《大象无形》这本集子里收录的60幅水粉风景画作，全部出自我近二十年执教生涯中留存下来的百余件水粉画作品之中，且这些画作全部产生于带学生风景写生的教学环节。
虽说这风景画作中少有人物影像，在集子的编辑过程中却绝对不会“见物不见人”。历届写生实习活动中生动、鲜活的学生形象，以及他们的音容笑貌全部历历在目，在我的脑海里久久挥之不去。与此同时，每一个风景写生实习基地父老乡亲们的人物众生相，以及画里画外的趣闻轶事，生活中的点点滴滴，甚至琐碎细节中的“陈谷子”、“烂芝麻”之类，如同打翻的五味瓶，百感交集地在脑海里“过电影”。
于是乎，感恩之情油然而生。首先，要感谢生活赐予了我这份与绘画艺术相关的教师职业，使我得以用画笔、用真情实感与壮丽山河、秀美风景交流、对话，并从中偶有所获、必有所得。谢师，作为常理早已纳入了感恩的范畴，我却要在这里郑重其事地感谢学生，那些记得住名字和叫不出姓名的学生，那些可气又可爱、可笑又可亲的学生，是他们给了我职场上传道授业的快乐，给了我生活的乐趣，更给了我艺术创作的欲望与激情!
《大象无形》还未出版就有看过书稿的朋友给予充分的肯定，其誉美之词曰：“厚积薄发。”我十分感激这份真诚的厚爱，但着实不敢妄自尊大，自以为是。在我看来，这集子里的所有画作并非尽善尽美，更不敢与“大家之作”相提并论，但我却能从中找到自信——这些写实的风景画作是向正祥地地道道的原创作品，我个人对于艺术、对于生活、对于人生的态度是真诚的。
透过画作，我似乎有所感悟：倘若想在不惑之年仍有所期待，有所长进，积极进取的工作状态与待人处世的平和心态至关重要。常润画笔，经常性地去写生基地与学生“同甘共苦”，体验画里画外的艺术人生，才有可能来灵感、生创意、出作品，也只有这样经年累月地不断积累，才有可能出现《大象无形》的后续之作。
尊敬的李渔先生在看过画作书稿之后，欣然为本书作序，这既是朋友的缘分，也是我本人的荣幸。《家具与室内装饰》杂志主编王周先生在本书的选题策划和文字加工润色方面鼎力相助。此外，还得到了许多朋友的支持与帮助。在此，一并致以衷心的感谢!
向正祥
2006年6月于长沙
Inthiscollection“InvisibleFigure”,thereare60piecesofgouacheworks,allselectedfrommorethan100piecesIhavekeptforalmost20yearsofmyteaching.Furthermore,theseworkshavebeenfinishedwithintheperiodoftakingstudentsoutforoutdoorpractice.
Althoughpersonimagerarelycanbeseen,duringthecourseofeditingtheworks,therelativepersonshavealwaysappearedinfrontof myeyes.Theimagesofthestudentsarestillvividlyflashedinmymind.Thepicturesofpeasantsinthedestinationsforsketching,interestingepisodesaboutdifferentkindsofpeople,choresofdailylifeandeventheoldstorieseveryoneknows,areprojectedinmymind.Instantly,allsortsoffeelingswellupinmyheartlikeaoveroverturnedcruet.
Therefore,Iamgratefulforthelife,whichendowswithmetheteach-ingprofession whichenablesmetotouchbeautifulsceneryandmagnificentmotherlandwithpaintingbrushandtruefeeling,fromwhichIhavegatheredsomethingusefulbychanceandeventuallypossessedthemforsure.It'scommonsensetogivethankstomyteachers,buthereImustformallythankmystudents,whosenamesarenotallclearlyremembered.Theyarelovely,offence-taking,funnyandadorable.Theybringcheerfulnesstomyteaching,mylife,andevengivemetheaspirationandfervor.
Thiscollectionwithoutbeingpublishedhasbeenreceivedaffirmationfromthefriends,whohavereadthecollection.Thecomplimentsgoesaslongtimeofaccumulationiscondensedintotheelite.Asforthis,Ido givemygratitudefortheirprofoundfriendship,butImyselfcan'tbesoarrogant.Tome,althoughthepiecesinthiscollectioncannotbecountedasbeingperfect,ofcoursenotbeputthemsidebysidewithmasterpiece,Ihavegatheredconfidencefromthem.Becausetheserealisticlandscapepaintingsaretrulyoriginal,truetoart,livingandtheattitudetolife.Transcendingthephysicalpaintings,Ihavemoreorlessgeneralizedthatifyouplantomakesomeachievementsattheageabout50,theaggressiveworkingattitudeandtreatingpeopleandthingsaboutyoufriendlyandcalmlyareallimportant.Continuouslypracticingdrawingandfrequentlybeingtogetherwithstudentstosharejoysandhardshipsandtotaste theartisticlifewithinandoutsidetheworks,thenyouwillgenerateinspiration,originalityandworks.Bykeepingondoingthisyearbyyear,itwillbelikelytopublish thecontinuationofthiscollection.
TherespectableMr.Liyuenjoyedthemanuscriptofthecollectionandagreeablywrotethepreface,thisistheluckbringingustogetherandmyhonour.Theeditorinchiefofthemagazinefuniture&InteriorDesign,Mr.Wangzhoudidmeafavoronthesubjectselectionandplanandembellishment.Andmanyfriendssupportedandhelpedmeinallkindsofways.Hereby,Iamgratefultomyfriendssincerelyfortheirhelp
.
XiangZhengxiang
June2006inChangsha