Michael Tran
I chose to paint a still life of lychees because it is important to me to have Asian subjects represented in a style that is more traditionally Western. This piece uses both acrylic and oil paints. I worked with traditional pigments like ultramarine blue and more contemporary ones like Tri-Art's quinacridone pigments to achieve a glazing effect, particularly in the reflected light of the lychees, that would not have been otherwise possible without these modern pigments. This painting is my expression of the convergence of elements that have not typically appeared together: Asian subjects and Western styles, acrylic paint and oil paint, and pigments of different eras. I consider myself fortunate to be able to paint and have felt art has enriched my life. As red is an especially auspicious colour in many Asian cultures, I hope this painting brings at least a little bit of luck and good fortune to the viewer as well.
Still Life with Lychees
Acrylic on canvas, 16” x 20” $500
Michael Tran began painting with oils during the COVID-19 pandemic. He is self-taught using what he learned working as a house painter. He paints because people have told him that art is hard and only for the initiated. The first part is true, but the second isn't—anyone can enjoy a Caravaggio without knowing what chiaroscuro is.