作品描述

  These pieces were a result of the topic of a training program that I participated in, the Belt and Road Initiative. When thinking about this new endeavor, I couldn’t help but be curious as to the original “Silk Road” and its connections and effects in the world. Therefore, I decided to do some research on the cities involved in the original Silk Road. In doing research I realized that each city and country have their own distinct color palette, and that one of the first impressions of many travelers on the silk road would probably be the colors of the new city, seen from far away as they approached on camel, horse, or foot.
    Something else very distinct to each country is its wild animals. I have a great fascination for animals, and in researching found that many of the animals held almost totem-like energy that gave a strong impression about the land they are native to. I also thought that a traveler on the road would be likely to encounter wild animals and may be fascinated or frightened by each in kind. In fact, many travelers may feel a sense of fear or excitement in anticipating coming into contact with wild animals along their journey.
     In the end I decided to combine these two impressions to paint two paintings, each involving one or two of the cities of the old Silk Road. I believe that much can still be learned from our past, and that the people who came before us have important history. It is interesting and important to consider their experiences and impressions. Many cultures are deeply linked to the natural colors and wildlife of their homeland, and will not only excited by experiencing new ones, but also may be homesick for their own home countries. As a foreigner living in China, I have felt this juxtaposition myself.
 

  这些作品是我参加的一项主题叫“一带一路”的创作培训的成果。作为一名美国人，一带一路对我来说是一个非常陌生的名词，但是接触之后不禁对最初的“丝绸之路”及其在世界上的影响充满好奇。因此，我决定对原始丝绸之路所涉及的城市进行研究。在做研究时，我意识到每个城市和国家都有自己独特的调色板，许多丝绸之路上的旅行者对一个新地方的第一印象可能是新城市的突出颜色，他们骑着骆驼、马或者驴时远远地就可以看到。
    每个国家的另一件非常独特的事情是它周围的的野生动物。我对动物非常着迷，在研究中发现许多动物都拥有几乎像图腾一样的力量，这给他们的土地留下了深刻的烙印。许多旅行者在旅途中可能会接触到这些野生动物，可能会感到恐惧抑或兴奋。
    最后我决定将这两种印象结合起来画两幅画，每幅画都涉及古丝绸之路的一两个城市。我相信我们仍然可以从我们的历史中学到很多东西，而之前生活的人都有着重要的历史。考虑他们的经历和印象很有趣也很重要。许多文化都与家乡的自然色彩和野生动植物息息相关，不仅会因体验新事物而兴奋，还会对自己的祖国产生思乡之情。作为一个生活在中国的外国人，我自己也感受到了这两种情感并存。