Extending beyond basic tradition, Chinese artistry breaks with the bamboo, mixing it with selections of flora and fauna in a broad spectrum exhibit of original works by Tracie Griffith Tso.
Griffith Tso, the Chinese brushpainting teacher at Reston Community Center Lake Anne, often has brush in hand, demonstrating and drilling students in the age-old basic brushstrokes. Extending beyond the black and white fundamentals, Chinese brushpainting encompasses artwork from horses to hummingbirds, from pandas to pine and carp to chrysanthemums as shown in the exhibit, "Bamboo & Beyond."
Griffith Tso explores mediums and finishes outside of ink and rice paper, working with iridescent hues, mixed media and fabric backgrounds in over 50 original paintings. While the techniques are 6,000 years old, the nuance and expression casts this work in a modern light.
"This is my weekend work, when I get to stretch my skills and test the traditional mixed with elegant experimentation of plants and animals," Griffith Tso said.
She creates stories with them, with one bird glancing coyly at another, a horse in a snowstorm, lounging pandas and rabbits.
"Animals are expert communicators of body language," she said.
A great believer in keeping skills fresh and learning from teaching her students, a collection of student works will also be displayed.
Griffith Tso developed her style at age 12 in her native California with a teacher who was schooled by a master in Hong Kong. She teaches workshops, lectures and demonstrates nationwide.
A Torpedo Factory Art Center associate artist, she is a member of the Washington Ceramic Guild and the Kiln Club, exhibiting her brushpainted pottery monthly at the Torpedo Factory Art Center's Scope Gallery. A selection of Griffith Tso's brushpainted pottery will also displayed the Reston Community Center Lake Anne showcases.
The artist and her husband, along with her workshop rabbit, Cleo, reside in North Reston.
This show and sale event runs from October 28 to December 1, 2013 at the Reston Community Center Lake Anne's Jo Anne Rose Gallery located at 1609 Washington Plaza Reston, Va. 20190. A reception on Sunday November 10 is from 2 to 4 p.m., where the public can see an artist demonstration with traditional brushpainted pottery and paintings displayed for sale. The community center is open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Saturday; Sunday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. For further information call the Reston Community Center at 703-476-4500 or visit www.restoncommunitycenter.com; for artist information, visit www.inksart.com, Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/pages/Tracie-Griffith-Tso/59068853626 and Pinterest http://www.pinterest.com/griffithtso/boards/
