rachelceramics

Our small flat has been busy with teenagers since Lucien arrived back from London, its just like old times, I feel like we’re a family again!

Lucien finally made it back to Hong Kong after missing his original flight. Tired and fed up after 12-14 hours on the plane but soon fixing up plans with friends and off to Kowloon Tong.

Liz also back from Canada and seems like the whole crew are back in town, off to the black wall and Lan Kwai Fong like old times [obviously I only hear the edited version].

Last Thursday the critique group at JCCAC did a life drawing session with an enthusiastic volunteer, William, as the model. Jovial had to draw with her left hand for the whole session due to her right hand still being in a splint, she rose to the challenge, she really seems to live up to her name.

The new exhibition at Edge gallery includes Picasso ceramics, how exciting for me to watch them being unpacked and placed on the table in front of me!

Hong Kong park has some truly remarkable flower displays in the pond purporting to refer to the theme of romance but in reality actually rotting, they took away the really dead flowers but weirdly put the empty oasis back in situ.

Weather has taken a down turn – cold and wet – and a pleasant walk to look at the harbour, not dissimilar to being in Scotland.

Finally the MTR drama…I was on the train next to the one that stopped in the tunnel. We all sat for around 10 minutes before being told that due to a power failure the line was now closed. This quickly developed into an announcement stating that this was an emergency due to a serious incident and we should leave the station immediately. Luckily, I could walk home from there [after buying an umbrella as it was pouring] but apparently the disruption went on for five whole hours…can you imagine…it was almost like being in London!

 

Purely for brainwashing purposes like the whole mall which is probably my least favourite place in HK but I’m slowly getting used to it, mainly as it is the only place I know near the studio that sells coffee first thing in the morning as Cafe Golden doesn’t open until eleven.

https://witness.theguardian.com/assignment/529c735ee4b0999a297a93d1

Christmas comes early in Hong Kong if you want a real tree, however environmentally unfriendly that desire might be, as they quickly sell out despite the fact they cost two or three times more than in the UK. Anyway this year I have gone for it and decided that slightly retro kitsch is the look for Christmas in Hang Hau.

My picture of the gigantic [fake] tree in Festival Walk is on the Guardian blog and also helps to capture the shopping imperative in this city.

Last Saturday at animal artist Sascha’s studio I sold the rest of the mugs and some tiles and tealight holders that were left over from Jockey Club Creative Arts CentreC [JCCAC] fair the previous weekend so I’m surprised my trolley is still so heavy! Anyway back to the studio tomorrow and down to work for the next job.

JCCAC fifth anniversary exhibition also opened on Friday and looks pretty good with some interesting work, my favourite is the Zen mopping circles. My work looks a bit small in the large space but gives me some ideas for new developents.

Something for Christmas, however low key it is…

 

Trying out 2d pieces in an attempt to see what’s possible but fear that framing will make them too expensive to produce for sale. The usual slight frustration that “visual objects that hang on the wall” have more value than pots with as much or more work needed to produce them. This may be a mug’s game [pun intended]. Anyway here they are…whether they’ve survived the biscuit firing I’ll find out today…

Yinka Shonibare arrived in Hong Kong for his first solo show here at Pearl Lam gallery. I have loved his work for a long time and I know that he does receive some disparagement along the lines of Antony Gormley’s similarly reviled accessibility to the masses [so kitsch!] but those fabrics are just amazing and the concepts have so much post-colonial, post-modern, post-industrial relevance to Hong Kong and the rest of the planet today.

can cheer you up [a little]

 

Hong Kong’s black kites soaring over the setting Wan Chai sun, it does get dark a little earlier in winter here.

 

Cherry, Ingrid and Stefanie have a new studio in Sai Ying Pun…more pots in the city…keep on throwing ladies!