愛 · 冒險 · 探索

  *Spirit See Red (Drum) sculpture by Alexis Nanibush-Pamajewong, Indigenous Visual Culture, OCAD U May 6, 2024 I attended the exhibition by graduates 2nd time, the second day after the opening night. I don‘t know what intention or the meaning behind when the artist created this artwork. But when I look at this, immediately, I see this, it is a drum, representing indigenous traditions are being restricted by locks and chains. But when I look at it more closely all along the chains, it is the red beads string. Tenderly it goes along the cold and strong chain! Walking along the path. 多麼溫柔的力量，走在強暴的路程上… I’m struck by this artwork. I keep holding it in my heart with on-going contemplation. ————— * I learnt the title of this artwork when I check the website of the artist Alexis Nanibush-Pamajewong.

 頸背痛！ Neck pain after cutting plastic and making them into chains for 20 minutes, I was not aware my neck had already complained for a while when I was focusing. I had to look for my brush in order to paint the varnish on the “planet”, left lower back pain! Apply pain oilment and hot red bean bag. Give my body a break.  We cannot extract too much resources from the planet. Give her a break! 搽活絡油於患處，微波爐2分鐘弄熱紅豆袋，敷在患處上面，背向天花板平躺，休息10 分鐘。 Sitting down to do visual art is not for me, for sure. That‘s why 20 years ago I started to learn Playback Theatre. I move my body while doing creative art.

  Second generation seeds from daughter’s organic black beans  查看加拿大華人歷史 維基百科 Wikipedia: Chinese Canadian history  第二次大規模的中國移民是在 第二次鴉片戰爭 後（天津條約同意向外國輸出中國苦力）。當時的中國移民從 廣東省 台山縣 ，來避開國內的貧窮和政治不穩定狀況。來加拿大的廣東人大多數都是從 香港 進入加拿大。 I am still contemplating my story weaving my friend’s.  I am facilitating antiracism group with Quaker. We are reading Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin K. We meet once a month by zoom. This month, we shared our stories inspired by the chapter on “The offering” (p.31). We shared our stories of our ancestors when they came to Canada. El (Anonymous) shared that on mother’s side, her grandparents were Holocaust survivor.*  On her father’s side, her great grandfather was who surveyed the railway across Canada with other people. I know that many Chinese were recruited to Canada to construct the railway. In hearing her story, I felt pretty heavy and I did not know why. Today, Victoria day, it’s holiday, relaxed. I just checked Wikipedia And discovered: (The fol...

  Inspired by Piaget Bowen , I want to practice this meditation with my art making. I am making my bed like the world in the evening. Meditating places I got these stories. I bought the bell in Italy, to be exact, Assisi, with Veronica Needa who brought Playback theatre to Hong Kong in 1997… Mm… St Francis of Assisi…oh…  Veronica passed away last year because of cancer complications. She was building a house at the back of hers, in London, UK,  hoping to help young people from Hong Kong. I remember she was two years younger than I.

 I still remember one of them was refugee from Syria a few years ago. I invited him to join one of our theatre of the opera’s practice. There was one moment he was hugging my knee and leg, while I was sitting, when we were doing our image, he said, “ I feel so warm”!  We became friends. One time when we were waiting for subway, I asked him about Syria, He said, “ I don’t want to talk about it.” Today I witness what empowerment means through theatre. I just feel so moved and grateful 🦋

        Gaza ceasefire Pilgrimage on Mother’s Day weekend It was quite a journey. Last week I had a struggle because there have been  chaos created by right extremities to people who are on the street to protest against Israel. I asked opinion from my friend, who replied me, saying that siding on any side is not peace. I was quite confused about that. But there was little. I had anxiety in me that if I should join this Gaza  walk. So I spent the whole day Saturday to see some videos about the issues. Especially Rev from Palestine Bethlehem seminary, who had first-hand sharing about how Palestine situation is.  Rev Jack Sara, Pray for peace During the evening, looking at the news, how vulnerable the mothers and the young children are facing now. Then I read about this Gaza ceasefire Pilgrimage  in more details. It is a peaceful prayer and sometimes singing walk. It is multi faith. So I planned to join the walk after lunch. I told daughter to postpo...

  要做到這個地球的模型，上星期，吹脹一個氣球，將廢紙撕成大約兩吋乘半吋，一張一張貼上氣球，兩至三層厚，過兩天就乾了。 敲落去，Dock Dock 聲，說不出的喜悅！ Such a joy, when hearing this sound! 今天要將地球幾個 continents 畫上去, 搜索思量，終於用這個方法… 到傍晚才發現自己的頸部疲倦，下午想休息20分鐘，竟然起來已經睡了一個半小時！ Oh, neck pain! 再看這幅相，是戴着95歲的伯母上星期織好的，感覺自己真的像一個藝術家，哈哈，真高興！ Wearing the hat knit by 95-year-old auntie… Ha, I look like an artist! But at the back of my mind, 專注默想完回到生活，進午膳，期待這個藝術品不是我個人的作品，是一個集體造成的，各人都有不同的體驗過程… With collective work, each has different experience. 「 我考慮試一下，只用左手來發豆芽，我從未發過，現在還要用一隻手來發？簡直是傻了，看看其心路歷程，由一開始認為是困難的，到把這事看為對自已心態的挑戰，能力的挑戰，能否做得到？等著瞧！」她說。 “ I would love to know your journey, my dear, bean sprout with one hand!”

  Art work draft continues. In English, it is chain instead of string. Imagining the plastic chains and locks… Before lunch, I called her because she had fractured her right shoulder last month. She could only use her left hand. I invited her to join this beans sprouting, which she had not tried at all. Both of us put our heads together. How can  she sprout with one hand?  How large the container? No plastic please. It should not be too heavy. A clothe with little holes to let the water out…All can be done with one hand. The unpreferred hand! 一個人右手受傷不能用，怎樣用左手發豆芽呢？ 她正在做實驗。 I am so energized after talking with her. I meditate with Animalia (五禽之戲)，I had a mindful lunch. Yum helped me to buy 5 kg of Ontario grown organic yellow beans. Soaked two cups for a day, steamed for an hour, then stewed with maple syrup and soya sauce (Maggi, My mother-in-law’s favourite from Vietnam). Yummy lunch… Additional idea of the artwork comes up. The globe is covered by plastic chains. 地球被塑膠鎖鏈...

  To continue the draft of my artwork for May 30 symposium. The whole planet inside is full of plastics. The developing  countries are  bearing heavy burdens, and so the planet is collapsing to the other side. Different kinds of beans sprout are surrounding the planet. These sprouts are collective works of those who would like to contribute a bit to take care of the Earth. These people include those who are retired, busy at work, in schools, intergeneration, people with disability, men and women… 這些不同的豆芽是關心地球，想獻一分力量，學習保護環境的人合作，包括長者、少年人、殘障人士、工作忙碌的，退休的、男的女的… World map for me is Pacific Ocean in the center, Asia, India, Africa, catch my eyes, and North America is small. 這部份就是傾斜的地球。

  May 1,  2024 OCAD U 藝術學院的畢業生展覽，這個吸引了我，站在那裏我很舒服。 I told her, “ so comfy standing in this corner!” “ I do meditation when I’m doing my artwork.” She replied, with sweet smile, looking up to me, while holding that needle with dark green thread working on her “landscape”. 對我是一個啟迪。剛才拿起掃把，一個星期都不掃地一次，前天才掃了塵，因為聽了這位藝術家同學的分享，我就實踐一邊掃地，一邊默想！ Attended 8 weeks training with hubby at North York Central Hospital MBSR led by psychiatrist was an inspiration for me. Last week, reading Loyola House newsletter, learned the name of Cynthia Bourgeault, retreat leader, I love to go back to the awareness of centring prayer… 期待逐漸實踐生活，洗碗、掃地、煮飯、發豆芽、練習五禽之戲…是默想的藝術品創作當中… 哈哈，文藝青年呀！（我知道，老公看完呢一篇，一定會講呢句說話 😝） OMG! Finished laundry last night. The whole bed is full of dry clothes, winter pants, towels large and small, bed sheets, pillowcases…I usually keep them for three weeks in the laundry basket…This chore is no fun AT ALL! Chillax… When will I start this meditation artwork with all these textiles on my bed...

  2024-05-01 「救救地球」or “ Big hug” 1st week art work draft 草稿如何做這藝術品，可以在30號這個月展出。救救地球就是那個內容，有人物、松鼠、其他動物、植物一起努力將殘破的地球、哭泣的地球，向下墮的地球推上去。 Oh no, The planet is falling, that human being animals all together to save the world!  Really? 但是今天早上出現一個畫面，就是我們一起給地球一個大擁抱，Big hugs to the planet.  地球需要我們挽救嗎？我們把它如此破壞，我們能夠挽救她嗎？現在已經到達一個地步無可救藥。 葉文潔*要把那制按下去，邀請地球以外的勢力進來地球，征服地球。就是相信人類不能再可以相信了，已經無可救藥了。 不過我每天在外面仍然感受陽光美好，雀仔在唱歌，小樹葉慢慢長出來了，青草仍然長出來又有鮮花，各種的樹，我… I want to give the planet a  big hug!  It’s so beautiful out there! 是矛盾。 我想擁抱的是美麗的自然界，我所厭惡的是塑膠、化石燃料、污染、人類貪方便與及我的無能。 I want to hug the beautiful nature. I hate the plastics, fossil fuel, pollution, human greediness and my helplessness. —————— *「三體」主角 Three Body problem main character 

 2024-04-22 在回憶錄有提過， 我們夫婦二人除了生孩子要合作之外，其他事都不能合作的！ 今年結婚41周年紀念，我們嘗試做一件事，找藝術老師教我們畫畫。 Artnection 的  Kanson 請我們先坐下，好聽聽我們想畫什麼？ 第一課就是專心聆聽我及他的故事，我用鉛筆用紙又畫又寫… "As mentioned in my memoir, my husband and I can only cooperate when it comes to “making” our children, but nothing else! This year, we're celebrating our 41st wedding anniversary, and we decided to try something new - taking art lessons together. Our teacher, Kanson from Artnection, asked us to sit down and listen to each other's stories. The first lesson was all about focusing on listening to each other, and I used a pencil and paper to draw and write..." 第二課開始畫… 2nd classes, we started… 然後成為合作夥伴！ Our partnership after 41 years! 非常感激 Kanson 老師的同行！