The Voice of Reason

February 28, 2008

Grace Liu was seeking a challenge when she left Poughkeepsie and moved to China, but she probably wasn’t expecting to redefine and revolutionize hand-painted bone china. Advanced technology and a shift in tableware aesthetics was encouraging hand-painted bone china techniques to fall by the wayside. Grace noticed that the centuries-old tradition was quickly disappearing, and knew it was time to figure out how to make it work in the modern world.

Grace began building a company with local Tangshan artist, Jian Ping Li, that would continue the art of hand-painted bone china while creating designs that appeal to a well-traveled, metropolitan crowd. She explains though, that no matter how Western the design, the artists at Asianera use ‘gong bi,’ a meticulous brushstroke typical of Chinese painting, and that alone will always make the design feel somewhat Eastern.

This Asian-American, Michigan University-graduate and her business partner, an immensely talented, classically-trained artist from the Hebei Province, are confident that the brushstroke will not only always retain it’s roots, but that it will also be the virtue that keeps hand painting alive and in demand.

“Technology can almost replicate a hand-painted look nowadays, but the true artistry of hand-decorated and hand-painted china can never be imitated because the human touch and spirit of the artist will always be present in each and every brushstroke and in each unique piece of work.”

No Eraser

February 25, 2008

One might compare the art of hand-painting bone china to the art of tattooing. They are similar in that it takes impeccable drawing skills, patience, and a steady hand. While mistakes made in the tattoo parlor might incite a more immediate response from the customer, the hours spent pouring over the detail of a highly intricate bone china pattern make mistakes just as unimaginable.

One of the most meticulous and talented artists Teroforma has had the pleasure of working with, Jian Ping Li at Asianera is a master painter and ceramicist. His passion for both the tradition of his craft and the ways that it can be applied to the future extend to his approach to both the artists at Asianera and his students at the Hebei Light Industrial School’s ceramics department, where he is a lecturer. At Asianera, he has taken a holistic approach to the way he cultivates the talents of his artists. He recognizes that being inclusive and nurturing – whether that means the free meals that Asianera provides, the painting competitions it holds, or even the local community outreach programs it sponsors – is the key to activating talent.

When it comes to extending the boundaries of his own craft, he admits that the challenge may be a bit more daunting. He has mentioned that some of his geometric patterns might actually be too perfectly rendered – some have found it hard to believe that there is not a computer involved somewhere in the process. He takes it in stride and will happily do a quick hand sketch to prove you wrong. JP’s passion for what he does and the people he works with is at the core of who he is and the reason that we will keep coming back to him again and again with our most challenging projects.