People's Choice

only latest in long list of art awards

MYSHREE TSAI has brought her 'incredible' needle painting skills to the Comox Valley.

By Paula Wild - Comox Valley Record
Published: July 28, 2011

“Myshree’s needle painting is absolutely incredible,” Corinne James, executive director of The Old Schoolhouse Gallery, said in a March interview with theParksville-Qualicum Beach News.

“Her work shows a lot of movement and dynamic colour because of the way the threads go with the light, it’s always changing.” A few months after that compliment, Tsai received the People’s Choice Award at the Pearl Ellis Gallery of Fine Art in Comox for her needle painting Farm Woman. “I was thrilled,” says Tsai. “There were so many great artists at the gallery. I think my work was chosen because it is different.”

Despite Tsai’s modesty, awards are nothing new to this artist. Her award-winning watercolors have been exhibited in Taiwan, Canada, China, Japan and Korea. And her needle paintings – often combined with watercolour, pastel and acrylic paints — garner attention wherever they’re shown.

“A silk thread painting is built up stitch by stitch, layer by layer,” explains Tsai. “From a distance people might think it’s an oil or acrylic painting but when they get closer they can see the stitches. Contemporary needle painting brings Western style painting together with traditional Chinese embroidery to create fine art.”

It’s the silk threads that give the work its three dimensional form and the range of colour is amazing. A tree might contain 300 shades of green thread, each catching and reflecting the light in different ways. This meticulous attention to detail means it often takes Tsai more than 60 hours to complete a needle painting. Although she drew and painted with watercolours from a young age, Tsai didn’t begin needle painting until she was 40. “When my mother was 70 I felt it was my duty to learn needle painting from her so her skills wouldn’t be lost when she was gone. I was never interested in it before – you need to be patient to be a needle painter — I think that comes as you mature.”

Tsai is the third generation of artists in her family. Her mother, Madam Chen Si-Xue, now 88, has won many awards for her needle painting. And Tsai’s grandfather, Chen Zhi-Fo, was a well-known painter; the Chen Zhi-Fo Art Memorial Hall in the Nan-Jing National Palace Museum was named in his honour.

Tsai’s skill in needle painting is particularly impressive when depicting animals. “After my dog Doudou died, I missed him so much that I made a needle painting of him,” she says. “The texture of the silk threads and the way they reflect the light make the fur look very realistic. I create needle paintings of pets for many people.” As a watercolourist, Tsai’s work is noticeable for its vibrant colors and imaginative compositions. “I try to capture the spirit or feeling of an object rather than portray a realistic version,” she says. “The secret to a good watercolour is that it must show light and be full of water.” One of her watercolour paintings was selected as the background for an Old Schoolhouse Gallery poster.

Born in 1958 and raised in Taipei, Taiwan, Tsai obtained a fine arts degree from the National Taiwan Normal University. For many years she worked as a copywriter and graphic designer for magazines and hosted a broadcasting program for arts and music. She also taught art in Taiwan high schools and adult education courses in community colleges. A major accomplishment was designing and organizing a large piece of public art for the Taipei subway. The two-year project involved 60 volunteers.

Four years ago, Tsai immigrated to Canada with her husband. She was invited to exhibit her work in Toronto and Vancouver. “The Canadian government welcomed me as the first Chinese needle painter and said they want to encourage the art of different cultures in this country,” says Tsai.

She’s a member of the Taiwan International Watercolor Association — and founded and was chairman of the Taiwan Needle Painting Association. Since moving to Canada, she’s become a member of the Federation of Canadian Artists.

One year ago she moved to the Comox Valley.” It is paradise here,” she says. “I love the richness of the art community; everyone is so kind. And I can see the glacier from my window.” Next year, Tsai hopes to teach needle painting locally.” I’d like to share this art experience with others,” she says. “It’s a lot of fun and so rewarding for people to create something beautiful.”

http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_north/comoxvalleyrecord/

         

MYSHREE’S ART PROGRAM Fall 2012

E-mail/ mystsai@gmail.com  Tel/ 250-338-1007 

1240 Farquharson Dr. Courtenay, B.C.

1.  Sketching &Basic Acrylic Painting

2:00-4:00PM TUESDAYS,  SEPTEMBER 11 -NOVEMBER 27

＄180 /12 SESSIONS

Pencil Sketch、Acrylic painting

We will start with the basics of drawing. Then we will explore a variety of different styles of painting with acrylic paint to discover your personal style. Each class will be filled with new techniques and challenges. Come and enjoy the class.

2.  Intermediate Watercolor

9:30-11:30 AM TUESDAYS,  SEPTEMBER 11 -NOVEMBER27

＄180 /12 SESSIONS

Watercolor、Soft Pastels、colour pencils

Learn how to use different kinds of media to your advantage and enhance your watercolor paintings, with the use mixed media. By painting in a free, impressionist manner and by using color effectively you can make strong, dynamic paintings in short periods of time.

3.  Needle- Painting

9:30-12:00 AM Monday,  SEPTEMBER 10 -NOVEMBER 26

＄180 /12 SESSIONS

Sketch patterns、 Demonstration、 embroidery skills

Needle painting is a unique combination of western style painting and traditional Chinese embroidery. Needles, silk threads and cotton cloth are used in place of paint brushes, pigment and paper. We will also utilize acrylics, wool, other fabrics and materials to create bright and colorful multi-media art.

4.  Art for children（7-12YEARS）

10:00-11:30 AM SATURDAY,  SEPTEMBER 29 - NOVEMBER 24

＄180 /9 SESSIONS（include material for study）

Pencil sketch、Acrylics、oil Pastel

Explore the beauty of painting, through a variety of techniques and projects such as sketching animals, flowers and creating collage art.

Myshree’s “Lilies”
was awarded second place at the“Blossoms” competition


Local artist Myshree Tsai’s watercolour painting titled “Lilies” was awarded second place at the recent Federation of Canadian Artists (FCA) competition held at the Granville Island gallery in Vancouver. This was a national competition for all active members of the FCA and the selected subject for the competition was titled “Blossoms”. The painting “Lilies” will be on display at the Originals Only Art Show, August 2012.

 

The Federation of Canadian Artists (FCA) was founded in 1941. The mission of the FCA is to advance the knowledge and appreciation of art and culture to all Canadians, and to promote emerging as well as professional member artists.