Painting and Design
Jian Jun An was born in 1966 and graduated with arts degree from ShanDong University of Art & Design in 1988. At that time, he was taught by traditional-Chinese-painting professor Ding Zhang, oil-painting Professor Guo Li Zhang, and China-POP professor Xu Chai. His preceptorship under these professors gave him a firm foundation of art study. Since graduation, he has been engaged in painting and design for more than twenty years. His works often depict life and society. Some of his works have been collected by friends and organizations.
Jian Jun An immigrated to Canada in 2005. In 2006, he set up The New Primary Colours Art Studio. He continues to use oil paint and work on interior design, but his focus is on teaching; he has trained many students admitted to the top of art & design universities in North America. He is a member of the White Rock Art Council, the Delta Art Council, the Chinese Canadin Artists Federation, and the FCA. Jian Jun has been a part of solo and group exhibitions in White Rock, Richmond, and Delta, including one work, ‘Morning’, winning an Honourable Mention at the Art Spacific show put on by the Delta Art Council. He has also been a part of a ‘work on paper’ group show with the FCA (2012), was a contracted painter for the New York Agora Art Gallery (2013), participating in Agora Gallery’s ‘The Essence of Abstraction’ exhibition (2014) and ‘Fragmented Reality’ exhibition (2015), was a part of the OPEN ART CODE exhibition in Grand Palais, Paris (2014), participated in OpenArtCode at Palazzo Franchetti Venezia (2016), and his work ‘Come back home’ won 3rd Place at FCA’s 2016 Culture Show.
Jian Jun An’s Philosophy of Art:
The cornerstone of my art is based both in Expressionism and Realism. In the process of art creation, I use personal artistic perspective to observe objects and images, incorporating traditional folk culture into the spirit of the time. I pay attention to living creatures and human life, and use society and nature as my wellspring of creation to express humanity. During my years in Canada, the only unchanged thing in my life is my enthusiasm for art, for the quintessence of Oriental culture left in my blood, and for the spotlessly white canvas. What is constantly changing and inspiring me is the liberty and vitality embedded in Western art. The innovative mentality and varied thinking of Western art constantly strikes and purifies my soul, making my thinking simpler and more unadulterated. In my works, the curved lines, large blocks of colour, and the form of forgotten memories are just like the locus of my life: blurred, complex, and confused – constantly searching and experiencing simplicity in complexity, and revitalizing memories. The image is full of tension, the colours are full with vibrance.
The work that I have done these past few years is derived from my everyday life. The inspiration might have been a local coffee shop, the grass in my community, my exercising neighbours, or anything else. My artworks are not in a single style, as there is no stylized theme, and I use many different materials to express myself. I appreciate the many different methods in the process of creation and use many different approaches to search for the ideal way to present and convey my feelings of happiness, anger, and sadness.
As an artist, I will continue to explore, as always, the language of painting and the colourful world that nature has endowed to humans. Each painting has different lines of expression. I love to explore the potential of line and change during the process of painting, and I devote the rest of my life to the pursuit of infinite pleasure brought by painting.
Jian Jun An’s Philosophy of Design:
What makes a truly great designer is his solid foundation of cultural heritage. Western and Eastern regional characteristics are integrated for the design of architectural artwork that is in accordance with local environment. Design comes from nature, returns to nature, and goes beyond nature.
