"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

Food Porn

Some of our best meals on the island.....bon appetit!

Nonya Laksa from BonTon Restaurant

It's not Malaysian but the best ahi tuna sandwich ever from the Datai!

Ikan Bakar - fish baked in banana leaf with caramelised tomatoes, onions & spices.

Served with condiments - rice, pappadums, dhal and ikan bilis

Temple Tree

We are staying at the beautiful Temple Tree Resort run by Narelle, Alison and their wonderful staff. The hotel consists of reclaimed old Malay, Chinese & Indian wooden houses which have been brought 'back to life' and restored with an eclectic mix of furnishings such as antique furniture, graphic modern rugs, japanese wooden bathtubs. Each house has been tastefully decorated in it's own individual style and charm; with all the mod cons. 

We're in the Black and White House

Our living room

Bathtub and in house butler!

Next door is their sister resort BonTon which has a fabulous restaurant. Guests can stay in one of their 8 antique Malay Villas such as Black Coral, Blue Ginger etc. 

My friend Chris Stone's painting and decorative furnishings

Blue and White

The owners also run the Langkawi Animal Shelter and Sanctuary Foundation (LASSie). A percentage of all profits go direct to LASSie, for the foundation to be able to continue its work on the island with stray animals. If you love cats & dogs, you'll love it here.

Chinese House - complete with it's own movie projector room

Stunning Red and Black Interior

Wish you were here!

In Langkawi this week.......just beautiful!

Datai Bay

'fireworks' painting by the local crabs

Tanjung Rhu Beach

International Quilt Market

You can check out some photos of my latest quilt fabric range Le Jardin de Papillons with Clothworks which debuted at the International Quilt Market in Houston. My good friend and talented artist Sue Zipkin also has her range Hydrangeas debuting there too. Thanks for letting me know Sue!!

Images courtesy of Clothworks

Very honoured to be sharing the display with my friend Sue.

Sue's quilt

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.

All Aboard - Pt 2

Our 2nd day was alot more relaxing. The tour company actually chartered the public boat that we were on yesterday just for us to take us on the rest of our journey to the Laos/ Thailand border.

The Mekong River

View from LuangSay Lodge where we stayed overnight

M's vibram shoes were causing quite a scene at a local village

Supporting the local economy

Lunch onboard

The fastest way to travel is by speedboat. Helmets and plastic ponchos provided

Fishing with nets on the river - not quite sure how effective this is but it must work

Training for the upcoming dragon boat festival