IF IT'S TUESDAY...............

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

IF IT'S TUESDAY...............

I think it's Wednesday because we lost a day at the International Dateline but it's still Tuesday to me. We are getting in so much of China that it's possible we've been here a week or two.

This A.M. our coach drove us to Suzhou which I though was a humble little village with beautiful gardens! To my surprise, it's quite the city but fortunately the gardens remain as expected. Ancient and glorious! We spent some time at the 'Humble Administrator's Garden" which is so wondrous that you will just have to see the hundred plus photos that were taken when we return home. Every step is a vision and frankly I didn't know what to place the lens upon. Finally I just did 'point and shoot' knowing everything or anything would be beautiful. I'm selecting one and also a photo

of some of the ladies. I don't think we would have minded spending the entire day there but it was off to lunch and 'The #1 Silk Factory'. We had a guided tour and were able to see how those little silk worms give their all. Watching the women pull the silk from the cocoons gave full meaning to 'labor intensive'. The bell rang for shopping and all the gals went wild with gleeful abandon selecting this and that and the coach was loaded down with treasures from those little creatures. I'm including a picture of the guys pulling at a piece of raw silk which should have been expanded but frankly the ladies did better.

As we left, everyone voted for a massage. Just in case you're not familiar with a massage inSuzou, it consists of being slapped and pounded about for an hour and then paying for it!
It's just a good thing our hotel here is brand new fabulous because we all need our creature comforts at this point.

Tomorrow is May Day here! Parades! We will have a lighter day because of the holiday.

1 comment:

Crazy Uncle Joe said...: If there is a question about whether Nan is having fun, I think this will put that to rest...; April 30, 2008 at 10:44 AM

Introduction

There is no avoiding the pull of the internet, the blogs, the YouTube imaginings. It's as if we're all 'On the Road' with Jack Kerouac each in our own world of meanderings. When we tell someone to 'get a life' it might be a bit difficult when you're dragged into other people's 24/7.

I've come to realize two foundational principals, there are no accidents and everyone has a purpose. More and more I'm desiring everyone to come into a full realization of their purpose as we all find our way on this little jewel of a planet.

For me, as a professional 'Western style artist', I stumbled into Chinese Brush Painting after a trip in 1980 to Monet's home/garden. Seeing all of his collection of Japanese woodblock prints was an ahh haa moment for me and when I returned to the States I started painting in the Chinese manner and never looked back. The first year was extremely painful for me as I felt that I should be able to master the technique since I was a 'trained' artist. Not a chance ... that just gets in your way.

Now, after teaching close to 3,000 students and having my book 'The Ch'i of the Brush' published by Watson Guptill, I can say that every one of my students does better their first day than I did my first year! Why? Because I insist that they leave their critical parent outside and just enjoy the journey, respecting the work that they do. I never let anyone throw anything away because that just ingrains frustration and defeat.

We really only begin to learn when we stop and figure out how to 'save' a painting. It works every time.I am so proud of my students, their receptivity and eagerness to express themselves is a continuing blessing for me.So, back to finding your purpose. Perhaps it starts with realizing 'it's not about me'. It so easy to want our needs met and to filter everything thru this attitude. When we realize that we're here to be of benefit to every life that we touch the universe really provides the ways and means.

The best part is that it's really exciting to not have yourself on your mind all the time!I'm re-reading a wonderful book about authenticity and in my next meandering I'll tell you about it. In the meantime I'd love to hear about your journey and am here to answer any and all questions about Chinese Brush Painting.