8/27/2008

Chinese temple in Bangkok



This is a gouache postcard for Wetcanvas's Dream holiday project. I have sent it almost a month ago. I hope it arrives safely. This is the biggest Chinese temple in Thailand built by the fund from Chinese government to be the gift to our king. They say that the architecture is adapted from the forbidden city but much smaller. But even then, it is still a huge and gorgeous structure. I felt like I was in China when I visit the place.

China



This is a watercolor postcard for Wetcanvas's Dream holiday project. I have sent it almost a month ago. I hope it arrives safely. The ref. image is from Wetcanvas image library.

My mind




This is a watercolor postcard for Wetcanvas's "Everyday items" project. I normally feel confused several times a day. Sometimes I feel confused of the decisions I make at my workplace. Sometimes I feel confused of the fine line between career and family. Sometimes I feel confused of where I should be or what I should do. I often second thought my self several times a day. I am glad I get to put the confusion in this painting.

8/12/2008

Venice -- Arcobaleno pigmenti



This is a mixed media postcard: watercolor & color pencil & ink. I painted it from the RIL of Katherine T. for Wetcanvas "Dream vacation" exchange project. I would love to spend hours in a cool pigment shop.

Venice -- gondola



This is a watercolor & ink postcard for Wetcanvas "Dream vacation" exchange project. It is done from a ref. photo by Bortai.

Commander in Chef



After we came home from the mother day karaoke lunch with my mom, Tone volunteered to cook chili for dinner. So I was his sous chef: chopping up onion and all that. Finally, Tone started cooking and Iris happened to be asleep. So I grab the charcoal that I never used and try to sketch Tone standing in front of the stove. The face proportion was not as accurate and his chin beared the trait of Jay Leno's . The arm and fingers were not right either but We kind of liked it. And the best part was that Iris woke up when I finished sketching. So I showed the sketch to her and asked what it is. She replied "Dada Cooking". So Tone and I had big smiles. We are so glad that Iris turns natural bilingual kid of Thai and English.

This is a charcoal sketh of 10x12 inch on a big Thai sketch book.

Thai Mother Day -- Part II





Well today is the Thai mother day holiday, Aug 12th. We had a nice American breakfast before visiting my mom. She played with Iris a little while. Then we took her to a karaoke lunch. We rent a small private karaoke room and order some food. Tone and I did most of the singing. My mom sang a little. Most of the time, all of us kept watching how Iris reacted to each song that just came up on the Karaoke monitor. We handed her the microphone but Iris did not sing much. So finally we had to order the "Jingle Bell" and the "Happy Birthday" songs that Iris sang with us a little bit. We had more fun when I pretended to be the host of Thai Junior miss pageant interviewing Iris. I asked her what is her Dada name.. She said its Tony. Then I asked her again what is her mother's name.... a long pause... since my real Thai name is so long and difficult. Then I asked her again what is her grandma's name.. then Iris said it is "Grandma". So we all had a great smile.

8/10/2008

Thai Mother Day








Aug 12th is the Thai National mother day as it is our queen's birthday. However, Iris's school hosted a mother day open house on Aug 8th. I went there and met the teachers, her classmates, and other parents. There are 2 teachers per one pre-kindergarten classroom (30 kids). The teachers decorated the board at the back of class room with Iris's work. She paint a blue blob (aka her mom) in the middle of one picture shown here. I had a big smile when I saw it. The middle part of the board show the pair photo of each kid and his/her mom. And the right most of the board is the card that the kids helped the teacher made one for each parent.

So that morning the parents witnessed the kid's normal school routine and later there was a game of musical chair of which Iris still thought that she had to run back to get to the chair she started with. Of course, she could not make it in time for a boy already had taken her original chair. Iris, turned to me and ask... Mommy... where has my chair gone to? I think she will pick up the logic of this game next time. One of the photo is a comparison of me when I was about 4-5 yrs old and Iris at 3 yr old. Aren't we a cute couple. The day finished with the teachers arrange for each pair of kid and parent had to help coloring the plaster doll. We had so much fun and I am so glad I can be a mom and my baby is Iris. Thanks God for letting me have this beautiful happy child.

Scaventure Hunt#96









A fun project on Wetcanvas about life sketching. They challenge us with a list of 26 items. Then we have to find them or the close similar one to draw from.

8/04/2008

Home Grown...Orchids

These are the blooming orchids at our garden since July. They came out to celebrate baby Iris's birthday in mid July and are still going strong. So before they are gone, yesterday I manage a short plein air 5x7 using Conte crayons.


8/02/2008

Scaventure Hunt#95 - Part3-7

Here are the rest of the list. They are so much fun.













8/01/2008

Scaventure Hunt#95 - Part1-2





A fun project on Wetcanvas about life sketching. They challenge us with a list of 26 items. Then we have to find them or the close similar one to draw from. We have 9 days to finish the list. I still have some more to go. I sketch the spaghetti from our dinner. Tone is kind enough to wait for 10 min. so I can sketch it before he starts eating it.