Chinese traditional painting has found a new voice in Carmona.
England's Prince Charles, actress Glenn Close and several American presidents have works by this exciting artist. United Nations ambassadors and leading representatives of business and industry have joined with knowlegeable collectors and museums in acquiring Carmona's work. Her interpretation of classical landscapes makes them accessible to those with a Western aesthetic as well as the discerning Oriental collector seeking authentic brush work and compositions.
Owning a Carmona watercolor recalls the 17th Century when another Italian, Giuseppe Castiglione, traveled to the Middle Kingdom and became a favorite painter of the Chinese Qianlong emperor, acquiring the name Lang Shi'ning.
Her initial forays into Chinese art came when she was elected to membership in the prestigious South Asian Ceramic Society, a scholarly organization based in Singapore. It recognized her expertise with blue and white Annamese pottery designs of the 15th and 16th Centuries. The discovery of these gorgeous motifs captivated Carmona and lead her to the more challenging study of landscapes, birds and flowers in their traditional interpretations from the 13th to 16th Centuries. Once she discovered Chinese ink and watercolor painting she never looked back.
Study with many of today's foremost Chinese artists deepened her understanding and appreciation of the landscape, people and way of life which influence her artwork today. This devotion and authenticity caught the attention of C.C. Wang (1907-2003), one of the pre-eminent Chinese painter/scholars of the 20th Century. Taking her as his last student, Wang mentored Carmona, enriching her technique and insights. The time spent under his guidance remains a treasure to her.
Numerous trips to China and Southeast Asia allowed her to experience the scenery first-hand by climbing over rocks, sitting quietly by streams and observing fantastic peaks. The mountains that seemed otherworldly in centuries-old paintings suddenly became a reality and deepened her understanding of traditional Chinese art.
She committed to memory the trees and waterfalls, blossoms and birds, filled sketch pads and took photographs to capture the look of China. Then, back in her studio, she recaptured the authentic "feel" and spirit of those places.
This distinctive sense of place pervades all of Carmona's work. The Center for International Art and Culture in New York City invited Carmona to show in its "Exhibition of Works by International Artists." The Smithsonian Institution in Washington featured her creations in several of its buildings. The National Trust for Historic Preservation commissioned her to interpret some of its landmark buildings and the Philadelphia Museum of art entrusted the restoration of a rare 18th Century tile mural to her. It is now on permanent display.
Adding the classical methods and styles to some newer approaches, she is carrying her ideas of this ancient art into new realms and is winning the hearts of collectors throughout the world.
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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