The doors are open.....

I am loving all these beautiful wooden carved doors in Bali.......

Fall!

I am loving the colours and trees in Autumn.

"The Soul of Asia"

Hi from Seoul! I am here for the week exploring this massive city with a population of over 20 million people. Usually, I like to do some research before I arrive in a new place but this time I didn't do anything and have been astounded. At the very least, I have enough ideas to keep me going for the next 6 months for painting.

Seoul is a really lovely place to visit. I've been really inspired from the gingko trees which line the streets to the embroideries of the textiles and the architecture both old and new. Hope you enjoy the posts this week from Korea! (and I even don't mind the occasional kimchee).

Jogye Buddhist Temple

Detail of carved wooden shutters

Glorious lanterns

Lucky Buddha with offerings

Handpainted patterns on temple roofs

Gyeongbok Palace

Ceiling Mural

Palace Guards

Changing of the guards

Love the colour of these wooden doors

Love the patterns on the walls

Detail

Antique Textiles in the Folk Museum

Gorgeous Antique Embroidered Pillows

Gingko Tree

Green

I don't think I will ever get tired of being inspired by nature.

Wat Rong Khun

I've been very lucky to see and experience some amazing things when travelling. We had the good fortune of visiting Wat Rong Khun whilst we were in Chiang Rai and it took my breath away for many reasons. 

The attention to detail and beauty is extraordinary!

Wat Rong Khun is a unique and unconventional  Budhhist temple which has been created by a famous Thai artist by the name of Chalermchai Kositpipat. The temple has been designed in white with some use of white glass. The white color stands for Lord Buddha’s purity; the white glass stands for Lord Buddha’s wisdom that "shines brightly all over the Earth and the Universe.

In 1997, he started building the temple as an offering to Lord Buddha all at his own expense. Chalermchai refuses to accept donations but is happy to sell his paintings/ merchandise to fund the project. The whole project (with nine buildings in total) is expected to take 90 years for completion. 

Fanciest toilets I've ever seen

A work in progress

It's going to be amazing when it is finished!

Chalermchai has trained a large group of artisans to fulfill his vision, and the work will continue long after his death. Everything from the painted murals in the temple to the road traffic cones have been created in his vision.

What an amazing legacy to leave to the world! I'm not sure whether I would be able to tackle a project as grand as this but it makes you think about what sort of legacy you want to leave behind with your art or whatever you do. Something to think about and be inspired by. 

Temple Stencils

The art of stencilling was very prominent in most of the temples we visited in Luang Prabang. The technique is actually quite effective and very beautiful. It reminded me of one of my first art projects at school - cutting out stencils from litho paper for screen printing. It was so much fun!!

Gold leaf stencils on black lacquered walls - a very striking combination

Stories are also depicted in the stencils

Everything is cut by hand - not laser cutting here.

Mosaic Magic!

Here are some of the gorgeous glass mosaics at Wat Xieng Thong Temple.

Ice Cream

I must apologise for the lack of posts and the absence of sketches/ paintings......I have just been having such a wonderful time travelling in Thailand (and now Laos). Some days, I might just go for a walk, have ice cream for lunch, massage then go back to the hotel and relax by the pool. Other days, may be full of inspiration going to visit an art studio or talking to some of the Buddhist monks at the temple. Tomorrow, I'm going to visit an elephant sanctuary and ride one of them. It is just really nice being able to do things as you like with no set plans or commitments or promises to make to anyone except yourself.

At the moment, I am not missing my painting at all though I have collected lots of ideas and taken many photos. When the time is right, I will be back into it with renewed energy and gusto. I think the biggest revelation so far is that I don't feel guilty about it at all. It's taken over a few weeks for me to get into this rhythm but it is all wonderful. I will enjoy every moment as it comes as I know it will not last forever.

Ice Cream for lunch!

The amazing Carol Cassidy!

I'm in Vientiane - the capitol of Laos this week. I had the pleasure of meeting Carol Cassidy, a textile artist who established Lao Textiles here back in 1990. Carol was a textile expert with the United Nations Development Program when she arrived here. She employs 40 weavers; mostly women who work right here in her studio (a gorgeous French Colonial Mansion). 


Carol's work can be found all over the world in prominent galleries and museums. She is currently working with landmine victims in Cambodia (who have no limbs) where they are weaving these beautiful striped silk scarves on modified weave looms which she developed. The weavers use special prosthetics etc. Really inspiring stuff!

Here's some pictures of her workshop:

Each design can take anywhere from 3 days to 3 weeks, depending on the complexity.

The loom

Everything is designed by Carol herself.

The design of the weave.

All the yarns are dyed in-house.

All images: Copyright Carol Cassidy