Buddhist sculpture painting master, Chen Huifen
A family background steeped in arts and the pursuit of her personal interest helped make the Buddhist sculpture painting master, Chen Huifen, into who she is today!
Just as flowers need soil, sunshine, rain and nourishment to bloom; likewise the birth of a Buddhist painting master - Chen Huifen, necessitates the inseparable conditions of the familial environment, her intrinsic talent and perseverance in the pursuit of her interest.
Dressed in elegant pants and accompanied by an eye-catching style of her short hair, it reflects the petite Chen Huifen’s sense of aesthetics. Chen Huifen, who has made remarkable achievements in the arts of painted statues, has a ready smile without airs. She speaks gently and in her strokes , she brings to life the Bodhisattva’s adornment of clouds and lotuses whilst sharing with the audience her life’s experience and artistic achievements.
When it comes to how she could vividly combine the Buddha statues in Dunhuang Grottoes with the techniques of Japanese lacquer ware to create the unique painting art of Buddha statues, she uses "memories" as the warp threads and "interests" as the weft threads to weave a remarkable tapestry. She attributed her achievement to how her great-grandfather and grandfather provided her with a life of leisure and nourished it with their lovefor arts. After attending the first middle school in Taichung, her grandfather completed his studyies in Xiamen and came home with only a violin and an easel. Her civil servant father carefully studied the process of Japanese lacquer technology including all kinds of imitation of tourists’ artifacts such as opera facial mask, piggy bank and tropical fish styled wind bells; all of which provided a hotbed for her to temper her artistic skills.
Grown up in the background of a family of artists along with her intrinsic love of the arts, she finally got into the most beloved painting world after finishing her degree in mathematics in the university. From the beautifully-colored prints of the Dunhuang Grottoes and in the presence of the grottoes itself, she discovered calmness and serenity. Inspired by the ancient artists in the grottoes, she pioneered the art of painting Buddha images that incorporated traditional Chinese elements and infused it with Japanese minimalism.
Despite the fact that Chen Huifen’s works are highly sought after by monasteries in China, just like all other artists, she has never been fully satisfied with her works as the pursuit of her art is a never ending task of breaking through limitations and making every effort to keep improving. In order to meet the customer's budgetary needs, she divides the painting of Buddha into four levels: simple color, middle color, exceptional color and special color. No matter what kind of painted Buddha statue it is, she hopes it makes everyone happy and inspires a heart of admiration and respect for the Buddha. Is this not her calling by the Bodhisattva to be her life's mission then?
Speaking of her current achievements, she felt that she has been a lucky and blessed person, born in a family of artists who supported her pursuit such that she is able to devote wholeheartedly to her art of painting Buddhist statues despite having 5 kids to take care of. She urged young people to persevere in the pursuit of their interest and surpass themselves as being caught up in the haste of a fast moving world of advanced technology will not show result. Even if the environment does not favour them, they must strive to cultivate virtuous friends through charitable giving of material wealth, the Dharma and fearlessness so as to change their lives for the better.
Do you wish to see the dedication and passion of painting master Chen Huifen in her paintings? Then on December 16 and 17 make your way to exhibition hall at L4 of BW Monastery and come face to face with the master!
