The Versatile Master Artist

Old Wu tried to tempt him.

The National Art Association, compared to the City Art Association, has a much higher prestige, stricter qualifications for review, and fewer members. Even Old Wu himself hadn’t gotten in.

He knew that Gu Tongxiang had always been envious of the opportunity to be nominated for the National Art Association.

Gu Tongxiang was genuinely tempted for a moment.

Their family had taken pride in being Imperial Painters for generations, and in modern society today, being able to join a national-level Art Association would be almost equivalent.

If successful, Gu Tongxiang felt that his lifelong painting could finally have some closure.

It would be worth it to his ancestors.

But then he thought, this painting technique was painstakingly developed by his grandson, so why should it be taught to outsiders?

”It’s not worth it.”

Gu Tongxiang resisted the temptation, shook his head, and refused.

”Hey, I’m telling you, once this chance is gone, it’s gone forever.” Old Wu was still not giving up, continuing to tempt him, ”Let’s not keep it to ourselves, Old Gu. Although your work is indeed good... I only see about thirty to forty percent of Lang Shining’s spirit in it.”

This was also the honest thought inside Old Wu’s heart.

The work in front of him, Gu Tongxiang’s brushwork was indeed eye-catching, but it seemed to lack mastery, with sluggishness in brush strokes and operational hurdles.

Many areas had a discordant, disjointed feel.

Old Wu believed this was because the technique Gu Tongxiang had pondered out was not yet perfected.

”This level of imitation can at best hang in your gallery to sell to tourists. If you want to become famous with them, you lack the promotional channels of professional galleries, holding on to it wastes a good thing.”

”I think there’s still some greenness in the painting theory. Why not share your experience, let everyone brainstorm, and contribute a bit to the local art scene?”

Old Wu was not coveting the painting technique cheat, he just felt that it was a shame for what Gu Tongxiang had painstakingly figured out.

If in the future, Gu Weijing doesn’t learn it and it’s taken to the grave, it’s a disgrace.

”I don’t have the channels, but my grandson will have them in the future.”

Gu Tongxiang shook his head, firmly: ”Besides, the painting isn’t good because I just learned from the teacher for two days. Learning for two days and painting like this, the theory isn’t green at all.”

Teacher!

Old Wu was surprised, Old Gu has a teacher too.

Wasn’t this painting technique developed by him?

He just went to Thailand for a tour, then after coming back, the world felt incomprehensible to him!

”No... teacher, you have a teacher? Didn’t hear about any amazing figures in Yangon. Did you meet a deity in a dream?”

Wait a minute.

”Could it be Master Cao advising you? How did you manage to lick up to the elder?”

This idea popped up, and Old Wu was so jealous that he nearly swallowed his tongue.

Could it really be Elder Cao giving a few hints?

Old Wu believed Master Cao certainly had the ability.

But at this level, following Lang Shining’s old path would seem like regurgitating old ideas.

But why would he advise Gu Tongxiang?

So many great artists cry and beg Master Cao Xuan for advice.

Why the hell should this old guy get any? It can’t be because Master Cao found Old Gu’s bald head particularly pleasing.

”Quit guessing.”

Gu Tongxiang waved a hand toward his grandson Gu Weijing standing aside, ”Look, my teacher is right over there.”

Old Wu looked at the young man beside him smiling broadly at him, then at Gu Tongxiang, and was genuinely a bit upset.

”If you don’t want to say, fine. Doing this kind of thing isn’t amusing.”

He thought the other party was playing a joke on him.

”I’m not kidding, I’m serious.”

Gu Tongxiang waved to Gu Weijing, half boasting, half seriously pointing to the flowers on the rice paper in front of him, and said, ”Grandson, the calyx I painted is somewhat flabby, seems off. Take a look for grandpa and see where the issue lies.”

Gu Weijing looked at the rice paper for a moment, then compared it to a simpler Chapter of Western-style Heavy Color in the ”Essence of Lang Shining’s New Style Painting” that he had taught his grandfather.

He roughly knew the answer.

Gu Weijing pointed to a detail on the painting.

”Here, the ink line...”

”Stop.”

Gu Tongxiang raised his hand to stop his grandson’s explanation, nodded at Old Wu with a smile, and pointed to the door of the courtyard.

”Brother, it’s not that I want to drive you away, but we all understand that the principles of art are not to be spread to the uninitiated. When you teach your students to write calligraphy, you wouldn’t want others to listen, would you?”

”Well, seems I’m the outsider now.”

Old Wu rolled his eyes: ”Calligraphy mainly relies on practice and copying, not as particular as painting. My son isn’t in this field anymore, and I don’t have many students. If Xiaogu wants to learn, he’s welcome to come to my place every day to watch, I absolutely won’t drive him away.”

Though he grumbled, Old Wu still reluctantly moved his steps.

He stood at the entrance of the courtyard, glancing sidelong at the actions of this grandfather and grandson pair.

”Go on, pretend all you want.”

Old Wu puffed on his cigar, watching the show with cold eyes.

Xiaogu indeed had talent, but at this age, even grasping the basics of brushwork would be uncertain.

The reason he was willing to arrange an association status for Gu Weijing was really with a mind for mentoring the next generation.

Old Wu never considered Gu Weijing a truly mature artist.

As for hearing that Elder Cao praised Gu Weijing... well, that’s indeed impressive.

But in the art circles, Old Wu knew the nature of people very well.

For fame, words might shift shape, sometimes inadvertently, more often deliberately,

Just like how rumors can exaggerate a giraffe into a mythical creature.

Artists are even more prone to such exaggerations,

Elder Cao might have just casually nodded, only for rumors to inflate it endlessly.

Old Wu was actually a bit envious and admiring of Gu Weijing.

No matter how he fawned,

Whether it’s on Master Cao or the Yangon Shwedagon Pagoda’s artifact management, being able to have his name gilded alongside Mr. Cao Xuan’s on the NO.17 mural,

That is indeed unbelievably impressive.

To achieve such success through brown-nosing, that’s not just relentless dedication; it’s downright commendable, resistance is futile.

But Old Wu knew very clearly a typical high school student’s real proficiency.

Never mind painting Lang Shining, merely being able to comprehend Lang Shining is quite remarkable.