It’s a dream I keep having, where I’m stepping through the thick jungle, brushing vines out of my way, thigh-deep in lush foliage. I’m following her voice, a wordless cry. I feel the heat and the murmur of living creatures all around me, half hidden behind vines and tree trunks. The jungle resonates with the many-layered voices of invisible birds.
Scorched Valley
2006, oil/linen, 20x24" by Ying Li
As I round the bend of the overgrown path, I see a figure before me, a ferocious trailblazer swinging her palette knife like a machete.
She turns back to me, sweat dripping from her radiant face, paint in her hair, she smiles at me…
and reaches out her hand…
I take it gratefully and follow.
Valley in Moonlight
2007, oil/linen, 20x24" by Ying Li
Related reading: I first learned about Ying Li from art professor Ed Kerns, in my blog post “Secrets to Happiness.”