CHINA!

 First painting after a 2.5 hour bus ride and a 15 hour plane flight! (10x12) oil on linen (collection of a stranger I met on the street)

I've just returned from a 10-Day painting trip to southern China -- what an experience! I traveled there with several well-known American & Chinese-American painters. We all stayed together at a hotel in Kaiping, and took daily van trips to out-lying villages and rivers to paint...

 View from bridge in the village of Chikan...

The weather was warm and humid up to the last couple of days when we had a little rain; not bad for November! It was quite smoggy though, with a permanent haze that hung near the horizon and made for beautiful sunrises!

House Boats (10x12) oil on linen

The population of course is huge, even in the smaller towns where we barely squeezed down tight streets filled with market shoppers...

 Residents in the village of Chikan...

It was cultural overload for sure, but pleasant and comfortable as our hosts and drivers made everything accessible and supplied our every need. With all the crowds, driving was chaotic and it was best to not watch as we headed down the 2-lane roads with 3 to 4 lanes of traffic! Cars and even scooters with whole families aboard were a common site...

 Painting in an abandoned village where most all of the residents have moved to the city for jobs, but maintain their village fields for gardening... 

I was mostly fascinated by the quaint house boats that dotted the riversides; a very distinct look to these homes on the water that are unfortunately slated to be done away with if the government has it's way with it's gentrification program...

 Night scene on the river in Kaiping (10x12) oil on linen

We were treated to many fabulous meals with local artists and our hosts from the Kaiping Art Museum. Every day was divided between eating, painting and eating again in various restaurant locales...

 A wonderful lunch and dinner was put on by the owner of an art school out in the countryside...

while we were the only white westerners in sight, the locals were always friendly and curious toward us; these people seem to smile all the time! 

 A visit to a local middle school and all the beautiful faces!

 We were thronged for autographs even though we we nobodies!

 "The Chicken Whisperer" (12x10) oil on linen

Like any place, there were both city dwellers and country locals that made up the population; and though poverty was present, they all seemed to be contented and busy just living life -- no cardboard signs at the off ramps or pan-handlers begging for pocket change, and tipping was a no-no...

 Announcement signage at the Kaiping Art Museum...

Our trip culminated with an evening show of our paintings at the Kaiping Art Museum where I sold one and donated another... gifts were presented to us from the Chinese artists and every one was interviewed by local newspapers and television!

House Boats at the Sunset (10x12) oil on linen

I am still processing all that I experienced there, but I do know I would go back again for sure; it was one of the best trips I've ever taken and one that I will treasure for a lifetime!

A typical scene in a rural village of southern China...