alone in the studio

New Birds in Beijing

Almost finished!  These are two of the six that were commissioned for early autumn arrival in New York City. I used Kaffe Fassett prints and Moda solids for this pair.

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On the subject of critters, one of the teachers at the HCU program made this version of a Chinese folk art tiger last night and gave it to me today.  The traditional-style design is striking, and it's made with great care (on both sides!).  She even embroidered hearts in the border. I'm really touched and honored by this gift of time and self.  

      

 

 

 

 

 

 

Children's Chinese Folk Art Tigers

Examples of Chinese Folk Art images drawn on the chalkboard.

Student Tiger

Engaged students and a teacher.

This student asked if she could make a rabbit, not a tiger. It's the Year of the Rabbit in China, and of course I told her, "Sure, why not?"  She smiled and proceeded to draw and paint this collection of fish.  Great initiative and imagination! 

Student samples--so much personality!

The "Blue Team" and one of their teachers display their finished projects.

Chinese Folk Art Project and Amazing Air (for Beijing)

 In a jet-lagged fog, I worked on final samples for the  Human Capital Unleashed academic enrichment camp art project this week.

The new version is unturned, making it simpler for the children (and teachers!).  I'll post pictures of the students and their creations later this week.

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Check Out the Air Quality!

I arrived back in Beijing last night after a quick trip to the States to help my youngest daughter with her cross-country move for a new job.  

After weeks of Air Quality Index ratings  in the unhealthy 200s, 300s, and even dangerous 400s levels, this is what it was this morning. I'm so happy to see those tiny green bars!
 
 

Camp Arts and Crafts

The children attending the HCU day camp are eager and curious.  They're happy to be in summer camp-school, and I'm grateful to begin to get to know some of them.

I have lots of photos, but I'm hesitant about posting them.  Adult teachers and staff can give permission for their photos to be publicly displayed, but the children can't, at least not in the way U.S. school children's parents or guardians must give written permission for their pictures to be included in anything, even a student teacher's teaching portfolio.  I also have ethical questions about general privacy issues, and I'm wary of cultural trespass.  

In On Photography, Susan Sontag wrote, "All photography is an act of voyeurism." (This may not be entire verbatim, as I'm working from memory, however, the sentiment is accurate.) Many times I've been traveling or living as a temporary visitor in a country other than my own, and I've had the camera to my face, telephoto reaching out into someone else's face or world, with an image framed and, hopefully, focused, and I couldn't bring myself to hit the shoot button.  At the last minute,  it felt too invasive, too self-serving and yes, perhaps voyeuristic.

I'll talk to my colleagues about their norms and customs, and share my culture's policies with them, before I decide to/not to post any easily identifiable photos.  

Beijing Summer Camp

 Most of my fine colleagues at Human Capital Unleashed, a non-profit summer and after school program for migrant workers' children. These photos were taken on second day of staff and volunteer training.  

Summer camp begins tomorrow!

 

Birding in Beijing

Old bird, on right, needed company, hence new bird, on left. More to come, as I've been commissioned to make six new birds to be given as gifts at a special luncheon this fall.

Back in Beijing

The U.S. Embassy monitors the air quality here in Beijing, posting updates every hour. These hourly updates are Tweeted, providing information for  residents to use when assessing the benefits and/or risks of being outside. 

The red bar in the middle of the screen reads: "Dangerous," and the description below the bar explains: "Health warnings of emergency conditions. The entire population is more likely to be affected."  From my experience over the past seven months, this is not uncommon.  

 

 

 

For some reason, the double negative "not uncommon" seems less ominous to me than the direct "common." 

 

 

The picture to the right (blurry, my apologies) shows the Air Quality Index chart, which can be found at airnow.gov.  Here is a direct link to the AQI for Beijing: Beijing Air Quality

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Visibility is less than a block on this Monday morning.  The temperature is expect to reach the mid-90sF or about 35C.  

This is bad news for all Beijing residents, and especially for children, the elderly, and those with health conditions, as well as the hundreds of thousands of manual laborers toiling outside all day in these conditions.  Privileged folks like me, with the luxury to stay inside air conditioned apartments, cars, and offices (all with central air cleaners and often individual room air cleaners as well), will stay inside as much as possible. We'll  wait--for days perhaps, or maybe only for hours--for the winds to shift, blowing the city clean, or the rain to fall, pushing the polluting particles into the ground water and earth.

 

Vintage Japanese Fabric

 Vintage Japanese Kasuri Pack

Vintage Japanese Yukata Pack

These vintage Japanese fabric collections arrived from  Quilter's Express to Japan just in time to pack for my trip back to Beijing.  Many thanks to Susan Ball Faeder for graciously accommodating my last minute request.  I'm not exactly sure how I'll use these special fabrics, but I have a couple projects in mind. Having them in hand is inspiring new ideas.

Susan is leading the  "Autumn Splendor" quilter's tour in Japan this November.  It seems like a wonderful way to experience Japan's rich history and textile traditions with like-minded fiber artists and quilters.  I've sent in my deposit, and perhaps you'll consider joining the tour, too! 

Detail, Vintage Japanese Kasuri Pack

Rural Living

Once again it's time to leave my old farm house (on this rural road in New Hampshire) and head back to the Beijing 12th floor apartment and city life.

One room in this close-to-the-road 3/4 cape served as my small town's first social lending library in the 1800s.  The house is on a hill near the early town center.

The house was built in 1795 (you can see the year posted in antique numbers over the front door, left) and expanded (center part) in the 1830s. The big blue "barn," was added in 1990.

The side porch wraps around the back of the house, where it's fully screened. In summer, the porch is the best room in the house, used for eating, reading, and napping.

I like seeing the one lone dandelion fluff in this picture.

Barn door.

Fourth Comfort Quilt Finished

 

Long-arm quilting (and photos above) by Phyllis Dewey at Quilter's Pantry--Quilter's Pantry.   She does lovely work!

This quilt was pieced in Beijing, long-arm quilted by Phyllis Dewey of Quilter's Pantry in Tennessee, and bound in New Hampshire.  My daughter, Sam, is holding it in this picture. The quilt is now en route to Tokyo, where it will be given to someone in need of comfort. And yes, those with sharp eyes will see that I used a bit of lavender binding when I ran out of pink fabric.