hmmm....

     Why is that when I am not near somewhere to get internet, I think of many things to post and share with you.  However, sitting here writing this post, I cannot think of even one of those things.  hmmmm.......

http://110facesofchina.blogspot.com/

     I ended up with the past two days off.  So, what does a missionary do in their VERY RARE off time, this one draws and takes photos.  Drawing is peaceful, serene, and restful for me.  It also is so automatic for me, that it is a great time for me to pray also.  Two drawings came out of the past two days of rest.  They are the bottom two pictures above.
     In the art world, artists do not carry business cards (so-to-speak), rather they carry ATCs (Artist Trading Cards) with either an original artwork or a print.  I have create prints of portraits from my latest project for these.  They are standard business size cards, and will be numbered editions with an original signature on the back along with my contact information on the back, and the blog address to get the story that goes with the portrait.
   

  

Two more drawings....and the beginning of another.

My favorite so far is the first one of Summer.  I think it is the different textures I like the best.  I will be sure to try to draw people with more texture going on around them in my other drawings.

I found out two Chinese people that I have met are getting married later this year.  I am hoping to incorporate a wedding portrait drawing into the 110 now.

The drawing to the right is of a very nice lady I met in a small town about three hours from Guangzhou.  Even when she was not smiling, it seemed as if she was.  She had such a sweet presence.  I am hoping to get to go and visit her again sometime.

When I first came to Southern China, I stayed a week in a youth hostel in Fangcun, a district of Guangzhou.  That Sunday (or maybe it was Monday), the other guests had all checked out and it was just me.  The family that ran the youth hostel had gathered together for a big dinner.  They invited me to eat with them.  I fell in love with this little girl, the youngest of the family.  The reference photo that I used, actually had food on her hands and all around her mouth and chin.  I left that part out.  She is so adorable.

1 of 110 finished. 2 of 110 started

Here is the finished drawing of the first of the 110 Faces of China.  This is my first portrait of an adult.  I will show the subject today.  

I started the second portrait last night by laying out the grid and the line drawing.  Today is service day, so I am rather busy, but I hope to get most of this one finished tomorrow.  I met this beautiful woman in a beautiful, mountainous area of China.  What I remember most is the glow on her face, and she was almost always smiling.  

Busy, busy, busy...

No one can ever say that life is a missionary is boring (or in ministry at all for that matter).  What started out as a meeting with the staff this morning to step up the level of integrity in every area, ended up being the funniest meeting of all.  Working with another culture can be challenging in this area, because there are very different ideas, culturally speaking, to what is acceptable and "above reproach" behavior between the cultures.

For example, Americans have personal space.  If someone oversteps that personal space, we tend to back off.  Also, Americans tend to be very aware of the personal space even more when it involves someone of the opposite sex.  Here in Asia, personal space does not exist.  People bump into each other and never even give it another thought, much less say excuse me for it. It is the norm.  This goes for male and female too.  There is nothing wrong walking arm in arm down the street just as acquaintances with each other. Where as in America we would immediately think there is a more intimate relationship going on there.

pic from wikipedia online

This morning in the meeting we went over boundaries and personal space.  We discussed the differences in this between cultures, and set an acceptable standard for the office that both the American and the Chinese staff members could agree upon (using the Word to help set these based on it's standards for God's children, regardless of nationality or culture).

After the meeting, I began working with the Pastor and our interpreter to go over the bible verses for the curriculum in the study classes we are beginning.  Of all mornings, we ended up reading and dissecting Mark 7:21 - 23.  These particular words used in this verse were foreign to our interpreter and it became hilarious listening to her version of what she thought the translation would be and then our version of what it is in English.  Of course these verses also go into much of the morning's integrity meeting.  The funny part was how naive the interpreter was and her face during this process, and her comments in light of the morning.  It was so cute, but I guess you had to be there.

Oh, well, it was a great morning.  Off to a very late lunch.  --joy

Possibilites

The photos that I post on this site were all taken by me.  Please do not reprint these for any reason.  Also, just because I put a photo on here, does not mean it will be one of the "110 Faces of China" that I will draw.  It just means that it is a possibility.  I am drawing them as I am led to draw them.  Here are two more possibilites.

Today is a GOOD DAY!!!

I think that is more of a faith statement at this point in the day.  I  know it is a GOOD DAY!!!

I stayed home yesterday and drew all day while I was trying to get a fever to go away.  While at home for the day, I began drawing the first in The "110 Faces of China" Project.  She is from Guangzhou.  I will post more on the blog: http://110facesofchina.blogspot.com/ .  This one flowed very quickly, so quickly that I am still amazed. The photo below is not of the finished drawing.  I will post it in a few days when I am back at home and able to scan it.

Today, I am back at work catching up on a back log of administrative duties that have really stacked up on me.