Pure zen. I love the economy & natural elegance of your brushstrokes & the way these are clearly bamboo, yet can also be easily seen as abstract images. You said yesterday that you would hang one of my photos on your wall - I would definitely hang any of these on my wall...

Fabulous economy of line, something I sadly fail to manage!

Beautiful!

So much elegance in such a small movement; pure zen, as Claude says. Beautifully done!!

Fantastic Scene,

Wonderful oriental feeling to these bamboo paintings, and I like the colors. My favorite is the center image, as those shades are so pleasing. I like the additions you made to the original painting.

Beautiful creation my friend !

Yes, This is so lovely and again very graceful. You feel the wind, how it drags the bamboo with it. Wonderful simplicity. The middle one is so different but not less beautiful. Like a chinese sunset. The last one has kept this lovely texture on the background which adds so much to this piece. Love the warm colors here.

Really enjoy the triple work you done on the trees blowing in the wind with the multiple scenes and coloring, darn kewl!! And always faved art. Enjoy the weekend.

Now you’ve reached my level. These are spectacular, so expressive. This reminds me of Zen stories about true strength.

'A tree that is unbending is easily broken'. 'The hard and strong will fall, the soft and weak will overcome' . Tao Te Ching, ~ Lao Tzu

Be like the bamboo - 7 lessons from the Japanese forest

(1) Bend but don't break. Be flexible yet firmly rooted (2) What looks weak is strong (3) Be always ready (4) Unleash your power to spring back (5) Find wisdom in emptiness (6) Commit to continuous growth (7) Express usefulness through simplicity

An outstanding example of classic Sumi-e painting.

WOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Say now, just what is all this "zen" stuff? Esoteric, is that it? Anyway, another Teahouse of the August Moon montage, this one depicting the same image in different motifs. What at first I thought was a clipper ship in a fierce storm, is actually a beleaguered plant out on the prairie, fighting for its very existence in the face of a merciless gale. Splendid objects in this composition with its various colors and contrasts, Mark.

Fabulous work on this set as well all three sets are beautiful

I respect your talent for painting. superb work

A perfect minimalist sketching, but in that moment it transmits all the force of the wind that is pushing against those delicate leaves. I do like the use of ink in this manner, I am assuming it's ink and brush.

fantastic

Now, as they say in the land of 'OZ' - 'this is it, what I'm talking about' (and quote: anahata.c) ... LOL

I love the loneliness of the Bamboo in panel one :: here are the lyrics of

"The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner" (by Iron Maiden)

Tough of the track,

With the wind,

And the rain that's beating down on your back.

Your heart's beating loud

And goes on getting louder

And goes on even more till the sound Is ringing in your head,

With every step you tread,

And every breath you take,

Determination makes you run ...

panel two: still running ... through all sorts of different day temperatures ...

... and last but not least: I visualize a big sailing-ship/frigate steering into the last stretch, to get home before the sun is going down. WUNDERBAR !

Cheers BB

Deceptively simple. A few brushstrokes tell a story of wind and life and passing of seasons.

Zen, indeed.. This is so delightful, Mark! I have the utmost admiration for anyone who can paint in the Sumi-e style. I've tried, and it 'ain't' as easy as it looks! Not to get it right, anyway. And you've definitely got it right. And the two additional - and very colorful - versions are the cherry on top!

It's simply wonderfully done my friend!

I remember art similar to this in Singapore. It was magic then as it is now! Well done!