For over three decades, American painter Carmona has dedicated her talents to the art of Chinese traditional watercolors. Her tools are simple: brushes, ink, pigments ground from malachite and lapis lazuli. Chinese silk or fine, translucent paper becomes the backdrop for strikingly beautiful landscapes, birds and flowers. With precision and care she touches the brush to the page, revisiting an ancient discipline with an eye for the modern viewer.
An accomplished potter working in 18th-century styles, Carmona already had established a rapport with American museums and galleries when her inspiration turned to Chinese watercolors. Setting aside pottery, she began taking lessons in Chinese art and brush technique. Trips to New York City from her Pennsylvania home became regular occurrences, interspersed with long journeys to the Far East – China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore – where she privately studied with many of today's foremost Asian artists. Simply being in the homeland of her chosen field deepened her understanding and appreciation of the landscape, people, and way of life, which influence her artwork today.
Such devotion and authenticity brought Carmona to the attention of C.C. Wang, one of the pre-eminent Chinese painter/scholars of the 20th century. Taking her as his last student, C.C. Wang mentored Carmona, polishing both her technique and her insights. The time spent under his guidance remains a treasure amid all of Carmona's journeys and studies.
In 2005, the Center for International Art and Culture in New York City recognized Carmona's artistic achievements, inviting her to show her work alongside that of other traditional Chinese painters. The gallery hosted the work of thirty highly-respected artists. Carmona was the sole Westerner.
"I want to paint pictures that are pretty," Carmona says, "and that the Western eye can understand." With each careful brush stroke she does so, bringing to life stunning views that transport us far into the past, or portraits of nature, true and sublime.
The artist, Carmona, with C.C. Wang in his studio.
Testimonials
"And it showed me that the painter had a strong love of Chinese painting and a commitment to doing things the proper way. To see her paintings one cannot determine that she is not born and trained in the tradition."
- C.C. Wang
"You have a wonderful talent in making Chinese painting come alive!!"
- Wen Fong
Professor Emeritus of Chinese Studies at Princeton University; Former Head of Chinese Painting Department, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
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