Following the inspiration, creation and breaths of ancestors

▲ Literarti painting artist Im Dong-ryul aka Minyae

Literati painting is an art genre practiced by scholars during the Joseon dynasty era. Because they were scholars, not fulltime artists, the genre was categorized as literati painting. The objects were simply and neatly drawn with ink brush and a poem often appeared alongside. Today, many people still practice this art genre and artist Im Dong-ryul is one of them. 
 

Trained under inspiration and instruction of Korean and Chinese teachers
Im grew an interest in art in his younger years but it was when he met an art student at a graduate school that he started roaming around galleries and museums and indulged himself much in the charm of literati painting. Plum, orchid, chrysanthemum and bamboo, which called the Four Gracious Plants and which often were the objects of the art, gave Im a great impact. His knowledge in oriental philosophy also deepened his love of the art on with many artists pursued humbleness. 
Years of practice and passion led him to win 40 prizes including best prize at Korea Arts Festival, holder’s prize at Jeongseon Arirang Literati Painting Festival, Ochae prize at Korea Myeongin Art Festival, Ochae prize at Korea Fan Art Festival, Samchae prize at Ungok Art Festival, special prize at Sochi Art Festival and special prize at Sin Saimdang Art Festival. He currently is an invitational artist of Korea Arts Festival, of Korea Myeongin Art Festival, of Hanbando Art Festival and a recommended artist of Sin Saimdang Art Festival. Im ascribes his achievements to his great teachers. 
“Thinking of them makes me purified. I met my Chinese teacher while I was studying in the country for 9 years while my Korean teacher taught me more of practical side. The Chinese teacher was received as a master calligrapher and he widened my eye to see things. The Korean teacher published books relating to literati painting and contributed to fostering talented young artists” said Im.
Currently, Im is preparing an invitational exhibition in Fukuika, Japan. 

Pursuing noble man’s way and emphasizing beauty of space
Im values highly of inspiration and creativity. “It is more difficult to create space of mind than of the canvas as the breathing of our ancestors has been enlivened in the art for a long time” says Im, adding, “I feel rewarded when a work is done as I intended and I often evaluate my own works by hanging them on the wall of my tearoom.” Im values his realization that there is the truth in the ways of wise man, and the saying of the Monk Seosan: Walk neat and straight on the snow as your footprints are the milestones of the followers 
. Im debuted as a poet in late 90 and published a book after a few years. He often gets inspiration when painting. He uses two nicknames: Minyae and Dosun. They mean that he should work hard to walk the path that is prepared and smooth. In the prologue of his book, he writes: “I want to write poems that have life, love and memory. They have pain, tear, hope, joy, thrill and waiting. Scents of the Milky Way surge over time and space and I dance waltz and blues with souls of the scents under the full moon which will last until you are gone, until your love ends.”  
From a few years ago, he started playing the Korean zither. He says that he plays the zither when he is overwhelmed by worldly thoughts and it is the time for healing of a man living alone in self-control.