Paint chysanthemums and rivers in Hong Kong

Landscape, by Susie Mallett, August 2010

Is this a dream come true?

As usual when I get an afternoon off, and once again today, I did not do the thousand-and-one things that need doing. Instead I did something else. I actually did get a few things on the top of the list completed, as well as an unplanned but much-needed sleep, before I decided it is time for a posting. Then I spent an hour surfing the arty delights of Hong Kong!

(See Notes below)

Yesterday morning I had been delighted to discover that Ivan Su and the staff at SAHK have come up trumps yet again. They really are an amazing team, from technology, to accommodation, congress info, to social activities and more, the answers are there almost before the questions have been asked!

On the social network site, in reply to my enquiries about doing something arty while in Hong Kong, Ivan Su has written:

I'm pleased to inform you that the Hong Kong Art School (a division of the Hong Kong Arts Centre) has consented to customise a short course for the Congress's participants.

The Arts Centre, http://www.hkac.org.hk/en/index.php, is located just a few blocks away from the Empire Hotel - Wanchai, near the waterfront of the Victoria Harbour.

I'll make a proposal to the Art School for price quoting. Tentatively, I suggest a 4-hours' workshop aiming at:

1. introducing basic structure and technique of traditional Chinese Painting;
2. experiencing drawing stems and flowers (e.g., bamboo, chrysanthemum, etc); and
3. experiencing drawing landscape (e.g., trees, stones, mountains, river, cloud, etc)

with basic materials provided.

This sounds great and it is exactly what I had imagined that I could be doing in my spare time while in Hong Kong. I am thrilled that I will be experiencing something really Chinese and learning something too, something that has been my dream since my first days at art school when I first became fascinated by the story-telling of Chinese painting on scrolls.

So if you have not already registered, or have registered but have not yet signed up on the social network, get logged in there soon and take a look.

There must be a thousand and one other things that people would be interested in doing: trips to the theatre or cinema, a spot of horse racing, learning a bit about Chinese cookery, doing some Tai Chi with the local experts, a bike ride, calligraphy, or even a kite-flying competition. It would be so much nicer to try out any of these activities in a group and in China than alone or at a local evening class at home!

It seems that there is no end of post-congress fun to be had. Thank you to the team at SAHK for all that you are doing to make the congress and all the extras so interesting for us all.

Notes

The pre-congress social network site:

http://socialnetwork.ce-congress2010.org/posts/show/12709308

Hong Kong Arts Centre:

http://www.hkac.org.hk/en/calendar.php

http://www.hkac.org.hk/en/gallery_pao.php

Fringe:

http://www.hkfringe.com http://www.hkfringe.com.hk/healthy_vegetabrian_light_lunch_en.html

Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts:

http://www.hkapa.edu/asp/general/general_performance_main.asp http://www.hkapa.edu/asp/tech_arts/tech_arts_academy.asp?lang=eng&mode=gui

Hong Kong Arts Centre:

http://www.hkac.org.hk/en/calendar.php

http://www.hkac.org.hk/en/gallery_pao.php