Armchair Traveler's Souvenirs

CHINATOWN MEMORIES

I've been to San Francisco a couple of times. My favorite part is Chinatown.

It's got an ancient, old country feeling, and traditions of asian culture. The architecture, the colors. Even the scents of spices, the kites and carved pillars.


Someone reminded me today that the Chinese New Year is coming up soon. I need to check, I think it's the year of the ox?

There used to be an asian market at City Market in Kansas City, I don't know if it's still there. You could find all kinds of special dishes, fish and seaweed, unusual eating utensils.

In the history museum in Kansas City, deep inside the building, they have transported an old asian temple building, intact and reconstructed. The carved pieces with hand colored and rubbed finishes facinate me.

So in that mood I created this set of asian-themed tiles. Some are round, some oval, some square. One set might be good as a group for magnets. The large square one, with the geisha face design, reminds me of a lacquered antique box I saw once, in a special store in New York. I could only look longingly.

There's a painter whose work I've admired, I need to look up his name. He takes the carved wooden type face used by tibetan monks to print prayer books, and incorporates them into his paintings. They are textural, a visual treat. I have to go and find my journal from the trip to Santa Fe where the gallery with this work was located, to find his name again.

These little tiles and pieces remind me of the feelings I had when I stood in front of those paintings.

I tried to reproduce the well-worn look. And the carmine reddish brown color that I remember.

The lanterns are a fun look, combined with the kanjii characters.

I don't know what they say - they may not be right-side up. But I like the way they look.