The Versatile Master Artist

When Gu Weijing pushed open the door of his small art studio, he was already prepared, yet he was momentarily surprised and dazed.

In terms of study costs,

classical music is actually the most expensive field for art students.

Not to mention niche specialties like church organs where costs are calculated in millions.

A good mid-to-high range grand piano, not necessarily a high-end brand like Steinway or Bechstein, but a semi-factory piano mass-produced by Yamaha, could easily be exchanged for an A-level Mercedes-Benz. When renting, if you really want to play a good piano for a few weeks, it would cost as much as an ordinary person’s salary in a small town in Dongxia for more than half a month.

In the field of visual arts,

the poor have their own ways to play, and the rich have their own painting techniques.

The main expense for art students learning painting is actually on materials, as well as the high-end expense of flying around the world for art museum excursions.

There’s no big limitation on the venue,

the conditions of art studios vary, some are unimaginably expensive, others are surprisingly cheap.

In Southern France, places like Provençal, traditional gathering grounds for great artists, the art studios that take tens of thousands to even millions of US dollars to renovate, are places where aesthetic needs surpass practical needs, with the main point being bragging rights and personal satisfaction.

A clean and bright high-end studio can be used for painting, but so can sitting on a small stool under a flyover by the roadside with a wooden frame, as long as you’re not afraid of noise and can handle the scrutiny of passersby, you can paint just as well.

In fact, the vast majority of public art studios open to the public make money from art education and training.

Many simply rent a hundred square-meter or so apartment as a venue, and just set up a few plaster statues and easels to get it done.

The studio that Gu Weijing originally had at Good Fortune Orphanage was really just such a makeshift place, with the only lighting tool being a tungsten emergency lamp that Uncle Ah Lai got from the construction team.

In just a few days,

when he returned there after a short holiday,

the room had already changed beyond recognition.

The dark teak floor was polished and shiny, the warm and gentle lighting melded perfectly with the sunlight pouring in from outside, making him momentarily unable to discern what was light and what was sunlight.

Two Honeywell ionized oxygen-enriching air purifiers operated silently and efficiently, leaving no pungent smell of new furnishings.

The moment he pushed the door open and inhaled,

Gu Weijing was momentarily transported to a forest.

Along the wall were a few Nordic minimalist style fabric sofas, a bottled water dispenser, and a stand-mounted reflective fill light used for illuminating life model drawings.

Even more extravagant,

there was even a small capsule coffee machine!

Gu Weijing never believed that an artist’s painting level had anything to do with the hardware conditions of the studio.

But a good environment,

can indeed easily influence one’s mental state during creation.

Stepping into the newly transformed, upgraded studio for a brief moment gave him a feeling of refreshing clarity.

”In 1874, not recognized by the mainstream art world, impressionist painters who had just participated in the Salon des Refusés gathered on the Seine Riverfront in France, starting to collectively create a large number of paintings. Jasmine, look at this painting. The artist Manet attempted to break with the traditional inherent color techniques, using blue fragmented brushstrokes to depict the water waves on the lake, focusing on presenting to the viewer the sensation of momentary light and color...”

Two figures, one large and one small, were whispering by the window in the sunlight, facing the images on an iPad.

Today was the first day back to school after the holiday.

Koizumi Katsuko was, as usual, rather free. She skipped class in the afternoon and came to the newly renovated art studio shared with Gu Weijing.

Miss Shengzi was very serious in her work.

After circling the place and finding no major issues, she remembered her promise to Jasmine to teach her to appreciate art.

So she caught Jasmine, whom Uncle Ah Lai picked up from White Elephant Primary School in the afternoon, and pulled her to the window to give a lesson on art history appreciation to the little girl.

Koizumi Katsuko was engrossed in her lecture.

She didn’t hear the footsteps behind her, pointing to the man in the painting on the tablet, dressed in a white shirt, holding a brush, gazing at the shimmering lake with his scruffy beard.

”This painting has another famous aspect, our protagonist, the model sitting in the boat, is also an art master. He is Manet’s friend, and we have analyzed works that include his paintings. Can you guess who this person is?”

Koizumi Katsuko held Jasmine’s little hand, scanning the face of the man sitting cross-legged at the bow of the fishing boat on the screen.

The little girl’s dark eyes widened, with some confusion but a slight sense of familiarity, racking her brain.

”It’s Monet.”

Gu Weijing gently ruffled Jasmine’s small head from behind, glancing at the screen.

Actually, he didn’t need to look,

just from Miss Sakai’s description, he could easily guess that it was a very famous painting in the history of world art by the impressionist master Manet, ”Monet Painting on His Boat.”

”Mr. Gu?”

Koizumi Katsuko saw Gu Weijing come to her side, her face slightly blushing as she gave a radiant smile.

She slightly shy yet naturally took the boy’s hand beside her.

”Did you persuade Mrs. Sakai to allow you to come here and paint?”

”I have to be back by 8:30 PM, can’t leave the orphanage grounds, and any other situations require prior communication and permission from Mom.”