Bridge

The moment I first saw such a strange bridge in one of the imperial gardens of the Summer Palace in Beijing, I was amazed about why it would have such a strange shape? The answers came when I painted this painting. The emperor's ships had to sail under the bridge, so it had to be high. Standing on the top of this bridge opened amazing views like standing from the mountain.

But what I liked most was the idea of George Rowly, an American-Chinese art researcher, who in his book “The Secrets of Chinese Painting”, describes the parable of the four steps that every artist must climb before he becomes a true artist.The first stage symbolizes the training stage, the second stage symbolizes the discovery of your unique style, but at this stage you are not yet an artist. The third stage, at the top of the bridge, symbolizes absolutely no painting. Often at this stage artists leave their brushes in the village and climb mountains for a long time. For some, it takes one year, for others longer. But there, in solitude with nature, they realized the Dao, translated as “The Way" or the presence of God and the essence of life. They are filled with this feeling, perception, like reborn in the Spirit. (It took me 7 years on my journey before I knew the presence of God). And then they remember their brushes, return to their villages... And they start painting their paintings without stopping. Because "From filled hearts, the lips speak... I am the Way”- says Jesus. This fourth stage, which is going down, is associated with the lightness and the filling of the spirit. At this stage, the artist feels full of ideas, energy and inspiration and cannot stop painting. In my life, such a bridge took place and these steps became well known to me.