The Elusive Chi

Bring More Expressive Energy into Your Work

With Mary Pettis

Good paintings always exude an energy that flows from a harmonious balance of contrasts.

What is it that gives great paintings their startling impact—their “Chi”? The energy in master paintings flows from the artist's understanding of instinct and exaggeration. Exaggeration is personal and intuitive, and can be a frightening idea for a classically trained painter. Yet this elusive, instinctive Chi is intimately tied to the quality of experience we artists offer our viewers!

As an artist who also teaches, Mary has felt compelled to understand and explain this phenomenon. This search has led her to study with Chinese master artists, Zhang WenXin and Jove Wang; to excursions with Jove to China, Europe, and Russia. Jove introduced her to the idea of “Chi” in great paintings. It is he who convinced her we cannot “get there” through technique and reason alone; we must understand, develop, and employ our intuitive, inward vision.

In this demonstration and lecture Mary will share her journey and takeaways thus far as she moves closer to understanding what actually makes a masterpiece.

All levels welcome.

Lecture and demonstration
Length: 1 days
Tuition: $175
Limit: 40 students

Register