尽管画画三十年，但在盘点自己的作品时，真正使自己满意的作品却很少，以至于画册的编辑工作一再拖延。在领导和朋友们的鼓励加帮助下，出版这本集子，作为从艺三十年的一个小结。虽感觉颜面羞涩底气不足，但想到能以此得到画界的诸位师长同道们有益的指点、交流和切磋，得到与领导和朋友们沟通的机缘，而予以重视。

　　Though I had been painting for thirty years, I could find very few satisfactory works when checking my works. So the edition work of the album has been delayed again and again. With the encouragement and help of leaders and friends, I publish this collection as a summary of my thirty years' engagement in art. Though I feel ashamed of my weak foundation, I attach importance to this matter when thinking that I can thus receive the valuable guidance from teachers and other artists and have the opportunity to communicate with leaders and friends.

　　以前，我常想一个人从事的工作如果能做自己喜欢的事情那是一件很惬意的事，但经过多年来实践，我深切地体会到这同时也是一件很痛苦的事。我常常要面对各种压力和困惑，深叹要画好画还真是不容易。

　　In the past, I used to think that if a person was engaged in the work he liked, that would be a very agreeable thing. After many years' practice, however, I deeply realize that this is at the same time a very painful thing. Often when having to face all kinds of pressure and challenges, I lament that it is indeed not easy to paint well.

　　尽管如此，我仍然对她情有独衷。绘画和其他艺术门类一样，不仅是爱好或是选择，但更是一个过程。在这个过程中能常常使我们别离现实生活的动荡，平抑浮躁的心态，释放现实生活中因为关系网络、规则成见、矛盾纷争所带来的种种烦恼和紧张。艺术又是一种生活状态、一种生存方式。在艺术天地的驰骋中，可真切体验到自我内心的真实、情感的自在;通过作品表现喜怒哀乐，传达自己的人生感悟和心路历程，应证自我存在的价值和意义，在精神上得到充实和满足。艺术既人生，艺术的过程既是人性历炼的过程。坚持创作不但锻炼意志、毅力，品尝创作的乐趣，奋斗的快感，成功的喜悦。所以，人一旦选择了艺术便是选择了一个世界， 因此，我常常会庆幸自己选择了绘画，庆幸自己选择了绘画这样一个让人流连忘返兴致盎然的世界。

　　Even so, I still love it. Though sometimes it is very painful and difficult, what I feel more is still enjoyment. Like other art, painting is not just a like or a choice, but more a process. This process can often separate us from the turbulent environment, the impetuous state of mind. In this process, we can relinquish all kinds of trouble and pressure brought about by relationship network, prejudices and conflicts in real life. Art is also a kind of state of life and a pattern of existence. When galloping in the world of art, one can truly experience the trueness in the inner mind of one's self and the ease of feelings; through works, one can express happiness, anger and grief, transmit one's insight into life and the journey of one's heart, and prove the value and significance of the existence of the self so that one can get fulfillment and satisfaction in spirit. Art is life and the process of art is the process of the cultivation of human nature. By persevering in creation, one can temper one's will, taste the joy of creation, the delight of struggle and the happiness of success. Therefore, once a person chooses art, he chooses a world. So I often rejoice that I have chosen painting and rejoice that I have chosen painting, such a world overflowing with interest which can make one linger on with no thought of leaving.

　　我从乡土题材开始步入艺术创作，这里有个人志趣爱好，也有自身经历的局限, 以及当时创作倾向的影响。从艺多年，我深切体会到一个人的生活成长的环境和经历对其艺术创作的影响是多么地深远，幼时生活环境的影响熏陶，对家乡故土的眷恋，在我情感深处烙下了深深的印记，以至我步入创作就自然而然地走上了乡土风情这条道，而且是一往情深、乐此不疲。那个阶段，我对于乡土风情的描绘到了非常痴迷的境地。家乡小镇富有特色的民居、街巷、小河流水、田园树林、风土人情等，是我特别钟情的题材。我经常到镇上写生，在长期对物象细致入微的观察描绘之中，领悟大自然的平衡与和谐，感悟人性的善良与朴实，在所表现的物象中寻觅情感的依附和归属，寻求心灵的默契与平恒，寻找着属于自己的那一片宁静，那是一片远离都市远离现实的静土。

　　I began artistic creation with native soil subject matters. Here there were personal interests and likes, the limitations of personal experiences, and the influence of the creation trends of the time. After many years' engagement in art, I deeply realize that the environment and experiences in which one lives and grows up can exert such far-reaching influence on one's artistic creation. The influence of the living environment of the life when I was child and the sentimental attachment to my hometown left such a deep impression on the depth of my feelings that when I began creation I naturally took the path of native soil customs. Also I felt deeply in love with it and never got tired of it. At that stage, my delineation of native soil customs reached the realm of infatuation. The unique folk houses, streets, rivers, fields, gardens, woods and social customs of the small town of my hometown were the subject matters that I was especially affectionate towards. I often painted from life in the town. In the detailed and subtle observation and delineation of things for a long time, I comprehended the equilibrium and harmony of nature, the kindness, tolerance, frankness and simplicity of human nature. In the things represented, I seemed to find the attachment and belonging of my feelings, the tacit understanding and equilibrium of the heart, and also the kind of peace that belonged to me. That was a piece of quiet land far away from the city and reality.

　　饱尝磨难的成长经历连同长期以来农业文明时代观念特征，所培养的单纯、朴实、平静、和深沉的性格，构成了我最基本的心理倾向和审美意识，影响着我的绘画风格，以至于在多年艺术创作实践中，潜意识地会去寻找表达这类情感的素材和媒介，并努力地在作品里营造这种氛围。如果说我的作品还有那么一些情感真挚、朴实厚重特点的话，那其中切实写进了我的情感和寄托，溶入了我童年的梦幻、生活的思索、心灵的渴望、未来的期待。

　　The simple, pure, calm and deep character cultivated by the growing experience full of trials and the influence of the concepts and characteristics of the agricultural civilization constitutes my most fundamental psychological tendency and aesthetic consciousness and deeply influences my painting style so much so that in many years' creation practice, I subconsciously seek the materials and media to express this kind of feelings and try my best to create this kind of atmosphere in my works. If my works still have some characteristics of sincerity, simplicity and honesty, that is because I inscribe into them my feelings and hopes and infuse into them the dream of my childhood, the reflections on life, the yearnings of my heart, and the expectations for the future.

　　朋友们把我归类为写实主义画家，我不否认，尽管自己从没有刻意追随什么流派，奉行什么主义，只视自己的兴趣爱好，顺从自己的感情意志地做自己喜欢的事。

　　My friends label me as a realistic artist. I do not deny it, though I have never painstakingly followed any school or pursue any ism. I only follow my own feelings and will according to my own interests and likes and devote myself to what I like.

　　虽然我从不为自己的画能否被当下的艺术潮流所接纳而彷徨诚恐，但这并不表明我对各种艺术思潮的漠视，相反，我经常把自己摆进当下艺术世界的大背景里，寻求能否找到坐标和位置?危机感自然而然，但是希望尚存。在当今艺术多元态势下，人们的思维方式、生活方式、审美方式多样性，为美术创作的多元化、多样化发展，提供了更为宽泛的选择。各种不同的艺术形式都有其存在和发展的可能性，只有坚持不渝，把想做、该做的事情做好做足、做得充分、做到极至，才可能争得一席之地。你怎么画和画什么，无论是写实绘画还是抽象绘画都不是什么问题，关键是你能画到什么程度，达到什么高度，能否提升作品的精神含量，画出你对自然，对事物深切而独到的感悟。怀斯之所以能成为艺术的巨人，关键在于他能从平实中发现深刻，表达永恒。我很赞同一位画家朋友的观点，怀斯是个典型的写实主义画家，他并不像他自己所说是"抽象派"，也不是我们通常所指的"现代派"，他既无任何观念上的"前卫"，也无任何技法上的创造。他只不过画了他眼睛所看到的和心灵上所感悟的东西，即彼时彼地的更特殊化、更个性化、更具体化、也更经验化的心灵感悟。在这一点上，他以终生不逾的探求，抵达了前所未有的极至。就凭这一点，怀斯成为艺术史上难得的恒星，在群星中留下了一个鲜明而不可磨灭的面目，他留给人们的启示也许和毕加索一样多。因此，向怀斯学习，提升作品强烈鲜明的个体意识和超现实的抽象性，表现个人的精神特征，一直是我创作实践中努力的目标和不懈的追求。

　　Though I never feel perturbed by whether my paintings will be accepted by the artistic currents of the time, this does not mean my indifference to all kinds of artistic trends of thoughts. By contrast, I often put myself into the big background of the contemporary artistic world to see if I can find my coordinate and location. Naturally there is sense of crisis, but hope still exists. Under the pluralistic trends of art at present, the pluralism of people's thinking mode, living mode and aesthetic mode provides wider choices for the pluralistic and diversified development of artistic creation. All kinds of different artistic forms have the possibility of existence and development. Only when one perseveres and does well, adequately, fully and perfectly the things one wants to do and shall do can one have a place in the world of art. How you paint, what you paint and whether your paintings are realistic or abstract are not problems. The crux is the degree and the height your paintings reach and whether you can elevate the spiritual contents of your works and express your profound and unique understanding of nature and things. The most important reason for Wyeth to become a giant in art is that he can discover profundity from simplicity and express eternity. I very much agree with the idea of a painter friend that Wyeth is a typical realistic painter. He is not as "abstract" as he described himself, nor is he a "modernist" we usually refer to. He does not have any "avant garde" concepts or any creation in techniques. He just paints what his eyes see and what his heart comprehends, that is, the more specialized, individualized, particularized and experiential spiritual comprehension. On this point, he has reached unprecedented perfection with his lifelong exploration. Thanks to this point, Wyeth becomes a rare star in the history of art and leaves a brilliant and indelible face amidst the many stars. The revelation he has left to people is perhaps as much as that of Picasso. Therefore, to learn from Wyeth, elevate the strong individual consciousness and surrealistic abstraction in the works, and express individual spiritual characteristics have always been the objectives and unremitting pursuit in my creation practices.

　　版画是一项技术性、制作性特征比较明显的画种。技法是表达思想内涵的手段和方式，熟练的技巧、精湛的技艺是版画创作者所应具备的基本素质和条件。多年来，我在综合版画技法方面作了一些探索，获得了一些经验，我深信不同媒材、不同技法的应用，必然呈现不同的视觉效果。但要始终牢记无论什么样的新技术，只有承载更多、更好、更深的精神内涵才能显现其价值意义。一位艺术家在一篇短文中提到，作品是否优秀的关键并不取决与表现形式，而是能否表现出作者的思想感情深度和艺术修养的厚度，只有通过不断学习丰富自己的艺术思想，顺应历史发展调整更新观念，调整创作心态，以人类社会传统文化为依托而产生特有的心理情感体验，接受新兴科技带来的广阔思维空间，激发自己的想象和创造才情，是一个艺术家所必备的基本素质。艺术的生命是个性，是艺术家个体的心态、精神境界、独立人格及高超技艺所构成的完美统一。我非常赞赏这种观点。

　　Print is a kind of painting with high requirements on techniques and making. Techniques are the methods and modes to express thoughts. Adept skills and consummate techniques are the basic qualities and conditions for a print creator. For many years, I have made some exploration in the comprehensive print techniques and gained some experience. I am deeply convinced that the application of different media, materials and techniques will produce different visual effects. However, we shall always remember that whatever new technique we use, we can only express the value and significance by carrying more, better and deeper spiritual connotations. An artist mentions in a short article that whether a piece of work is excellent does not depend on the expressive form but on whether it can express the depth of thoughts and feelings of the artist and the profundity of his artistic virtuosity. The indispensable basic qualities that an artist shall have are the ability to enrich his artistic thought through continuous study, adjust and renew concepts by following historical development, adjust his creative state of mind, produce unique psychological emotional experience with the traditional culture of the human society as the foundation, accept the wide thinking space brought about by new science and technology, and stimulate his own imagination and creativity. The life of art is individuality, the perfect union of an artist's individual state of mind, spiritual realm, independent personality and masterly techniques.

　　随着环境的迁徙、观念的更新、语言的提炼，近年来我在艺术创作的不同方向做了一些新的尝试，例如从注重场景式描写到局部特写式的刻画，由对表现内容的面面俱到到突出重点，从追求画面内容丰富到单纯简洁。力图使画面的形式构成上更加简练概括，图式上更加新颖自由，在技法的综合使用上更加成熟精到，个性差异更加明显、更有意味。当然，我做得还不很到位，离自己所期待的目标尚有很长的一段距离，为此我将继续努力。

　　With the change of environment, renewal of concepts and distillation of language, I have made some new attempts in different directions of artistic creation, for example, from attention to situation description to portray of local features, from the attention to each and every details of contents to specific important points, and from the pursuit of rich contents to purity and simplicity. I strive to make pictures more simple and general in formal constitution, more novel and free in pattern, more mature and adept in the comprehensive use of techniques, and more obvious and meaningful in individual differences. Of course, I am far away from being perfect and there is still a very long distance from my expected goal. For this I will continue to work hard.

　　值此画册出版之际，对所有给予我帮助支持的领导、同道、朋友们，表示由衷的感谢。

　　On the occasion of the publication of the album, I would like to extend my sincere thanks to all the leaders, fellows and friends who have helped and supported me.

2006-11-1于深圳

November 1, 2006, in Shenzhen

作者：阎敏