Friday, February 7, 2014

Inspirations & Technical Breakthroughs: Secrets from the Contemporary International Watercolor Masters



A big "shey-shey" to Zhou Tianya and Ruan Hoe for including me in this terrific new book. It is apparently the best selling watercolor book in China. It is aimed solely at the Chinese market, so I'm sorry to say there is no English version. 

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The second volume of Inspirations & Technical Breakthroughs, Secrets from the Contemporary International Watercolor Masters, Vol. II in Chinese language by Ruan Hoe and Zhou Tianya is published by Jilin Fine Arts Press, China, in December 2013. Following the first volume, the second volume features another nine outstanding contemporary American watercolor masters: Mary Whyte, Susan Swinand, Dean Mitchell, Ted Nuttall, George James, Joseph Alleman, Carl Purcell, Peggy Zalucha and Nicholas Simmons. In the book they candidly discuss their inspirations, generously share their creative processes and show-case their exemplary work with Chinese readers.

Inspirations & Technical Breakthroughs is the product of an international collaboration. Editor Dr. Ruan Hoe, a Chinese-American watercolorist and a principal researcher at UCLA, translated and edited the text. Second editor Zhou Tianya, a well-known Chinese professional watercolor artist, member of Chinese Artist Association, signature member of NWS and AWS, curator of Shenzhen Watercolor Biennial 2013-14, originally fathered the idea and designed the entire book. As the first of its kind, the first volume was critically acclaimed in China and its first edition’s 4000 copies are almost sold out. The second volume (4000 copies) is currently being distributed to all major Chinese bookstores and also available online (paper back, 11.6”x 8.8”, 144 pages, ¥78.00RMB, approximately $12.50USD). The third volume of this title with nine artists from the United Kingdom is in the planning phase and scheduled due out in later 2015.