Author: Paul Maslowski

Enjoying a great day painting Spring Hares in the University of Leicester Botanic Gardens with the LCBP Group. See below for some excellent student paintings…

Thanks to Reg and Sue for adding their hares above. If you were there and wish to include your hare, please get in touch.

It seems only right to add my finished demonstration piece below so you can complete your hare study, if you have not already. I have added a few extra layers as you can see:

Should you wish to add the Chinese Calligraphy for Spring to your painting please take a look at our Seasons page.

You may wish to include the Calligraphy for Hare (tù) in your painting. This can be found on our Zodiac Animals Calligraphy page.

However, I thought it worth adding the different versions so that you can see the difference. See here for the traditional version on the left and the simplified version on the right:

Well done everyone.

Paul

The writer, artist and self-styled ‘silent traveller’ is one of the few ethnic minority figures to be recognised by English Heritage.

The Guardian published an article on Chiang Yee, the ‘silent traveller’, whose books have been an inspiration to us, we being the ‘not-so-silent travellers’, as is the Western way…

Read the full article here: https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2019/jun/29/chiang-yee-blue-plaque-china-greatest-cultural-ambassador

When Chiang Yee arrived in Britain in 1933, he was determined to study for a master’s degree at the London School of Economics and then return to China, where he had left his wife and four children under the care of his brother. He was 30 years old and knew just a handful of English words.

Yet Yee went on to become a popular artist, bestselling author, poet, designer, academic and hugely influential cultural ambassador of China to the west.

Now, 40 years after his death, his contribution to British and Chinese life has been honoured with a blue plaque unveiled yesterday in Oxford. Organised by author Paul French, a specialist in modern Chinese history, and Anne Witchard from the University of Westminster, Yee’s plaque comes in response to a campaign launched by English Heritage in 2016, calling for a more representative celebration of history.

An unexpected pleasure to find such wonderful art and friends in Stratford upon Avon. Claire with Wendy from Avon Arts & Jewels, 50 Henley Street. Thanks for tea, Wendy

For everyone who joined us in 2019, in the University of Leicester Botanic Gardens, for an LTCBP workshop painting rodents, in preparation for the 2020 Year of the Rat, we trust that you like the finished painting:

Well done to everyone who took part and painted a mouse, rat or squirrel (tree rat). They look an interesting bunch and it’s just a question of who has their eye on whom…

Thank you.

Paul

And the day begins…

We are really looking forward to our next workshop at Sywell on Saturday 14 September which will be looking at classical Blue Green Landscape – one of my favourite subjects.

See you there

Paul

Having a great time with rats in the botanic gardens. Here’s Claire demonstrating a big friendly rat…

For more info on Rat personality traits take a look on Travel China

You may wish to include the Calligraphy for Rat (shǔ) in your painting. This can be found on our Zodiac Animals Calligraphy page.

On Sunday 18 August we were privileged to be invited to work with the Oxford group once again.

This time we looked at Fish and the Carp.

Wonderful work was produced and I was so pleased.

It’s always good when a workshop flows swimmingly due to great people!

Thank you for making us welcome once again,

Paul