The Art Out There: Vincent Hui

Vincent Hui is was born and raised in Hong Kong and studied illustration at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena California. His website (www.hardsponge.com) and his blog (hardsponge.blogspot.com) contain no written information. No resume' or artist statement. No brief bio. And that's okay. Because what they do contain is paintings and drawings and more drawings and more drawing after that. The man draws. He draws a lot. And while there's plenty to be said for talent (and he has that too), unfettered enthusiasm and lots of practice up the ante considerably. What I like about his paintings is that they reflect his apparently free form spontaneous stream of consciousness approach to drawing. There seems to have been some kind of transition from 2007 to 2008, where the earlier work was much more traditionally illustrative, with clear narrative intention. But all that seems to change and the work from 2008 is not so much about something, as it is a glimpse into the mind a man who just can't help drawing (It reminds me quite a bit of the work of James Jean who I really, really need to do an update on). Unfortunately nothing more recent than 2008 that appears on the website. There's plenty of sketchbook work and a few more finished pieces on the blog.

"Estuary" oil and pencil on panel 96" x 72" 2007-2008