Welcome to Beijing

It was the October National Holiday weekend in Beijing which is a week long holiday in China. I just arrived in Beijing a few days earlier to visit my friend Michael. He only been here for a few months to start his job in Beijing. We decided to visit the National Art Museum near Tianamen square. Even I was there two days earlier and already seen the Beijing International Design Triennial Exhibition. Michael is an architect works for a Chinese architect firm here. He been busy working and hasn’t had the chance to visit any museums yet. I thought it would be wonderful we can see the exhibit together, something he likely will be inspired by.

It was a beautiful warm sunny autumn day. We even greet with the rare clear blue sky that morning. Michael being fair skin needed to have more sun protection than I do. Our first trip was the department stores near our apartment in search of a hat for him We went from stores to stores but couldn’t find any would fit him. Finally we gave up and head toward Tianamen square instead.

As soon as we exited from the subway we were among the tens of many thousands. We were shoulder to shoulders with the massive of Chinese. Many carried the small red and yellow national flag. Some even had the national flag painted on their faces. The whole area has transformed from few days ago. There were hundreds soldiers directing traffic and on one side of the vast sidewalk a long line of trailer of public toilets. Even the usual busy main road was closed. Almost right away we spotted a seller selling hats along with the usual items we seen everywhere. The only hat was large enough for Michael was a white cowboy hat.

Before we even made it to line in front of the museum. A man approached Michael and asked if he could have his picture taken with him. Likely he must thought he was an American Cowboy in town for a visit. By the time we reached the end of the line. We were shock to see how long the line was. We decided to stay and join the crowd waiting to be let in. Although the line was very long but it seems moving slightly every few minutes. Everyone were in a good mood and no one seems to mind the long wait.

Micheal was the only foreigner in the line up so he got plenty of attentions. An old couple with a young boy was behind us and the boy was eyeing Michael’s cowboy hat. Pretty soon with Michael’s friendly charming way he was able to break the ice with them. He offered his cowboy hat the young boy to try on; the boy was smart dressed in purple matching shirt and sweater vest. He broke out a big smile while wearing the cowboy hat. We strike up a conversation with them. Even with my limited Mandarin we had a nice exchange going. The young boy is the couple’s grandson; they took him to his first museum visit. Both the boy and his parents live in Beijing. The grand parents came to visit them from other part of China for the national holiday. The grandmother has a easy smile her smiles never left her face as she was talking to us. She proudly told us they live in the same province where Mao was born. I told them both of us are Canada. I am visiting Beijing for the first time and Michael is working in Beijing. As we kept chatting away, the line starts to move faster and we were getting closer to the entrance of the museum. Finally, we exchange goodbyes with them, I gave the boy some gums and some Canadian quarters from my bag. The boy spoken with clear and perfect English “Welcome to Beijing!” waves us goodbye.

Once we pass the security check into the museum we were carried by the wave of the crowd and never seen them again.

Canadian Tire Money Art

What better way to use our iconic Canadian Tire money into art: a pop-up bird card for your wallet!

paper architecture

When I was in Art College, one of my majors was print making. I study etching, lithography and silkscreen. Every terms I have a produce an edition print of no less than 25 prints and every prints has to be exactly the same from number one to number 25. I sent hours working on my prints in the print studio. On my graduate year, my hard work paid off, I was awarded the most outstanding print maker that year. However, as soon as left college my print making career was ended as well
I was busy to earn a living and to pay back my student loan and making print was the last thing I was thinking about. There was not much outlet to sell my prints or jobs for a printer maker. The closest job for a print maker was silk screen t-shirt printer. I kept most of those prints in my parent’s basement. All together I think I must have at least a couple hundred prints.
Later, I moved out from home into my own apartment. I was too poor to purchase some blinds for my windows; I made my prints into window blinds. Even that were years ago but some friends would tell me they still remember those beautiful hand- printed window blinds I had.
All of sudden last night, an idea came to me; I started to cut up some of my prints and gave them a new life. I had turned them into paper architecture cards.

One in a Billion

After my trip to Beijing China last year, I got many inspirations and new ideas for my painting:
China is a huge country both in term of size and population. Before I travel to Beijing, I have no concept of over a billion population was like and Beijing has almost 25 million compare to the 33 million of the country of Canada where I live. When I was there when during the October national holiday when close to a million Chinese different parts of China travel to Beijing, the capital city. I saw many faces among the thousands even talked a few at all the tourist spots. Once I took a look of them, then they move along replaced with another. I likely will never see them again in my life time. I have no idea of who they are what they do for a living but they all seem happy and enjoying themselves. They are just one in a billion which gave me the idea to work on this new series of portraits “one in a billion”
I work on them in between my regular paintings, mostly done in an hour or less with little drawing but direct brushwork. I had been doing one per day, they are very enjoyable to do and as soon as I post them on my flickr page I would get comments on them almost right away.
This one I called it the little emperor because of china’s one child policy, parents are so devoted to please their child some are very spoil. They are the modern day emperors of China. This child was wearing an imperial hat, one time the color of yellow was the emperor’s color and only the emperor allowed to wear. In Forbidden City, they have those hats for sale and parents would buy them for their child to wear.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/alfredng/sets/72157629102218995/

The year of the dragon

I had been hard at work for this painting to celebration the Chinese New Year, the year of the dragon. Though often called Chinese New Year it also called the lunar New Year is celebrated by many Asian countries; it falls on a different day every year. This year the New Year is falls on the 23rd of January. This painting is combined with watercolor painting and paper cut out. The dragon on the background is cut out right on to the painting.
The dragon is the most powerful and suspicious Chinese zodiac sign, sign of authority and ambition, symbol of good fortune and sign of intense power. The Dragon is said to be a deliverer of good fortune and a master of authority. In Chinese cultures peony is symbolizes wealth. In Chinese the word vase (ping) sounds similar to peace. The gold fish on the vase symbolizes wealth and good fortune and because the word fish (yu) in Chinese sounds like abundance.
All together, this painting means wishing you abundance of wealth, health, plenty of power, peace and full of energy for the year of the dragon.
Happy New Year and may prosperity be with you all!

Watercolor and cutout 28”x20”, 2012

my life is in boxes

“My life is in boxes, said Vivian Maier-and the boxes held 100,000 images of New York and Chicago and many of them brilliant.
Vivian Maier (1926-2009) worked as a nanny and died on April 2009. When she was interviewed for a job she said, “ I came with my life and my life is in boxes.” When she showed up to begin for work she brought 200 boxes. Many of them held her photographic equipment and negatives.
She died on April 2009 and her rented lockers had gone unpaid and the contents were up for sale. A young real estate agent John Maloof brought some of the boxes and since then Vivian Maier’s talent is recognized.
Early last year, there was a exhibition of her work at the Chicago Cultural Centre.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204879004577110884090494826.html

First day of the year

Even today is the New Year day a holiday which also Sunday but nevertheless I went to my studio and work on my paintings. The TTC is on the holiday schedule which means the subways would not start until 9am. My plan was to take the bus on a longer route and arrive at the subway exacting at 9am when it opens.
Luckily, the weather been rather mild last night and the street were not as icy as the last couple of days. Almost as soon as I got to the bus stop and I see my bus was coming. A good sign of a good beginning of the year 2012!
My short walk from the subway to my building was rather enjoyable. The normally busy downtown has so few cars or people around.
I was not surprise I was the only one in the whole building. Even my next door neighbor whom almost came in way earlier than me every morning was nowhere in sight.
I actually turned off the CBC radio (all those boring holiday fillers) and put on a Chinese music CD. The afternoon rain kept me indoor all day and by 4pm I finally finished the orchid painting I been working off and off during the Christmas holiday.
Watercolor and cutout 20”x16” on 140lb Arches rough paper.

Take the nest bus

Another bitterly cold winter day it was a long wait for the bus this morning. There was a small group gather by the bus shelter already. Finally the long awaited bus arrived but was packed with morning riders. I took one look and decided not to bother with the extra stress. Another woman seemed agreed with me and stayed for the next bus. I told her, I think the next one would be plenty of seats and should arrive shortly.
Within minutes, the next bus showed up at our stop and there were many empty seats. Both of us went to seats at the end of the bus and I started to read my newspapers. A few stops later, when I look up from my reading and noticed our bus has catch up to the first bus. I smile and went back to my reading.
Ten minutes later, the same woman called out to me and tells me to look out the window. Our bus has just passed the first bus and look at each other and both started to laugh.

chinese new year painting

A few years ago, I brought a Chinese orchid (a miniature cymbidium orchid) from the Chinese New Year flower market in Chinatown. It has many delicate blooms on it however I couldn’t make it bloom for me since. Later, I learn in order to make it produce flowers, it needs a cold period. During the summer and fall I left it in our backyard hoping it might help it to produce flowers. Still for two years, no blooms from it.
This fall I left it out longer than the last two years, I was worry the frost might had done some damage to it.
Last month, all of sudden, I discovered it produced a flower stem and by late January it was in bloom! It just in time for this year’s Chinese New Year.


SAVECANCEL

lost and found

Last week I discovered one of my programs in my computer was not working. After a trip to the computer guy and he proclaimed my computer has virus!
After a costly cleaning and my computer are back working again however I was rather discouraged with this sudden and unexpected expense.
Yesterday, a friend came by my studio and brought a small painting. This morning, when I checked on my email, one was from FAA about another sale.
Amazingly, the two sales add up to the same amount as my computer repair bill!

Chinese New Year 2011

Today is the Chinese New Year, the year of the rabbit. I spent the whole morning making this bunny for this special day. My bunny is made with the Starbucks holiday coffee cups.Happy Chinese New Year everyone!

Natinal Gallery of Canada

Sunday was a very cold and gray day in Ottawa and we went to visit the national gallery. For some reasons my leg was really bother me I just couldn’t stand or walk for too long. I could not really enjoy viewing all the different galleries my only interest was to look for a bench of a chair to sit. Surprisingly, not every gallery offers one and it matter worst I forgot to bring along my pain killer. It was almost a relived to finally able to sit down and had coffee the café in the gallery. My first day in Ottawa was not a great one.
After our coffee break somehow my pains seem eased and we were able to explore the area around the gallery and discovered a few large beds of tulips.

Trip to Ottawa

Last Saturday I went with my friend Val to Ottawa, he was there for a conference and invited me to come along. This trip was planned months ago even my accident was only three week ago. I figure it was no point to cancel it since we were travel by train and my leg was getting better.
The weather turned cold and wet it felt like winter has came back, at least I was prepared had packed my scarf, groves and sweater for the trip.
Shortly after we arrived at our hotel we met up with his half sister and her extended families.
Her son in law picks us up and drove to the east end of Ottawa to a wonderful Chinese banquet. During dinner we were entertained by her two cute grandsons Spencer and Gregory.

Forbidden Tulips

I walk by the Canada Life Building on University and Queen West daily while going in and out of the Osgoode subway. Yesterday the sun was out and it was a beautiful spring morning there are many tulips planted around its building. I started to take out my camera and try to capture the images of the beautiful tulips.
Within ten minutes, two big uniformed securities came out and order me to stop as they are private property and photography is prohibited.
Out of defiance I just have to share the forbidden tulips with you all!

Tulips at City Hall

The other day, I was over at the city hall to use its public library and noticed there were hundred of parrot tulips planted around the square where the city hall building is. On this beautiful sunny spring morning, many of the parrot tulips are yellow with a few white ones and even fewer in purple.
Look like the gardener just has them water some of them still had water drops on the petals and it was such a stunning display. I took out my camera and start to take picture, even they were the same type of tulip but they all look different and beautiful on its own.
I must have spent close to an hour try to capture their beauty but I noticed the many passing around the city hall everyone all seem to be such a hurry not even one stop to admire them.
Maybe that’s why I am an artist and they are not.

the luckiest man alive

Sometime the different between life and dead are so close before you realize and happen to you.

On April 13, just like every morning as I was crossing the street to catch the bus as the light changed green. I was struck by a fast approaching car. All I could remember was a flash of white and I was stuck with impact. After my body was throw a good five foot where I was, Before I knew it , I was laying on the pavement with shocks all through my body, I couldn’t move! The driver came out and other all gather around me, all I see were all the faces looking down on me.

I spent all morning and early part of the afternoon being tested and I was fine nothing major except my left leg is very sore and painful to put any weight on. I am walking very slowly and having difficult to go up and down the stairs.

All the time when I was laying on the hospital bed thinking how amazingly I am still alive I must be the luckiest man alive!

Finally, when I turn on my computer and open my email to found my friend Ed has passed away with his long struggle with Cancer. I meet this senior couple by chance while I was taking photos of their flowering magnolia tree three years ago They are the kindest people I ever meet whenever I visit them we shared many laughs, food and stories. I have no explanation how I escape this accident with not even a cut on my body and my computer, camera had suffered no damage. I believe Ed was protecting me from this accident.

Here is the photo of me taken by the EMS guy Dave with my camera.

painting for Chinese New Year 2010

This is another painting for this year’s Chinese New Year: the color red or any shade of red are very important for Chinese New Year as it is a lucky color, it is the most common colour for home and business decoration during the New Year.
This painting with the three open cymbidium orchid also offers a special meaning, the number three sounds like life or alive in Chinese and the number four has the same sound as death which is a taboo for the New Year. During the New Year, one often brings in live flowers or plants as to bring in new life and energy to one’s home.
So, this painting it means to bring you wealth, good luck with your life of the coming year with of life and energy.
Watercolour on 90lb Arches rough watercolor paper, 20”x23”, 2010

Past meeting Present

This afternoon, after I feeding the squirrels at the park which was just steps from my studio. As I was walking toward to my building, someone walk by me and say how’s going? I turned around at look at this man but had no idea who he was. He looks like on the homeless old men usually hangs around at the park as I study at his face hoping I could remember who he was. He must sense this and introduced himself as JC!
J.C. was a teaching assistant at the printmaking department at OCA when I was a student there but it was 30 years ago. Eventually, he gained a full time teaching job there but I had no contact with him since I graduated.
As we making some small talk, I couldn’t help to think how time hasn’t been kind to him and how much he has aged. I wondered how he still recognized and remember me after all these years.

Afternoon at the Ballet

I have a friend; a senior often offers her theater tickets to me whenever she was not able to attend. Last Saturday, it was the ballet Sleeping Beauty. It was glorious! The costumes and the set had a French influence with lots of gold and warm jewel tones and sometimes highlighted with pastel colors. All the costumes are full of beautiful details and most importantly the dancing was magnificent!
Princess Aurora was danced by Bridgett Zehr and prince florimund by zdenek konvalina both were outstanding and received loud applauds from the audiences. One surprise was Rex Harrington, the former heart throb principal dancer returns in a non-dancing role as King Florestan with few extra pounds from his old dancing days. It must be surreal for him to sit on the throne at stage most of the time and watching someone else dancing the role he was acclaim for.
Another highlight was the elegance and airlessness dancing by Keiichi Hirano of the blue bird. At the end of the performance they received a long standing ovation.

My seat was on the third row centre and so close to the stage, I was able to see the farcical expression and the sweat of the dancers. I was almost close enough to touch the conductor’s blond hair!
I noticed there were numbers of first –timers at this performance: parents brought their little girls with them. Many were dress up in their fancy dresses and one little girl even wearing pearls. However I don’t think young child has long attention for this three acts ballet. Unlike the nutcracker, the sleeping beauty doesn’t offer much amusing things for young child. In nutcracker, there were the dancing bears; the mechanical muse and snow flakes to keep the children entertains. By contrast, the sleeping beauty has a mean witch and her scary helpers. No doubt the little girls were rather fearful as the princess Aurora was picked by the needle and fallen to sleep. The Kingdom got dark by the second act and the little girls had became rather restless and after the second intermission all the little girls and their parents were gone which left me with lots of space to stretch my legs. I guess they will not become the future ballerinas then.
There were some interesting incidents within my seating area at the theater:
A mother tried to snap a photo of her two little girls and her husband before the performance was told there were no photo allowed in the theater and was told to delete her photo! There goes the family memory of the first outing to the ballet.
A woman near me brought back two glasses of beer for herself and her friend during intermission was told there was no glass allowed in the theater. Sadly I think she must dispose them in the washroom as it was not enough time for her to drink it at the lobby.
I was rather outrage all these unreasonable rules and decided to snap a few photos when all the dancers took their curtain call and I was the only one either.

How Toronto Garbage strike brought me 2 minutes of fame

I always compose, reuse, reduce and recycle: I only produce a little bag of garbage every two months. Since the Toronto city workers strike started a month ago, many faced the great inconvenience to deal with their garbage, however it has no effect to me. After seeing the garbage piling up in downtown near my studio and most of them should be recycle but when the strike is over most of this would just end up in the landfill. I decide to do something about it and started to use some of the garbage I found on the street and use to create art.
Shortly, after I posted some of these samples on the internet it caught the attention of a Global National reporter. Within days, she and the crew came to my studio and filmed a feature on me and my recycled art.
On the same weekend, I was one of the 500 artists showing my art at the Toronto outdoor art exhibition at Nathan Phillips square. Thinking it could be a great opportunity to educate the public how to reuse some of these garbage so I brought along some of my recycle art to show along with my paintings. To my surprise many collectors brought my art made from garbage.

And even better, my feature was showed on prime time at Global national news on July 14 and the night before during prime time they used me as their promote for the next day’s news. I was called “Rembrandt of Garbage”!
So the Toronto garbage strike brought me my two minutes of fame!