In Gau Cho's studio, the gal in the green shirt, I learned how Chinese artists handle those famous brushes and black ink. Gau Cho is a well known artist in the Muslim Quarter and her work is absolutely masterful. In this photo she is trying to teach me to draw "straight" and "even" lines with the point of the small wolf-hair brush. She is laughing because I was a miserable failure. She finally burst out saying, "You are really BAD at this!" I had to admit, she was right.Traditional Chinese artists have a deft and masterful control over their brushes. We westerners must appear to them as hacks and blunderers by comparison. However, when I gave her my business card, she was sincerely impressed with the image of one of my own paintings I'd placed on the front. So, I guess this was a mutual exchange of respect and admiration for the other's art and culture.
Connie loves to get shots of children. She snuck this picture while the grandmother was not looking, but babies always notice her. Such is the case in this photo. In China, the grandparents often care for the children during the day. It allows both of the parents to work and builds wonderful relationships between the generations.
As you can see, some of the normal school children still wear the red scarf, symbol of the communist government, but that is changing. Not all students do that anymore. The children in the International School, were we taught, did not wear them, and others also do not wear the red scarf.
The Muslim Quarter is famous for its foods and social/cultural contribution to the city of Xi'an. Here is a shot of a street cafe. We ate many wonderful foods in Xi'an, including a deep fried persimmon cake with raisins inside that was almost too hot to hold, but incredibly delicious! Who would have figured that those flavors would go so well together, but that is the way with Chinese cooking; unimaginable and endless combinations of delectable delights that boggle the mind. China is about food! Great food! Some of the foods I dislike in the U.S. I loved in China. It is all about how food is prepared and paired with other food. One of those delights was egg plant. I despise egg plant . . . but not in China; it is so yummy!
Amos is one of the kids who won (in a raffle) the painting I did of Aslan, painted while Connie read from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. He was so stunned when they called out his name that his eyes and mouth flew open and he stood absolutely still - incredulous, frozen and dumbfounded. Several of his buddies started hugging him, and then they all began patting him on the back and congratulating him. You'd have thought they all had won a painting. I love this delightfully innocent look on Amos' face. May his life be ever filled with wonder and delightful surprises.
TOMORROW, we go to Nanchang (pronounced, Naun-chong), considered the original epicenter of the Communist uprising, August 1, 1927. Some good art came out of this part of our tour.
(To see the art of Daniel Rice, visit http://www.danielriceart.net)
