Happy Western New Year, Happy Chinese New Year, and the last days of Thirtywonderful....

I know, geez...it's been a while.

It's super duper cold (and humid to make matters worse) in Shanghai right now, and most of the Chinese folks who run the little shops have split town and headed out to remote parts of the country. Its the Chinese Lunar New Year, and it's a big deal. The streets are less busy, and people are leaving the big city to spend the year's biggest holiday with family. What is left is a more realistic amount of people in your way, and I can sense some sort of holiday spirit amongst these Chinese faces. Its like the feeling westerners have about Christmas. I'm back from a day of running around looking for a hardware store that is still open so I can buy spray-paint. I had no luck, so I'll have to wait until a week from now when all of the people return. Why do I need spray paint, you may be wondering?

Because I moved into my studio and am fixing it up. yep, it needs some TLC. My 40 sq. meter rectangle of joy is finally a reality. Some furniture stayed after I signed my lease, and I was able to clean most of the keepers. Some things have a wierd funk about them and need to be covered in black enamel ASAP. But in a nutshell, I am super super excited to have a space of my own and am trying to hurry up and outfit my studio with the right materials and organization so I can get busy. My proposal is way overdue for the AmSpace Gallery and I'm hoping to have my show in Late February, or early March (which means February is going to be NUTSO!)

I've given the photography gallery I've been working for my notice (again), and will be solely teaching English part time at home, and making work part time. (see Sophie and Angela, 2 of my 5 students, above, enjoying 10 minutes of drawing time after the meat of the lesson). I'm trying to organize my life so that artmaking becomes a reality again. I'm looking for more English gigs, and am happy Im on the right track. Money is tight right now, but Chris is totally supporting me in the rent category. I think I can make more money here teaching than if I came home to the US now and tried to find work. Just need to get more cash for art materials (glitter, foam, canvas, paint) and traveling.

Speaking of traveling, Im going to Thailand mid-March for my friends Candice & Jarrett's wedding. Its on an island near Phuket. Hello beaches, here I come! (eh hem, sunburn here I come)... Then Chris and I will take a train to Kuala Lampur, Malaysia, for five days. Then we take a flight to Vietnam (Saigon) and stay for another 4 days. Yes! I finally get to see most of Southeast Asia. Thank god, I was beginning to think I would leave China without see what else is over here. (will I ever get to India????)

Leaving China? well, not yet exactly. But it's in my thoughts. Don't want to be here for much longer. My studio is awesome, and I've waited for so long for it. I'll spend 8 months or so in it, give it up to an art friend if I can find one, and then Im ready for something else. I think....Not sure if Chris and I want to move to the same place...we'll see....

My 32nd Birthday is on Monday, and I'm celebrating it at the Glamour Bar (on the waterfront) along with my fellow Aquarian friend Ellen (who will also be celebrating for her departure from Shanghai Feb. 1st, which means I'm one good friend less richer). Hopefully all of our friends will obey the "black and white" dress code and we'll boogie to some of my favorite black disco (Chris will be dj'ing so I think I get to hear whatever I want!). I'll write again when I know what I'm doing with myself as a 32 year old. yikes.

Hugs from the East.

I miss you.

s
xo

Hello People

I miss you, and it's now November 2008. The weather is sunny, cool, and beautiful right now in Shanghai. You can find me here in a scarf, leather jacket, boots, and Chapstick. I've been working hard at m97 Gallery, a contemporary photography gallery, and finally decided to make a change. No more full time there, just 2 days a week. I'm also teaching English to some Shanghainese folks (well, more tutoring than anything) for 2 days a week. I have 2 business ladies and 4 kids (ages 9-11). That leaves 3 days to make work. It's my first week with this new schedule since the working 8 days a week stuff over the last 5 months. It feels good to imagine myself getting into the studio again. Here's a picture of Pam (graphic designer for the gallery) dressed as a Gameboy/Tetris for Halloween this year. She wore this costume to work and we installed the current show in a whirlwind. Here we are taking a break for a quick game.

My new studio (5 minutes walk from my apartment) is still under some construction, and I'm learning what its like to wait for weeks for the simplest things to be done. The landlady and contractors are makeing incredibly ridiculous excuses, and if I spoke their language, I'd let em' have it and feel more in control. I have a translator, who has been facilitating the search and discover studio hunt. Finally we found one that's 40 square meters, and has enough windows, tall ceilings, wood floors, and two long walls. It needs a major cleaning and painting, and a superficial wall that divides the space is to be removed. Everyday is another excuse, and I'm starting to think it's plain laziness. Its been three weeks since I signed my lease. Hopefully, I can get in there in the next week.

I've been promised a small show in January or February, (my choice, depending on how much time I need) at a little gallery called am space. It is run by two Shanghainese hipster/artists named Jam & Lam who can't be a day over 21. It's a sister/project space for a larger gallery called 1918 Artspace. am space is set back in a lane house in the French Concession, and has a garden outside. I can use this garden for my installation if I want, just need to figure out how.

Besides planning for my first show in Shanghai, I'm just trying to catch up on sleep, and trying to somehow save enough money to get back into a yoga studio. Chris is good, busy writing about food and dj'ing for extra cash. The yellow walls in our apartment are making me crazy, and I've been given the "go ahead" to paint them whatever color I want. I hope Chris isn't disappointed when I paint everything white! heh heh...... more later (let's see if I can keep this thing going...)

x

s