
Tanti auguri!!!!!
pg

Lori Barton said...

WooHOO! Fabulous Nick, try to take deep breaths and soak it all in, it's VERY well Deserved :)

Encre said...

How exciting!!! Congratulations :-))

Sandy said...

Congratulations Nick!This is wonderful news! You must be so excited.
2010 is not too far off, but you will have time to organize things in order to make the most of every moment of this very special invitation.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations, Nick ! I am very happy for you. You really deserve it !
I wish you good luck for the selections and the exhibitions that will follow.
Your journey to China will also be a new source of inspiration, I'm sure.
2010 will be your year, surely !

Janet Belich said...

OH MY GOODNESS. WOW. ETC,ETC,ETC.
Nick this is SO super great. The world is yours, you realize. Take it and run !

Mary Lou said...

Nick, I am sooooo thrilled for you! First Zbukvic, and now Guan Wei Xing and Ong Kim Seng - you are walking with the masters. Savor this journey. Heartfelt Congratulations my friend!

Sandeep Khedkar said...

Congratulations, Nick! Great to hear this!

William K. Moore said...

This is terrific news Nicholas. The guy on the right demands I make a "snatch the pebble" remark.. but I'll refrain (beads of sweat forming on brow). This is a demonstration the Asian watercolor community has the good taste and insight to make a Simmons.. must fight the urge to use the "summons" word... eh -- selection. Bask my friend... and do what you do best!

Anonymous said...

Congratulations! What a tremendous honor and well deserved!

milindmulick said...

Congratulations and have a great time,Well deserved,I am J..:)
cheers!

Sandy Maudlin said...

AWESOME! And they sure have great taste in judges. What a wonderful adventure, too. Guan Wei Xing is at the tip top of my admiration list. ENJOY!

Tóbal said...

Congratulations Nick!
I´ve seen some works from this "monsters" of the watercolour , really amazing!
You´re a master too , so the expo will be a success for sure!
Cheers from Spain!

Nancy Lee Galloway said...

Wonderful news, Nick! Richly deserved with all your talent and hard work. You'll love China and China will love you!!!

Susan Liles said...

Congrats, how exciting! Guan Wei Xing and Ong Kim Seng, two artists I have admired for years and you get to meet and learn from them. What an honor to be chosen to go! China is beautiful, enjoy!

RH Carpenter said...

Oh, the things you will see, Nick, and experience, and take in...and bring back to incorporate in your art and music! Congratulations :)

wayne said...

Hi NIck,
What an honour and great opportunity for you to 1) go to China 2) participate in 2010 World Expo 3) Judge international exhibition together with Asian & South-East Asian w/col greats Guan Wei Xing and Ong Kim Seng, and 4) Return April for the opening!!!
Well-deserved!! You realise that by 'mixing it' with the "masters" means, by implication, that you are in their league: the masters.
congrats!
Wayne

lupus said...

¡¡¡Hi, Nickkkkkkk.....!!! Congratulations, you are one of the best in the world, and this event means it, be sure...I'm very,very pleased because of you...It's your time, live it intensively...

A big hug.

Enrique.

Nick said...

PG - or I could just watch TV in the hotel room. Actually Shanghai is a place I've always wanted to visit, and Zhujiajiao looks to be fascinating. http://wikitravel.org/en/Zhujiajiao

Lori - I guess they wanted someone from the US, that might be my strongest qualification heheh

Encre - hoping the city still has some the old mystery and intrigue

Sandy - wish I could come down there - who knows, will be in the basic neighborhood/hemisphere!

Catherine - thank you so much, and I look forward to seeing the blog entry and to meeting you next week :)

Janet - a friend of mine says just showing up is 75%. I keep showing up and eventually good things result

MaryLou - those people are like the chamber groups, I'm like the rock band. Another friend of mine says "if you can't join them, confound them!"

Sandeep - I'm sure you know the work of those guys, so you know how excited I'll be to meet them

Bill - I'd like to undergo Shaolin watercolor monk training, with some ninja stuff thrown in. It will be an honor to play Grasshopper in the real forest.

Peggy - thanks for posting, and sorry for not keeping up with blogs very well lately. You've got an interesting one, and i'll be over presently

Milind - I would think it's something you might want to participate in, check out the website

Sandy - might have to say he's one of the top few watercolorists in the world, and arguably the best portraitist. I wouldn't even want to pick up a paintbrush around him! And Kim is brilliant, nobody better at what he does.

Cristobal - thanks for posting, I'm the neophyte. I'm hoping to see you maybe this month - have you seen the Cafe thread on Hispacuarela?

Nancy - the chop was a prescient gift, thank you again! Maybe I'll have to get a Simmons Lao Shi one made??? lol

Susan - yes, I've recently seen photos that my friend Nancy ^^^^ took in China this summer - incredible. I won't see those regions, but I'm sure I'll see plenty.

Rhonda - nice to be going twice, the first time for 5 days. The second time I'll have to leave after my last day of teaching at Kanuga, take an immediate flight to Shanghai a few days for the opening, and home via Vancouver for another workshop. The thought of all that Starbucks is intoxicating, isn't it?

Wayne - you're a master, I'm an apprentice! Can't wait to see the new magazine with your feature, I'm supposed to get a copy and I've also subscribed. I'm also still absorbing and pretending to comprehend your latest work which has had me on a Beethoven kick for days! I have to say again that you've been a big inspiration and motivator for me the past five years, and the big bar out there would not be so high without Mr. Roberts.

Enrique - I'm one of the luckiest, I know that. Especially to have great friends, and I'm looking forward to our meeting soon querido amigo!

Tonya Vollertsen said...

Wow, I can't believe I missed this. I haven't been keeping up well I guess. I am so envious that you will be meeting Guan Wei Xing! He was my total inspiration for "Jasper". He came to The Watercolor Society of Houston (WAS-H) but I didn't get to see his demo. He did leave behind the fabulous demo he did and so I do get to see one of his paintings in person often.
Congratulations! What an incredible opportunity! You just keep keeping on and incredible things happen for you. You are such an inspiration to keep painting. Thanks!

blogmomcom.blogspot.com/2018/01/06840.html said...

North, South ,East,West
Nick is always with the BEST!!!!
June

Nick said...

Tonya - I'd have to say that for the way he is painting, Wei Xing is the best in the world. Seems I've been saying that about a number of people lately, but in each case I believe it. Sounds as though we'll have plenty to chat about when we meet at Starbucks!

June - see above comment! I don't know how, but I've been fortunate to make the acquaintance of several Greats in the music and art world, and even more fortunate they put up with me. And the check isn't even in the mail!

Anonymous said...

Well-deserved honor, Nick. Enjoy your blessings.

Nick said...

Fookie - choices and sacrifices, a healthy dose of disappointments, and with any luck, a bit of luck.

Consuelo Moros said...

Congratulations from Caracas, Venezuela
Consuelo Moros