World-renowned painter Tinyan at Art Beat Thursday

A symphony of colours awaits visitors to one local gallery as world-renowned visual artist Tinyan comes to town tomorrow. The painter offers distinctively vibrant paintings that are immediately recognizable as his.

Art Beat’s owner Brigitte Strand is clearly excited to have such a distinguished guest.

“Having Tinyan here is like having Beethoven when he was alive.”

It’s been a few years since the Chinese-born artist had a show at the downtown spot. His works are in private and public collections around the globe, and for good reason. They play with abstractions and impressionist representations of landscapes as easily as they do with cityscapes. He uses Eastern techniques as he paints images inspired from his last 40 years in the Western world.

The works are as enticing as they are exciting. Some look like explosions of neon confetti. Others, especially the winter scenes with black water and dark sky, feel warm and romantic. The viewer can’t help but want to go into the image.

“People love the colours,” Strand continued. “They’re almost like Monet’s colours.”

The show features more than 20 of his works, some with titles (like Autumn Serenade) that seem to sing of music. Others (like Springtime Serenity) speak of the spiritual feelings that some people might feel. Either way, they alternate between joyous exuberance and peaceful viewpoints to fill your soul.

Hong Kong Skyline, on the other hand, is an on-the-nose title that doesn’t need any more adjectives. The cityscape from above shows a harbour full of majestic sailboats and junks surrounded by skyscrapers with huge electric signs.

Springtime Serenity is one of his glorious forest scenes filled with flowers and trees. It’s impossible to not be entranced by this Garden of Eden. It is as filled with rich texture and beautiful technique as the rest of them. Look at them all up close and then walk away and you will soon appreciate just what Strand is talking about.

“You become part of the environment. It’s an invitation to me. They evoke so many wonderful feelings.”

She said that this is because he tries to use all of his senses when he is gathering his inspirations during his daily walks. He then goes into his studio and tries to paint with all of those feelings. The results tell the tale.

This is a rare opportunity to meet the established and esteemed painter who is one of only about 60 artists that can call themselves members of the prestigious Federation of Canadian Artists. Strand added that Tinyan just finished a one-man exhibition in China that was considered to be one of the most important exhibits that country has ever seen, and she is very pleased that her gallery represents him.

“He’s pretty big now. He has been in the business for a very, very long time and he has studied in some of the best schools. His work is a symphony of colours. They dance in front of you. They dance in your heart.”