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| Martial Arts Artwork |
| Welcome to my page that contains my martial art oil paintings. Many of these paintings have decorated my dojo over the past years, and as Gollum would say. "They are precious to me". I will, however part with them if they are worth as much to you as they are to me. The reason is that I hope to be able to "paint for a living" in my final days here on earth. If you are interrested in purchasing any of my artwork contact me at the email addresses listed below. If multiple people submit to buy a particular work of art, the email received first will get the first oppourtunity to purchase it. If they fail to successfully complete the buying process, for whatever reason, I will contact the next dated email to inform them they have the opportunity to purchase it. I will also reinstate that particular artwork as "FOR SALE" on the website. I apologize for the inconvenience of this time consuming purchasing procedure, but this is the only way I will atempt to sell my artwork again. Purchasing process at the bottom of page. Patience is a martial art skill. It took me 18 years of perserverence to finally purchase a very old samurai sword that was ,"Not for sale". It was well worth the wait and trouble! I hope my artwork acheives the same status with you. Foreign Orders NOT accepted, except by Special and stringent Banking arrangements. Contact me at: tianpo@yahoo.com or rattlebones@iwon.com |
| All Artwork on this page is copyrighted and protected by copyright law! |
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| * Click back to main art page to review "Other Artwork" and "Cool Cats" pages. |
| I Like to paint 5 - 10 paintings at a time ,because many times I want a layer to dry before I continue, so many of paintings below are in different stages of completion. Photos of paintings will be updated as progress changes. If one is chosen for purchase, I will put that particular painting on the front burner until it is completed. If several paintings fall into this category at the same time, first emailed and purchased - first served. |
| Commissioned Artwork is accepted with a 25% downpayment. If no other projects are on the table in the purchasing process, your custom artwork will be #1 priority. Contact me for an idea of the cost and time- frame for your project. |
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| "The Ancient Samurai " This painting ,on two separate canvasses, depicts an Anceint Samurai Warrior training in a grassy field on a moonlit night. The poem next to it was written by me and used in a role- playing game called "Tao Chi" and a Martial Arts Novel that I have been working on for 15 years called, "Tian Po". I plan on repainting this scene one day and restore it to it's place in my dojo, so when I practice my Kendo it will be with a peaceful heart. How sad it is that someone would steal my artwork about Honor.......... now I own theirs! |
| “ Ancient Samurai ”
by sensei bill adams Standing among the fresh spent bodies of this tortured land, Sickening smell of Warrior’s defeat – so many by my hand! The smoldering haze of death invades and clogs my aging lungs. The enemy, the Warriors true, appear to be so young! All my life, it seems to me, with firm grip I’ve held my sword. Live by Honor, ‘til the death, existing for these words. And yet another battle comes … young men prepared to die! Fame and Glory for killing me, the Ancient Samurai ! I gladly await, one more skilled, to take this throne of grief. With one quick stroke, upon the earth, I’d fall softly like a leaf. My body to rest, my Soul to soar, no burden of Honor to bear. But wishful thoughts Abruptly stop! I sense someone is there! Sword gripped tightly, I move so lightly, Again! …I must endure. One brief moment of planned non-movement, my death, this would be sure. Ahh .. but Honor .. what of my Honor? Eight decades I’ve lived it true! Now to surrender? My Soul cries Never! There is but one thing to do. The young warrior lunges, to my heart he plunges, like a Tiger out of it’s lair. He screams of victory, as his sword cuts swiftly, ‘til he sees he cut only the air. Fear slowly strangles the young warrior’s face, as he looks for the Old Samurai. Nowhere to be seen, his escape was so clean, perhaps no one this day will die! Young Warrior looks down, from his gut to the ground, a river of blood doth flow. The Old One’s technique can never be beat, he fights Totally Heart and Soul. The smile of content, on the face of the child, before death he has realized. With Honor he lived, and Honor he dies, at the hand of the “Ancient Samurai”. |
| Title: "The Cut Peony " |
| This painting is inspired by the book by Eiji Yoshikawa, "Musashi". In the chapter titled "The Peony", Musashi receives a peony that has been cut by Sekishusai. He notices that it has been cut by a sword. He tries to copy the technique by cutting the stem once again with his own sword.. After comparing the cuts he discovers that his skill is far inferior to the one who had cut it before. This painting offers praise to that wonderful writing and the spirit it instilled in me when I read it. If you observe the painting carefully, you can discover the technique used to cut the Peony. I think that most Iaido practitioners will easily recognize it's significance. |
This original oil painting is on a 20X28 stretched canvas. (framed) Painting is completed and FOR SALE ! |
| $2,500 plus shipping and handling |
| Title: " The Lords Falling Blossoms " |
| This painting depicts an aging Samurai, meditating, speaking to his God. He is like the falling blossom, having lived a full life, he yearns to fall softly upon the earth one final time. He wishes to avoid another battle, but to rest in the arms of his Lord. He prepares for the unavoidable battle with a peaceful restpit with his Lord. The reflection of his sword on the waters in this peaceful scene show that his sword has become a symbol of peace and deliverence, instead of a weapon of death. It reveals that the Lord is listening to his prayer. Close to his heart he holds his sacred Bible. My vision for the ending of this Ancient Samurai is that he passes away softly, there by the waters, like the falling blossoms. |
| The Kanji in this painting stands for "The Cut Peony reveals the Swordsman's skill" . I apologize to all my oriental friends for my pitifully translated kanji. I have done my best to properly translate from my books, but I fear I fall short of the perfection it deserves. I think that the Kanji of the Chinese and Japanese language are the most beautiful on our earth. I ask their forgiveness if any of my translations are so far off they are an insult. Even gibberish from an old fool, looks beautiful in their intended thought. signed Lau Jen |
| This original oil painting (shown in my dojo) is on a 30X24 stretched canvas. (framed) Painting is copmpleted and FOR SALE ! |
| The Kanji in this painting stands for "A Warrior Fixes One's Eye Upon God!l" . I apologize to all my oriental friends for my pitifully translated kanji. I have done my best to properly translate from my books, but I fear I fall short of the perfection it deserves. I think that the Kanji of the Chinese and Japanese language are the most beautiful on our earth. I ask their forgiveness if any of my translations are so far off they are an insult. Even gibberish from an old fool, looks beautiful in their intended thought. signed Lau Jen |
| $1,500 plus shipping and handling |
| "Temple of the Serpent" |
| " Frozen Temple of the I Chin Ching" |
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| Title: " Leap of Faith " |
| This original oil painting (shown in my dojo) is on a 30X24 stretched canvas. (framed) Painting is completed and FOR SALE ! |
| $2,000 plus shipping and handling |
| This painting depicts a Native American Warrior leaping off a cliff to show his faith to God, much like the tradition of the nagual and their magic. His peyote Pipe and herbs can be seen next to his Bible. A moth flies close to the smoke for those who know THAT meaning. He holds the arrows of war in one hand and the dust of man in the other as he spreads his wings like the Eagle that can be seen far below (also clutching the arrows of war). Just as God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son Issac, to show his faith, I have often wondered would my faith be strong enough if I were asked. If the Lord asked me to leap off a cliff to show my Love and Faith in him, could I? When the time comes I will find out! If you stare into the snowcapped mountian far below, you can see the face of God |
| This Giant 36 X 48 original Oil painting depicts a master of Pa Qua Chang practicing his art on a beautiful mirrored Lake. |
| Title: "Pa Qua on Misty Lake" |
| This painting is a remake of the one of my favorite paintings that I hated to leave my Dojo . I find as much joy in training with this one as the one before. It depicts an aging Master of Pa Qua Chang "walking the circle". This painting, for me, also inspires that feeling that the Master has a wonderful oneness with nature. Many times I sit and contemplete this painting in my meditation before I practice my Pa Qua. Very often, the passion and Spirit I feel in walking the trigrams seems intensified. For me, this painting inspires the Spirit, and we all know, that without Spirit our martial arts are simply calisthenics. Translation of the Chinese calligraphy on the painting is : "The Lau Jen (Old Man) Dances at Misty Lake" |
| This original oil painting is on a 36X24 stretched canvas. (framed) Painting is completed. and FOR SALE ! |
| $2,000 plus shipping and handling |
| TitleTitle: "Calm before the Storm" |
| This painting will depict a Master of Tai Chi Chuan preparing himself for battle with his Tai Chi. He is energiizing and awakening his Chi while he calms his mind. I will be putting a troop of soldiers charging over the ridge, pointing to him. I will also lay a Tai Chi sword and staff at his feet. His calmness at the coming attack exemplifies the art itself. |
| This original oil painting is on a 36X24 stretched canvas. (unframed) Painting 50% completed. Tentative completion date: 2 - 6 months |
| Title: " Pa Qua on Plumflowers " |
| This painting depicts a Master Of Pa Qua Chang whirling around on the Plumflower posts in his favorite place of training. This painting for me shows how most of us that train seriously in the martial arts are often alone. That is we are alone when we suffer the extremes of our daily training. . . But I think we are happy in that because feel we are never alone when we train in the arts of thousands of warriors before us. |
| This original oil painting is on a 30X24 stretched canvas. (unframed) Painting is completed and FOR SALE ! |
| Title: "Snake Entwines the Fallen Tree " |
| This painting depicts a ancient warrior doing his Tai Chi Chuan on a fallen tree that stretches across a beautiful stream, overlooked by a snowcapped mountain. The reflection of the technique "Snake creeps down" is revealed in the reflection of the snake coiled around the fallen tree. |
| This original oil painting is on a 30X24 stretched canvas Framed with my special one of a kind "Martial Arts Frame" Painting is completed and FOR SALE ! |
| $1,000 plus shipping and handling Painting will be framed in the near future with my special "maritial arts frame" . |
| SOLD |
| Title: "Pa Qua in the Bamboo Forest " |
| This painting will depict a Master of Pa Qua training in his favorite secluded spot in the bamboo forest. I will update this pic when I have painted the forest in the backbround. I am also thinking of adding two broadswoards at his feet for when he trains in his Tornado Sword form of Pa Qua. |
| This original oil painting is on a large 36X24 stretched canvas. (unframed) Painting 50% completed. Tentative completion date: 2 - 6 months |
| Title: " Dreaming " |
| This painting depicts a person practicing their Tai Chi Chuan When I practice Tai Chi I get a very spiritual feeling. Tai Chi has become my favorite form of prayer. I feel close to my Lord when I let all worldy stress and thoughts abandon me and I enter that dreamlike almost blessful state of being. . The Kanji in this painting says: "Dream and catch sight of God " |
| This original oil painting is on a 36X24 stretched canvas. (unframed) Painting 75% completed. Tentative completion date: 2 - 4 months |
| Price undetermined at this early stage. |
| I apologize to all my oriental friends for my pitifully translated kanji. I have done my best to properly translate from my books, but I fear I fall short of the perfection it deserves. I think that the Kanji of the Chinese and Japanese language are the most beautiful on our earth. I ask their forgiveness if any of my translations are so far off they are an insult. Even gibberish from an old fool, looks beautiful in their intended thought. signed Lau Jen |
| Title: White Crane Circles it's Wings " |
| This painting depicts a disciple of Tai Chi doing the technique "White Crane Circles it's Wings" in the misty forest one early morning. His aged Master trains in I Chin Ching in the background. The White Crane in the icy water in the foreground acknowledges him with his own circling of the wings. |
| This original oil painting is on a 30X24 stretched canvas. (unframed) Painting is completed and FOR SALE ! |
| $700.00 plus shipping and handling |
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| Title: " A Promise Dishonored" |
| This painting is a participatory painting. It is an unfinished painting, but that is done with a purpose. I was working on a scene about Musashi being cornered by soldiers, when he first used the "Two Sword" technique. I spent years working on this painting, an hour here and an hour there, but never finished it. One day I thought to myself, "If I was painting this for a Samurai, he would have beheaded me for taking so long to finish it" . So I invisioned myself sitting at the canvas painting, when the Samurai comes up behind me and beheads me for dishonoring my promised . Hence the streaks of red across the canvas, representing my beheading. "Just imaginings of an old man about ancient times!" |
| $300.00 plus shipping and handling |
| This original oil painting is on a 30X20 stretched canvas. (unframed) Painting 95% completed. Tentative completion date: 1 month |
| Title: "Pinnacle" |
| This painting depicts a Master Of Pa Qua perfoming the technique "Push the Mountian and enter the Sea" on a slender pinnacle. He is so skilled in his art he can perform it with awesome force and confidence., even though a mistake means certain death. |
| This original oil painting is on a 30X15 stretched canvas. (unframed) Painting is completed and FOR SALE ! |
| $500.00 plus shipping and handling |
| Title: " Wave the Hands in the Clouds " |
| This painting depicts a martial artist practicng his Tai Chi Chuan on a rock in the middle of a beautiful stream in the valley of forested hills. . It is a place his Master use to teach him when he was young. He pays homage to his Sensei by doing his Tai Chi to the best of his skill. His Master's Spirit can be seen in the water in the reflected shadow of the bush. The spirit of his teacher is meditating to his student's tribute. |
| This original oil painting is on a 36 X 24 stretched canvas. (unframed) Painting is completed and FOR SALE ! |
| $300.00 plus shipping and handling |
| Title: "Push Hands at Eagles Talon " |
| This painting depicts a scene where battles are fought on a pinnacle called "Eagles Talon " Each time a challenge is offered, it is accepted by the same Ancient Master. They must offer a small statue before battle. On the challengers side (left) there are hundreds of statues. On the Anceint One's side there is only one statue. |
| This painting is on a 20 X 24 stretched canvas. |
| $400.00 plus shipping and handling |
| Title: "Deadly Waters" |
| This small painting will depict a Samurai Warrior waiting in the icy waters of a small stream or creek. When his persuers break out of the mist into his presense, it will be too late! |
| This painting is on a 10 X 20 stretched canvas. |
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| If you are interested in purchasing any of the paintings on this page, below is the procedure that will be followed. 1) Contact me by email that you want to purchase a painting with the TITLE and amount. 2) I will then contact you and verify that the painting is still available, and verify which painting you want and the amount . I will also verify the mailing address and contact numbers and addresses. 3) I will then instruct you to to get a Certified check / Official Bank Check made out to me and my company, Martial Artworks. I will not accept personal checks, money orders or Credit Cards. 4) When I receive an email from you that you want to proceed. I will put that painting on the website as (Tentaively Sold), meaning that it is in the purchasing process. Any other offers on that painting will be put on file in order received. 5) I will then wait one week to receive your certified check. Upon receipt of your check I will notify you the date it has arrived. 6) On the next business day I will deposit it and have my Banker contact your bank to verify its authenticity. (This is bacause thieves have been using todays technology to print their own certified check, and money orders). 7) When the Bank informs me the check is legitimate and the money is deposited in my account, I will contact you that day and ship your package the next business day. I will ship it the fastest possible. (Fed-x, UPS, or next day delivery USPS.) I will also insure your package, so if something happens in the delivery, you will receive a full refund. 8) All sales are final except for damage or lost due to delivery. If a painting is damaged, contact me and when the painting is returned,and the carrier has reimbursed me, you will receive a full refund. NOTE: I will package these paintings where they will be very protected. As long as they are not lost, you should receive them intact. Also for you that suffer through this inconvenient process, I will enclose a special gift and a discount coupon for any purchases you make in the future. Thanks for your patience and understanding. No Foriegn Orders accepted except by special Banking Arrangements. contact me for info. |
Purchasing Procedure for items on this page |
| Contact me (Bill Adams) at: tianpo@yahoo.com or rattlebones@iwon.com |
| To see more Martial Art artworks click page two icon |
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Translation of calligraphy on left column: "War is avoided by the True Peacemaker" |
| Translation of calligraphy on right column: "The True Peacemaker is prepared for War" |
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| On the right side of the old rustice box style frame, a Eagle feather is burnt into the wood. |
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| Translation of calligraphy on left column: "To Know God, Frees a Warrior from their Fear of Death" |
| Translation of calligraphy on right column: "Because, Washed in the Water, the Warrior knows the Destiny of their Soul" |
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| Translation of calligraphy on left column: "Life in Every Breath" and "They are all Perfect" |
| Translation of calligraphy on right column: The Perfect Technique, is NOT drawing your Sword" |
| Many of these items will appear on ebay for sale, so if you are interested check often! |
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| Price undetermined at this early stage. |
| $ 300.00 |