When I got there, there was a lady at one of the tables. As I was deciding what to paint, she took the initiative to ask me, "Are you from China?" It was not the first time that strangers were interested in where I was originally from. As an educator, I knew in many people's mind, the misconception was a hard nut to crack that Asians were forever foreigners. Anyway, people meant no harm, so I responded, "Yes, but it was a long time ago. I am now as much of American as of Chinese." Then she told me that her name was Elka and she came to the park with three of her children. The two boys were skateboarding somewhere at the playground and she was deciding whether she should do some reading there or use the time to tidy her car. Suddenly, I got an idea and proposed to her, "If you don't mind, I'd like to paint you sitting there. You may do anything you want to." When she agreed to pose for me in the shade from the tree, a voice came from behind her on the other side of the picnic table, "I was to be painted." It was her five-year-old beautiful daughter Malka. Then her mother asked me, "Do you think you can paint her?" I said of course.
Malka was a very beautiful girl with Jewish mother and Indian father. She sat in the shade and the value differences on her face were very subtle and soft. Children are after all children. Before long Malka needed a break, so for several times she simply took her skateboard to play for a while before she came back to sit for me. It was a good practice to me. I had never painted portraits in such subtly soft light.
The following is an interview done with me by journalist Michael Perlman from Forest Hills Times, New York two weeks ago (http://foresthillstimes.com/view/full_story/26251001/article-Destined-to-paint-Forest-Hills).
Destined to paint Forest Hills
Mo is a native of Shanghai, China. who lives on the outskirts of Fort Myers, Florida, with his wife. Now at age 70, he cherishes his post-retirement life, where he can share quality time with his daughter in New Jersey or son who still calls Forest Hills home, and paint on a nearly daily basis.
“If the weather is nice, I simply go outside and paint,” he said. “If I am going grocery shopping, I sketch with ink on the subway.”
Fans can purchase one of his hundreds of works on hisblog. Works are complemented by summaries of his interpretations of a scene and experiences. In addition, Mo works on commission to paint portraits, houses, boats, or any topic of interest.
Mo’s oil paintings includes “Forest Park, Queens...The Place Where Bridle Path and Human Path Meet,” “The Felders’ Sweet Home,” “Stone Steps To The Terrace,” and “Entrance to the Church-in-the-Gardens.”
“You ask yourself why the homes in the Forest Hills Gardens appear so beautiful, and you can see how the architects who designed them tried to think in terms of their rich variety in a natural environment,” he said.
Mo practives “plein-air,” a technique that stems from painting in the “open air,” which became a dominant aspect of French Impressionism. He sets a goal for each work, and if he fulfills it he is pleased.
“I painted a tree in Forest Park, and wanted to focus on the trunk and its surrounding areas,” he said of a recent work. “It doesn’t have to be a complete scene.”
One of the happiest periods in his life was in high school, when he would visit the atelier of famed watercolor artist Ha Ding.
“We would paint and draw, and he introduced me to many other famous artists who were educated in the Western world,” said Mo.
Another influence was his father, a silk manufacturer. Nevertheless, great achievements are often motivated by harsh experiences, such as when he was reeducated by the military during the period of the Cultural Revolution.
“I had to work on a farm and take care of rice seedlings, but was then told that I could paint ads on walls for propaganda,” he said.
In 1981, Mo arrived in America. After earning a Doctoral degree in 1993, he became an educator and later retired from the University of South Florida.
Mo considers himself an old-timer who has witnessed a world with many changes, but among the consistent factors is the existence of art and its therapeutic properties.
“No matter how different people are politically or culturally, people can always find their common spot in art, and from there, we can discover each other’s beauty,” he said. “Art is a universal language that makes hardships more tolerable and people friendlier.”
Mo recently learned about the new opportunities for local artists in spots such as Red Pipe Organic Café, La Boulangerie, and Ovo Sodo.
“I am interested in displaying my artwork, and also hope to become more familiar with the people of Forest Hills,” he said. “Maybe I will paint them too someday.”
Mo has already expressed interest in painting the Forest Hills Tennis Stadium and Forest Hills High School.
“Always find your own niche in art,” said Mo. “I want people to look at my paintings and realize a scene is beautiful, even though it’s very common. There is something extraordinary in what’s ordinary. You don’t need to travel far, since it doesn’t matter what you paint, but how you paint it.”
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