Category: Art and Creative Practise
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On the Borders of Minimalism
How much can I leave out before an image loses its life? Photographs from Lake Neusiedl lead from ordinary wooden supports towards almost calligraphic forms. A personal experiment in framing, repetition and empty space—and in knowing when to take a step back.
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The Empty Boat — 虚舟 (Xū Zhōu)
Which painting best represents where I stand in 2026? The Empty Boat begins with Zhuangzi, ego and a rather unusual fish, while a second painting leads to a different question: what happens when a painter stops asking what a work still needs and begins asking what it wants to get rid of?
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Meditations on a Single Note
What can a single musical note teach us about attention? Beginning with the sound of a gong in a Peace Stupa, this is a personal meditation on listening, silence, creativity – and the worlds that can open when we pay attention to seemingly insignificant things.
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How to Kill Your Muse
An eventful summer between painting, tax troubles, SEO, AI and book cover design. Somewhere in between, my muse took a few shots – but fortunately, she seems rather hard to kill.
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Protected: Neue Stimmen aus China. Gedichte.
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
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Visual Response to “The Last Rag” by Soundeagle
Can you translate the “ragged time” of a contemporary piano piece into a visual language? Following a casual comment on a previous article, I took on the challenge of graphically interpreting soundeagle’s composition. Moving away from traditional calligraphy, I chose to take the word “rag” literally—creating an aesthetic of use where soft, faded layers of…
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Light as State of Being: Light in Painting and Contemporary Ink Art
“Light as State of Being” explores the depiction of light in painting – from the academic studio through the Impressionists to my own attempt to make Ur-light and cosmic light tangible in images.
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When the World Shatters
Recent paintings, unfinished works and studies accompany my reflections on war, lost trust and environmental destruction. When the World Shatters explores how fragmented forms and expressive brushwork can echo both global upheaval and the inner distress of the individual, while leaving room for renewal.
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Before I Gotta Go: Minimalism, Dreams and Surreal Ink Painting
“Before I gotta go…” is an article about a new series on dreams, marking a deliberate departure from minimalism in favor of abstract depth. It introduces the concept of the “Oneiric Divide”—visualizing not the story of a dream, but the raw energy it leaves behind—and offers a glimpse into my upcoming dialogue on “Dot and…
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Don’t let the Old Man in
Don’t let the old man in is more than just a song title; it is a directive for maintaining an open spirit against bitterness. This article explores that mindset by contrasting striking political imagery with the artistic independence of my 2025 Yearbook, proving that staying young is a matter of attitude, not age.
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Dao and Zen again: Applying Eastern Philosophy to Contemporary Ink Painting
Tao and Zen, along with minimalism, became my focus during a forced pause due to illness. This short article shares how fever dreams led to abstract works that explore the tension between Yin and Yang—an attempt to artistically grasp our world, which has been thrown off balance.
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Autumn Reflections
Autumn Reflections explores the connection between poetry, calligraphy, and painting through a series of original semi-haiku.
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Terra Dystopia
Terra Dystopia, a new series of artworks, serves as the starting point for an essay on the core characteristics of a dystopian society, questioning how many of these once-fictional traits have become our reality.
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Cracks in the Silence
“Cracks in the silence” is about our fractured times and the eroding foundation of global rules and humanity. I initially wanted to write a political article about this rising pressure and fading reason. But I discarded the idea—those who would read it already know how the game is played. In this post, I reflect on…
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State of the Art 2025
State of the Art 2025 is my contribution this year to an ongoing series of “self-portraits.” For years, these pieces have documented my creative journey, reflecting the current status of my work.
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Nothingness in Color
Nothingness in Color continues the thought experiment that began with the journey to the Zen master—evolving beyond monochrome, embracing color, and preserving the essence of minimalism
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Goodbye to the Winter
In traditional Chinese painting, the unpainted white space is often considered more important than the black ink. In this post, I challenge this balance of opposites by painting on black paper, shifting the focus so the unpainted black areas demand special attention. I share three new abstract works that explore the journey from winter’s darkness…
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Depression: A Journey Through the Long Winter.
A long, seemingly endless winter is finally behind me. I tried to channel this extended dark period into my art, looking deep within myself. In this post, I share these new works. They are not a collection of horrors, but rather a creative passage through the cold and darkness before the promise of spring brings…
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Meditation of the Zen Master
In this third and final part of our journey to the Zen Master, I share key insights into my understanding of Zen. Using my artwork, I explore these concepts and the essential balance of opposites that shapes both Zen and Dao. We also continue our playful experiment with AI analyzing the images, focusing on the…
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Journey to the Zen Master
In the second part of our journey to the Zen Master, I reflect on what originally sparked this project: my past experiences traveling on the Trans-Siberian Railway. I share an unexpected photo that connects to part one and explain why I discarded my initial concept of depicting a child’s journey. Instead, as the series progresses,…
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The Journey to the Zen Master
In the first part of our journey to the Zen Master, I reflect on my five-decade philosophical connection to Zen and Daoism. Since I do not have a physical master, this journey is purely a mental exercise. In this series, I attempt to capture an abstract experience through my artwork, highlighting the essential balance of…
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The Dao of Annual Planning in 2024
A look at annual artistic planning and how creative priorities evolve over time. The article reflects on long‑term projects, shifting focus, the balance between structure and intuition, and the ongoing process of aligning artistic goals with personal development.
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Blind Drawings: Artistic Expression in Darkness
“Blind Drawings” is an experimental series of over twenty charcoal works created in a completely dark room with my eyes closed. By intentionally removing light from the process, I bypassed conventional techniques to explore the essential balance of opposites—light and darkness, conscious control and pure intuition. In this post, I share how embracing this sensory…
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Theme and Variations
In the series “Theme and Variations about a Blossom in Autumn,” the delicate image of a fading blossom takes center stage, offering an allusion to the graceful aging of a young lady.
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Daoist Aspects in My Paintings
A deep dive into Daoist influences in contemporary ink painting, focusing on emptiness, opposites, Zen elements and the interplay with quantum‑physics concepts. This article reflects on Nothingness, minimalism, perception and the resonance between philosophy and artistic practice.
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Visit of the old Zen Master and other Nonzens
I don’t actually know a physical Zen master, but his presence is still felt. In this post, I explore him as a teacher through a few grains of wisdom and semi-haiku. I also share my attempts to visually portray this master by finding the exact line where the concrete and the abstract meet. It is…
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Summer Inventory
I conduct a summer inventory twice a year to bring a sense of order to my paintings. In this post, I share a diverse collection of hidden works and high-quality “leftovers” that did not quite fit into previous articles. Revisiting and reworking these forgotten pieces reflects the essential balance of opposites—finding value in what was…
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Can We Hear a Painting?
Can music be translated into painting? An exploration of rhythm, silence and sound through abstract art inspired by Wagner, Bruckner, Bach, Shakuhachi, Arvo Pärt and Brian Eno.
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Break on Through
A reflection on artistic breakthroughs and the moment when creative energy pushes beyond familiar limits. The article explores resistance, momentum, uncertainty and the transformative shift that occurs when an artist breaks through into new expressive territory.
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Selection of New Works
A presentation of new works highlighting evolving motifs, fresh energy and shifts in artistic focus. The article reflects on how recent pieces explore variation, gesture, rhythm and the continuous development of expressive ink painting.
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Between Calligraphy and Painting
An exploration of how years of practicing Chinese calligraphy influence my paintings, from expressive landscapes to monochrome painted calligraphy.
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Superior Haiku by Ashley
In this post, I take a beautiful haiku written by my fellow blogger Ashley and turn it into a piece of calligraphy. I share a short video of the creative process, some extra details about the art of calligraphy itself, and the story of how this artistic collaboration came about.
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Red Dao and Black Zen: Painted Calligraphy
Red Dao and Black Zen offers a closer look at my painted calligraphy process, where repeated layers of Chinese writing gradually transform text into image.
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Old and New Works
When Chinese people see my traditional calligraphy, they often point out that few Westerners take the time for such a challenging discipline. While my classical work might not be extraordinary, calligraphy remains a very high art form that actually stands above painting in Asia. In this post, I share some old and mostly new works…
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New Yearbook is Out
A reflection on assembling a new yearbook, capturing artistic milestones, evolving themes and personal highlights. The article explores how a year’s work forms a visual narrative, how selection shapes meaning, and how the process reveals development across time.
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Day Dream Job
A reflection on daydreaming as a creative state, exploring drifting thoughts, intuitive imagery and gentle abstraction. The article examines how imagination flows into artistic expression, how wandering attention reveals new motifs, and how daydreams shape subtle shifts in perception.
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Between Here and There
A reflection on the threshold between here and there — between waking and dreaming, expectation and authenticity. The article explores new works from the ‘Exit’ series, dramatic scenes from the Magic Sea project, and a childlike depiction of the fever‑night creeper, highlighting how perception shifts across states and artistic intentions.
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Between Cold and Heat
A reflection on the period between cold and heat — illness, recovery and the slowed artistic rhythm that comes with it. The article presents three AI‑supported portrait sessions, thoughts on aesthetics, resemblance, and the challenges of addressing charged global topics, all framed by the attempt to ‘come back into the light’.
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And The Beat Goes On
A reflection on ongoing artistic projects and reduced posting frequency. The article presents new Magic Sea imagery, experiments with wood and elephant‑dung paper, and a Firebird piece inspired by Stravinsky, all tied to the attempt to paint more directly and less intellectually — with the beat simply continuing.
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Yin Yang and the Journey of Artistic Expression
A reflection on yin‑yang aspects in two new ink works, contrasting abstraction and figuration as well as ego and superego. The article explores shifting visual perception through AI engagement, the dilemma of artistic self‑analysis, and a promotional video created largely with AI. It concludes with a playful fantasy graphic and thoughts on AI as a…
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not nothing this time, but
A playful reflection on developing catalog drafts for Dao and Zen, including minimalistic cover designs, room mock‑ups and a children’s‑book idea. The article shows how ink works appear in curated spaces, how AI assists with hanging and lighting, and how philosophical concepts can be introduced visually — even for kids.
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Elements of Rhyme
A reflection on elements of rhyme within new ink works, exploring rhythm, gesture and variation. The article presents playful abstractions, shifting motifs and small studies that reveal how visual rhyme emerges through repeated movement, intuitive flow and poetic resonance.
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What game shall we play today?
About knowing and believing. Quantum physicist Anton Zeilinger: “Sciences are good at measuring something, but cannot say anything about our being”.
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environment and nature topic
A personal reflection on environmental destruction, political shell‑games, differing national metrics and the shock of a calculated ecological footprint. The post comments on the difficulty of addressing the topic artistically, presents two ink studies with divided scenes, cubist veils and hints of danger, and ends with a note on an upcoming TV portrait.
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The Magic Sea
Magic Sea Opera: Even if the idea that I would like to present today might sound unrealistic or at least utopian at first, I would by no means see it as unfeasible. Namely, the idea of an opera as a total work of art, in which the visual part is the actor
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The children’s book of my last post
A brief reflection on an old children’s book project. The post recalls early drawings, the lighthearted tone of the story and the thought of bringing the material back to life after many years. It keeps things informal, mixing nostalgia with a quiet smile at past ideas.
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new horizon
A brief note on recent ink works and a change in direction. The post comments on shifting motifs, new gestures, small studies and the feeling of moving toward a fresh horizon. It keeps a light tone, touching on rhythm, reduction and the quiet clarity that comes with adjusting one’s focus.
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state of the art 2023 – a step further
State of the Art 2023 continues my series of annual self-portraits begun in the 1970s, reflecting changes in both my artistic practice and my understanding of portraiture.
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ginkgo leaves in autumn and winter
A brief note on ginkgo leaves and their unmistakable form. The post touches on their gentle fan shape, their long cultural history and the ease with which they lend themselves to ink work. It keeps a light tone, mixing simple observation with a quiet appreciation for a motif that never really loses its charm.
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gone they are
A calm note on depression and how it can sit in the background of daily life. The post touches on hesitation, the difficulty of speaking openly, and the way art can hold a mood without exaggeration. It stays understated, pairing the text with a small ink work that mirrors the tone.
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Getting rid of the Blues…..
Since my work is usually heavily influenced by Chinese calligraphy, I decided to try a more Western approach this time. This new piece is a study. I could have kept working on it, but I chose to leave it exactly as it is to preserve its basic mood, contrasting with my usual contemporary ink painting.
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Painting Through Winter Depression: An Ink Art Series
A personal essay on coping with winter depression through ink painting, with a series of works tracing the mood from darkness to light.
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Dao and Zen in Chinese Painting: An AI Experiment
A Christmas conversation in 2022 led me to ask AI about Dao and Zen in Chinese painting. I share its response alongside my paintings and reflect on the limits of labels, the appeal of spontaneous brushwork and my own position as an artist.
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How an idea takes root and persists
Some memories stay with us for a lifetime. I recall skipping class on a beautiful autumn day as a student and watching a mysterious dance of leaves floating down into the middle of a meadow. Years later, I translated this experience into contemporary ink painting. In this post, I also share a childhood winter memory…
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Because it’s Wednesday again…
I’ve started two new series that spill over into each other. I’ll explain how this idea came about in my next post, but today I want to present the fifth piece separately, as it is my favorite so far. It is closely connected to abstract calligraphy, Daoism, and Zen Art. The objects in this contemporary…
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The Dreamweaver’s Daughters: Ink Paintings on Dreams
Two abstract ink paintings exploring dreams, memory and the unstable space between sleeping and waking.
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Three New Abstract Ink Paintings on Zen and Dao
Three strikes: Today I would like to present 3 newer works and will not write much about them. The first is a play on Zen thought. In the sense of what was said above, it remains without further explanations.
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Two Book Covers and One Dragon
Two book cover projects and a recent dragon painting offer a glimpse into another aspect of my artistic work beyond painting and calligraphy.
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Book Cover Design – A Clean, Focused Draft
A brief reflection on creating a book cover. The post comments on layout, typography, colour decisions and the small adjustments needed to make a cover work. It keeps the tone simple and practical, pairing the text with a clean draft of the design.
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Old Sketchbook – Early Drawings and Quiet Memories
A brief reflection on an old sketchbook. The post shows early drawings, loose lines, small studies and the quiet charm of pages that have travelled through many years. It keeps the tone simple and personal, treating the sketchbook as a companion rather than an object.
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just two characters
I recently uploaded a YouTube video exploring my calligraphy, from traditional to asemic styles. Despite my son’s initial doubts about the channel, this step led to an unexpected request from a Chinese editor to create characters for a new book. Drawing inspiration from Zen masters, my designs were well received and quickly led to a…
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Too Young to Die – Giving Unfinished Paintings Another Chance
Two piles of unfinished paintings, a few life-saving brushstrokes and a Jethro Tull joke. Alongside the rescued works: new bookmarks and notes from July 2022.
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Minor, Major and a Video – Recent Painting Experiments
A bookmark video offers a quiet counterweight to recent painting experiments, from pale landscapes and rediscovered sketches to a new kind of depth in abstraction.
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Only One Picture This Time – “Rheingold”
One painting this time: Rheingold combines the atmosphere of my dream sequences with Chinese calligraphy and early thoughts on translating Wagner’s musical ideas into painting.
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Zen and the Arts: Emptiness, Simplicity and Presence
What do I mean by a Zen moment in painting? Childhood images, a donkey sketch, calligraphy and landscape details offer a personal approach to presence, movement and empty space.
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Ophelia Painting (2022) – A Quiet Contemporary Study
My Ophelia painting returns to a familiar motif through abstraction, transience and change. A separate note recalls an unexpected reunion by email with my former roommate in Beijing.
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Études – Small Studies and Quiet Experiments
I use études for the small, open-ended experiments that differ from studies for a finished painting. Three sheets explore movement, opposites and the way a title can change what we see.
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metaverse (V)
A leaf becomes a wing; a scene in water becomes uncertain; a near-photographic surface resists description. Three final paintings explore the shifting boundary between recognition and abstraction.
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metaverse (IV)
Can a painted form be a fish and not quite a fish? Morning and night in my metaverse open questions about recognition, ambiguity and the different inspirations I find in Zen and Schrödinger’s cat.
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metaverse (III)
A dragon, the first signs of order and a few miles before the end of time: three paintings explore the boundaries of my imagined metaverse and the expressive power of leaving things out.
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My Ukraine Contribution – A Small Personal Gesture
A dove of peace felt almost too familiar a symbol, yet it became the starting point for this abstract response to the war in Ukraine in March 2022. Alongside the painting, I recall a night in Kabul.
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Studies for Oil Paintings – Early Ideas on Paper
Three rough studies help me think through composition, colour and movement before returning to oil painting. Landscapes, the sea and organic forms offer starting points for work that cannot simply repeat my ink techniques.
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state of the art 2022
My 2022 “State of the Art” self-portrait began well, until distraction left fingerprints in wet ink. A note on a changing state of mind, carelessness and trying to salvage a painting.
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my kind of metaverse (I)
In February 2022, I began exploring a metaverse of my own through painting. These first works and their details bring the microcosm and macrocosm into an imagined world whose direction is still open.
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Light in Arts – A Short Reflection on Illumination
Feininger, the light inside the Sagrada Família and a view from beneath the ice: three paintings and the associations behind them.
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snow and ice and corona
Winter studies from the Corona series, with thoughts on painting snow and ice against the background of lockdown and Austria’s winter tourism.
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Painting Through Winter Depression
Paintings from several decades of difficult winters, and a personal reflection on the tension between technical assurance and another kind of expressive force.
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New Abstract Surrealist Ink Paintings
Three unfinished paintings, a few weeks of distance and the small changes that can make a work feel complete.
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Triptych Variant: A New Version in Ink
A new left-hand panel changes the balance of Waltzing Corona. Two arrangements, and a decision to keep the original triptych together.
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Waltzing Corona: A Triptych on Balance and Yin-Yang
Three panels on dance and absence at the start of 2022, with a close look at their brushwork, empty spaces and shifting balance.
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New Year’s Pastime
Several versions of a Tang Yin poem mark the start of 2022, with thoughts on calligraphy, music and the long road from practice to mastery.
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Handmade Painted Bookmarks with Dried Flowers
A quiet holiday project: twenty painted bookmarks with dried flowers and leaves, made for the pleasure of arranging colour, texture and small details.
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About My Surrealist Work: From Early Influences to Abstraction
Surrealism entered my work through literature. It later met Chinese painting and calligraphy, and still shapes my questions about intention, chance and emerging images.
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A Landscape Painting with Two Vanishing Points
Two directions into one landscape: a calm blue distance above and a restless depth below. A compositional experiment that also became a reflection on the environment.
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New Directions: Homage to Hans Hartung and Wagner’s Ring
A pause in my Covid-19 series leads towards a tribute to Hans Hartung and paintings shaped by the final scene of Wagner’s Götterdämmerung.
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Corona and the Sea: Painting the Invisible
Three attempts to paint the sea as a metaphor for attraction, restriction and uncertainty. Notes from November 2021 on my Covid-19 series.
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Should Artists Explain Their Own Work?
A conversation with a fellow painter raises a question: does explaining my work reveal too much, or can a few words open another way of looking?
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Abstract Landscape Paintings: The Big Bang Series
A painterly big bang: light, colour and form finding their place. Notes from 2021 on a small series of unfinished abstract landscapes.
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Portrait and Figure Drawings: A Retrospective
A look back at portraits and figure studies: the sitter’s expectations, the influence of Chinese painting, and experiments in drawing with my eyes closed.
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Remembering a Landscape: Yin and Yang in Ink Painting
A simple landscape composition returns in paintings made over some thirty years. Earlier ink works and digital filmstrip experiments bring memory into the picture.