Shiy De-jinn once said: “I never draw in an enclosed space. What I paint must be the landscape in front of me.” He insisted that only in being close to nature can one capture the ever changing landscape. With deep emotion, one may finally create a piece of work that truly moves its viewers. He preferred painting at dawn or dusk since, at these moments, mountains display their most beautiful layers and the clouds and fog flow in the most elegant way. He transformed Taiwan’s scenery into pieces of landscape paintings, showing a sense of ease and tranquility. He preserves the forms of sketching while maintaining the charm of Eastern ink wash.

In his later years, Shiy paid tribute to his teacher, Lin Fengmian, and an elder artist, Li Ke-ran, through his ink wash paintings. However, Shiy also explored his own style in create his aesthetic landscape paintings: “Through the watercolor from the West, my landscapes convey the deep values of the East, and nature is thus endowed with a whole new interpretation. My colors also hold a particular charm in Chinese ink painting, giving this classic painting style with a fresh and energetic vitality. I have devoted myself to explore the mutual influence and a path of communication between Eastern and Western paintings. Now, I have finally found my way!”