rachelceramics

macrobert arts centre

Just installed a framed tile series in Macrobert Arts Centre, University of Stirling, for their xmas exhibition. They were made in Hong Kong, carried in my hand luggage from Beijing and framed in Glasgow, then finally transported by train to Stirling – what a journey!

everyday beijing – autumn

the third litter of kittens to be born and raised in our garden are proving very distracting, every time I leave the front door they present a photo-op

I did make it to Beijing design week and saw some interesting projects, this was a good one, popular with the locals in the Bai ta si area, near a temple under renovation.

locals here also a little tired of design fans wandering up to their houses, definitely a more residential atmosphere than dashilar where Ubi gallery has my work on display

is it a fish? no it's a bird... — is it a fish? no it’s a bird…

no it's definitely a fish — no it’s definitely a fish

Finally a beautiful Beijing sunset over a pigeon loft

and a tortoise out for a walk…

july

Good that the Beijing summer is much warmer than Glasgow. Not so good – the humidity is up. But thanks to welcome visitors we’ve had some fun…

Jing Jing returned from being baby sat by one of Matt's helpful colleagues, not quite the usual engineering challenge — Jing Jing returned from being baby sat by one of Matt’s helpful colleagues, not the usual engineering challenge

Zoe, all the way from Hong Kong, outside Capital M restaurant - long established in China - Australian — Zoe, all the way from Hong Kong, outside Capital M restaurant – long established in China – celebrating Australian “fine dining”

glazed ceramic roof tiles at Tiantan [temple of heaven] park

beautiful parks — one of the beautiful [unexpected] local parks

startlingly green — startling bright green and a strange stone – actually there’s a whole separate park nearby dedicated to “strange stones”

Joe at Houhai lake - unfortunately the least inspiring coffee shop but hey nice view — Joe at Houhai lake – unfortunately the least inspiring coffee shop – but hey nice view

the lake at night — the same lake at night

798 art district- po-mo, post-industrial, neoliberal – good, clean, family fun [and toilets]

dramatic thunderstorm - an hour of continuous lightning, localised ankle deep flooding and amongst it all an army of drain unblockers and people with suction machines ensured the city traffic halted for the merest second only — dramatic thunderstorm – an hour of continuous lightning, localised ankle deep flooding and amongst it all an army of drain unblockers and people with suction machines ensuring the city traffic halted for the merest second only

summer flooding - no problem! — summer flooding – no problem!

not the tour de France -might have been uphill but at least they had clean air — [not] the tour de France – probably couldn’t cycle up Mont Ventoux pollution or no pollution

rounded off with Beijing aquarium - no matter how busy the UK tourist spots are in the school hols - this definitely takes the biscuit ! — rounded off with a visit to Beijing aquarium – a popular destinition for families with school age kids, definitely not best suited to the animal residents but surprisingly better than expected, hard to describe the crowds, this picture tries to give a glimpse of China on holiday

back to normal routine – our local stray looking quite picturesque in the stairwell

until next summer

Until next year goodbye to the gorgeous peonies in my garden, sorry bees I’ve picked them all!

my friend Rachel's vase all the way from Hong Kong to Glasgow — my friend Rachel’s vase all the way from Hong Kong to Glasgow

The albertines [hardy, scented, climbing roses] are still there so the bees aren’t totally deprived of resources. This has been my first summer in Glasgow for three years and it reminds me how much I enjoy gardening, off to Beijing on Wednesday so the weeding will have to wait…

skye road

everyday beijing – floating willow seeds

not necessarily what might be expected of Beijing but it’s quite magical here now – the sun is shining, the air is clear, the trees have exploded with colour and the sky is filled with a gently floating snowfall of cotton wool

amazing old building in our apartment compound, looking gorgeous in pastel shades — old building in our apartment compound, looking gorgeous in pastel shades

marsh mallow pink — marsh mallow blossom

the snow that's made of fluff — the snow that’s made of fluff

I remember cotton wool and you remember sneezing

handmade and vintage pots, lilac from the garden and linocut — handmade and vintage pots, new leaves from the garden and linocut

everyday beijing – bees bicycles chairs children catkins

like hyacinth flowers to bees the Jue creative market on Sunday proved a magnet to image conscious Beijingers, many sporting matching bicycles… bamboo and string

I can hear the bees buzzing through the double glazing kite flying in the carpark knitted creation in the Hutongs children honing their marketting skills according to Robert Macfarlane, the 2008 Oxford Junior Dictionary excluded this list of words “catkin, brook, minnow, acorn, buttercup, heron, almond, ash, beetroot…gooseberry, raven, blackberry, tulip and conker”