Another Dafen Drop-By

Dashed up to Dafen, the artist village in Shenzhen in Mainland China, to pick up the paintings we commissioned. It had to be a fast trip because Heather had a dinner party that night, so there wasn't time to do much at all.

However, this visit I did lay eyes on the artist I admire so much, Cai Jun:

 Amazing fellow. 

I wish you could see his paintings, 

which I wasn't allowed to 

include in the shot.

As for the finished commissions, here's the one I intend to donate to Laucala Bay Parish Rectory in Suva, Fiji, in memory of our good friend Father Bransfield:

 Father heads into the light.

Already told you how this whole commission went skew-whiff because the artist and I had no language in common, but I really like what he came up with. What do you think?

And just being a little silly, I also commissioned a portrait of Jane Austen to hang above my computer:

Honouring The Master!

It's an inspirational thing.  Yes, I too can one day write exquisite little novels.  Only now I'm thinking she's a little bland and wondering if I should paint a moku on her.  That's the traditional Maori facial tattoo, if you don't already know. And I'd just do a little chin tag to signify a women of highest respect. What do you reckon?

When I mentioned this, Maureen was very funny and referred me to this skit:



Yup, Jane Austen was a Kiwi.  I can live with that!

So now all I have left to do, Dafen-wise, is find the photos to be turned into portraits for Tutu Mission in Taveuni, and Lomeri Mission in Deuba.

And, and, and ... I'd LOVE to create my own Wall of Heroes with a row of pop art paintings of  ummmm?, Mahatma Gandhi, Amelia Earhart, Albert Einstein ... and that's just for starters.

And Dafen can do it for me.  How can you NOT love that place?