A late night visitor appeared at my door on a warm april night

Watercolor & ink

a perfect stranger

in a warm summer night

i wasn’t expecting you

in fact

wasn’t expecting visitors at all

you rushed into my studio

as I opened the wooden door

o dear poor, I asked

have we met before?

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Art Meditation

chinese painting colour on sumi paper (rice paper)

chinese paint brushes, water

I attended a very interesting event a couple weeks ago called “Mongolian Street Food” at the Louie Craft Coffee near the Liberty Village in Toronto.  This event was organized by the Canada Mongolian Chamber of Commerce (CMCC) to celebrate their 1^st Anniversary, and to promote Mongolian Culture through street foods.

I was immediately drawn to both aspects of the rare opportunity to explore “Mongolian” and “Street Food” culture, so I decided to venture out on this otherwise humdrum Wednesday night.

Upon arrival to a full house at the Louie Craft Coffee, I was greeted with a roomful of friendly faces of young men and women with full smile and sparkly eyes.  We were offered a refreshing Seabuckthorn drink, which is a very concentrated berry juice mixed with your choice of flat or carbonated water.  Then I was led to my seat and the dinner menu was presented and explained to me by the friendly staff.

Menu

Buuz – traditional Mongolian lamb + beef dumplings

Ulaanbaatar (UB) Salad – potato salad with a choice of vegetarian or beef tongue

Hailmag – Mongolian butter pastry (chocolate or peanut butter)

Tsai – salted Mongolian milk tea

Seabuckhorn Juice

Mongolian Street Food event hostess and CMCC Mentor Program Coordinator Khulan ZalaaUul

serving up the delicious Seabuckthorn berry drink.

 Fascinated to read about all the goodness in this Seabuckthorn berry drink.

Hailmag

A Mongolian butter pastry that comes in two flavors: chocolate or peanut butter

It was quite a treat to taste all these authentic Mongolian street foods, but I was even more touched by the opportunity to meet and talk to the Mongolian Canadians, whom I have never had a chance to meet before.  I was shocked to learn that there are only about 200 Mongolians living in Toronto, it made the CMCC’s 1st Anniversary even more meaningful and precious, and I felt very special to be amongst this small community to celebrate with them.  I hope to support the CMCC’s efforts in their future endeavour, and wish their community will grow in population and prosper.   Congratulations CMCC on your first Birthday and many, many more!

New Year, still half asleep in the cabin of left-over holiday glitters
on a paper box I see the word “first”
as I recall no resolutions were ever made for New Year(s)
but an ultimate newness inspires us all
to become something else or something more
then I see a cat crawled over a short white fence
to pursue what goodness or wonders must be on the other side
I caught myself lost in thoughts
wondering what intriguing things there must be, on the other side…

Drawing a blank here.
Best thing is to start playing with colors on a piece of used paper. I grab mine from the recycle bin,
covered the cheap photocopy paper with some gesso to disguise the marks and writings on the page,
and started splattering it with spray paints, then journal your thoughts or put a title on the page.

To be honest with you, I could not quite concentrate on much else other than my BFF Wanda’s health issue for the past month and a half, therefore I have dedicated a few posts solely on the updates and follow-ups on her health, as well as the progress of the workshop I have designed and hosted to give her support.

Thank goodness the surgery on Dec 12th went well, and Wanda is now recovering in the hospital. Wanda truly has a fighter’s spirit. She underwent a nine hour operation on Friday, and was able to get up on her feet briefly on Sunday. With all my heart, I wish Wanda a speedy and complete recovery from the surgery and emotional trauma this has brought about. I would also like to send my love and well wishes to her husband and caregiver, Eric, who is always there by her side, day and night, despite being alone in a stressful and frightening situation. He struggles to remain strong; making sure everything is all right.

On that note, I am signing off for the holiday season. I will be traveling with my husband down South for a bit. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone! I will be in touch with you again on my return.

Dee

We had a great turnout at the Banner event at Wanda’s studio yesterday – we have made 35 banners!!!

I just wanted to express my sincere thanks to everyone who have made time to participate in this project. The amazing support and heart-felt emotions flooded through the studio, and I hope that the energies and sentiments will linger on so whe Wanda returns, she will alays feel the love and support that we have for her.

We have just finished the Presentation Ceremony at the studio today. Wanda was so touched by all the love and support, she cried from the first banner to the last. It wouldn’t have meant as much if I am doing this alone, I am so grateful that we all made it happened.

I hope you will enjoy the pictures of the workshop as well as the completed banners that I am sharing here with all of you.

One last well wish: Wanda, we know you are strong and brave and beautiful, you can do it, and we are all here for you!

Dee

We have some updates on Wanda’s surgery. The surgery date is set for December 12th, 2014 to remove the tumor from her sinus cavity, and to save her eye from the damage from the tumor. It will be a very intricate and lengthy nine hour operation.

Inspired by Wanda’s Guinness World Record breaking event at the island in Toronto this past summer (http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/largest-sculpting-lesson), I came up with the idea to gather Wanda’s beloved family, students and close friends to create a “Banner of Well Wishes” collectively, the goal is to summon all of our positive energies and encouragements to help Wanda fight this battle, and to know that she is never alone.

I felt so blessed that the Goodmans were supportive of this idea, and provided me with the opportunity to connect with Wanda’s family, students and close friends in pursue of this very meaningful project. There will be 3 workshop sessions held at Wanda’s Creative Clay studio on (Sunday) 12/07/2014. The project is being self-funded by Art to {Heart} Studio, so it will not cost the participants anything to partake in this project.

I am thinking of using medium weight canvas as the base of the banner. There will be no sewing involved at the workshop, art and craft supplies will be provided to embellish the banner. Participants are encouraged to bring any photographs or personal ephemeras along to decorate their banners.

I am also planning to invite Wanda and all the participants to meet back at Wanda’s studio for a Presentation Ceremony before Wanda goes into surgery, at which time, the individual banner pieces will be strung together for presentation.

Since the surgery date is getting near, I must act fast to send out the invitations. With such short notice and the holiday season fast approaching, the invitees are given only a few days to RSVP. I am keeping my fingers crossed that they can find the time to come out and show their support to root for Wanda’s victory in her upcoming battle for a full, speedy and complete recovery.

Dee

A few days ago, a dear friend of mine Wanda Gooman was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer which started from the tear-duct, and has already spread to her sinus and upper jaw. The cancer is at stage four, luckily, it has not spread to the brain through the nerves.

When I heard of this the world had simply stopped for me.

Wanda, the person who gives all of herself to anyone she encounters;
Wanda, the sister and BFF and cheerleader to all the girls and women in her life;
Wanda, the multi-talented artist, modelling clay studio owner and workshops instructor the heroine to all her students from age 5 to 87 at Wanda’s Creative Clay (http://www.wandascreativeclay.com),; Wanda, the Guinness World Record breaking champion for hosting the world’s largest clay sculpting class in Centre Island this summer – honoring the memory of her former student Eden Worth, who lost her battle with brain cancer at the age of 12 (http://www.mountpleasantvillage.ca/news-a-events/item/53-wanda-s-creative-clay-succeeds-in-breaking-guinness-world-record)
Wanda, the one person who would greet any stranger with her warmest smile and kindness; Wanda, the amazing award-winning guitar player, an animal lover (she has 2 cutest pucks and 2 smarty pants parrots that she loves to no end); Wanda, the beautiful woman who is a natural athlete, who drives a mustang and can out-box most guys, whose golfing skills impress her golf partners of the opposite sex (even though she only gets to play a few rounds in the whole season)……

For those who know Wanda, you will know that I am not exaggerating, not saying nice things because I feel I needed to, you know you can only think of more amazing things to share about Wanda’s character than I have here.

It is not necessary to even discuss how unfair it is to have such traumatic things happen to the best (and I mean the best) person in this world. This sad news has touched us all: family, friends, students, and even acquaintances. Knowing Wanda, she has always been a proactive doer, never liked to complain. In following her example, I started to think positively. Ok, diagnosis is done, not good, but fine, we will deal with it. Wanda is a born fighter and survivor, and so she will do the same to face her challenge this time.

I am thinking of ways to help and to be there for Wanda through this journey ahead.

Dee

Despite almost living my whole life here in Toronto, I never quite got used to its cold climate. I was born a winter baby, that didn’t help much either. My husband thinks I should pick up a winter sport. I have tried skiing a few times in my life, but after a couple of “near-death” coming-down-a-baby-hill situations, I have decided skiing was not for me.

That being said, I love when it snows heavily, the air becomes calm and the world quiet, the smell of fresh air is chillingly wonderful, the whiteness of fresh layers of snow covering the earth. There is something mysterious and magical about it that I love.

And I like to walk the streets at this time, looking at the warm lights illuminating the windows of the houses, white smoke coming out of the chimneys, imagining how families are kept warm and cozy and together. Sipping a cup of hot cocoa or apple cider, perhaps reading together? Getting ready for the holiday season? Cooking up a storm? These thoughts warm my heart, reminds me how lucky I am to have a cozy home with my husband when there is a storm outside.

And then I think about the homeless, the unlucky ones, the forgotten ones, the sick ones, the abandoned ones, the lonely ones, who are out there in the cold, carrying probably nothing but a cold heart. I feel the urge to reach out to the communities who are underprivileged, often being brushed off to the side of the road like dirt by our society. I feel like reaching out and providing them with a chance to tell their stories, which will empower, and validate them as human beings just like anyone of us who manage to stay in a good place (for now, who knows about the future?).

I have had this urge many, many, many times, but I have not acted upon it. Every year, I let opportunities pass me by, and busied myself with work and family. In writing this blog post, I am taking the first step, making my mission known (to myself), acknowledging it in writing, to make a commitment to myself that I will follow up on this and make it happen.

Dee