Alex Fong presents, 'Daddy's Home'

I love mysteries in paintings, and Daddy's Home by Alex Fong gives me all the question marks I need to intrigue me. First off, Alex comes from Kelowna, BC. When you look at this painting you see the beauty of the surrounding Okanagan Valley. Alex, calls himself a watercolourist. But, the reality is - he paints in acrylics in the style of a watercolourist. For instance, the background of this work flows with the wet on wet application of paint. It looks like a watercolour painted with watercolour paint. The work dances with an adventurous spirit. The foreground grapevine, floats down the hill like an unfolding musical score and the leaves seem to dance to the melody. Alex captures a spirit of gaiety. It's a champagne and joy work and its got a few delightful surprises. His palette sparkles with colour and little bubbles float like coloured balloons over the sky, and grape leaves take on a variety of coloured shapes.

I like the way that Alex teases his viewers with such little surprises as a little pheasant sitting amidst the trellises in the lower left corner. And there - tucked into the picture, within the floating musical lines, we find the man with the white coat and hat, who the title suggests is likely Daddy. The diminutive size of the subject seems ironic if we are looking at Daddy. Alex intentionally leaves us with many questions and few answers. It teases our imaginations. It's classic Alex Fong work.

Alex Fong, 'Spring at Last'

This delightful work reveals Alex Fong's, playful sense of composition and his masterful feel for colour.

Its a partially abstract work, but yet its easy to see yourself looking into a garden pool and seeing goldfish or koy swimming. And its not hard to imagine that you are looking at a map of the universe, complete with galaxies, planets and stars.

Its one of those works which matter not, what you see. Nobody is going to walk away after seeing this, with a feeling that the artist has given us an insightful vision of life. There are no deep inner philosphies, no mystic truths, no weighty statements of life. What you see is what you get. And, what you get is very, very good.

Please click here to be taken to Alex's website where other treasures can be found.

The Moona Lisa by Alex Fong

20x30 watercolour

This whimsical picture by Alex Fong, brings with it a satirical rendering of the works of different artists. How many can you recognize? Click here to see other works on Alex's website.

If by Chance, by Alex Fong

Another delightfully whimsical watercolour by BC artist Alex Fong. Alex's use of mist, and subdued colours contrast vividly with his foreground assembly of stones and rocks. This is the world that matters. This is Alex's world - not the background. The background hangs like a curtain behind the stage. And, the horizontal assembly of rocks is a barrier which blocks the flow of vision into the work. And, its here that Alex plays with his craft.

This isn't the land of tradtional landscape painting. His colourful rocks contradict what we should find in nature. But who really cares, for this is Alex' world and he invites you to come within.

Go ahead, click on the picture and it will open and becomd larger for you to view. You will see the Fongian magic at work. His champagne glass bubbles of colours and the delightful magic circle or fairy ring which surrounds the rocks and you are left witha world of magic, gaiety, and joy.

Please see this work and others on Alex's site by clicking here.

Alex Fong, Watercolourist Supreme

Alex Fong is a rare breed - a succesful artist who makes a living painting "watercolours". Alex makes his home in Kelowna, British Columbia, and his reputation has spread from there throughout his province, and into Alberta and from there across Canada.

And, for those who are familiar with the arts scene - its a tough haul, for anyone to sell pastels, pencil work or watercolours in most of Canada's galleries. And, the reason is fueled by public appetite for acrylics and ois. Which leads to the question, "How can Alex be succesful in such a narrow field?"

Anyone who has seen Alex Fong's work, understands how Alex makes it work for him.

The common lament of most watercolour artists, is that their media doesn't have the same dominant colours as oil paints.

Alex's paintings are crafted with a pallet of brilliant colours. And, not just that, but he possesses the eye of a master in creating delightfully impressionistic works which show his colours at their finest.

Technically, Alex paints on a watercolour board surface, which he says, "has a little tooth, but not a lot." And, his subjects, be they pheasants, or fish, or wine bottles, liberate him to use brilliant colours - often enhanced with a touch of acrylic paint. And, styistically, Alex is noted for painting in a round pattern to draw the viewer's eye into his focal centres. Then, for good measure, he makes his works pop with effervence by playfully scattering masking fluid drops around his works. When he removes the dried masking fluid, white circles suggestive of bubbles appear. He then colours a few of them in with bright colours.

Alex joins a growing legion of Canadian watercolourists who cover the surface of their works with a lacquered finish, forgoing the use of glass. And this enhances the power of his colours. Many casual observers who are not painters, easily assume that his works are oils or acrylics.

But, through it all, Alex has carved out a reputation for himself as a premier watercolourist and his works are sought out and his reputation is supported by a number of upscale galleries. Hopefully one day, he will be invited to host a workshop and put on a demonstration of his craft in Ontario.


Please visit Alex at his site by clicking this line.