I am attracted to the dualities, the yin and yang, in this practice with its attention to the character of each brushstroke—dark or light, bold or fine; to the exaggerated use of negative space; and to the limited, subdued color palette in traditional Chinese brushwork. For more about this ancient art, see my blog “About Chinese brush painting.” A few years ago, I began exploring collage, mixed media through courses at Smithsonian Associates and Montgomery College, with Marcie Wolf-Hubbard, Sharon Robinson, and Wendelin Daniels. In many ways, it is the yang to the yin of the stylized, traditional approach of my brush painting. I love using bold colors, venturing into the abstract, and incorporating a variety of materials, including snippets of my own brush paintings. As a bonus, it’s given me an opportunity to repurpose all kinds of paper products and miscellaneous items.