When I was very little, digging in the yard, my mother told us we were digging to China! Then there was a song about a slow boat to China. When I was 12 years old, I read The Good Earth and wanted to visit China. It sounded different, interesting, exotic.
More than 50 years later, I live that travel dream and visited China. After a long flight, we arrive in Beijing and finally are relaxed and in a very comfortable bed. My husband is soon snoring and I am tired and ready for sleep but I am wide awake!! I watch the darkness outside the window curtains slowly turn into the sunrise pink light. As I am lying there, I see it as a metaphor for the changes in China from the darkness of exclusion to the light of inclusion, of letting the west in, of letting the people have more freedom, of opening up the Middle Kingdom to other influences.
This experience was the influence for several pieces I did when I got back from this extraordinary trip.The two above are Beijing Dawn (bottom) and Beijing Morning, mixed media.
Welcome to Bloggerland, Linda! I have a similar memory digging in my own back yard. Once my siblings and I dug about three feet down. We were sure we'd reach China soon! I am loving those two images above. The colors are kind of soothing, calming, and the writing adds a rhythmic energetic quality. Nice in/yang contrast going on there. How did you come up with the Chinese characters? Did you copy some that you saw? Or did you learn the strokes? I have signed up for a workshop regarding that. Can't wait to go!
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