On The Back Of The Dragon - An Inside Glimpse Of China

Ocean County Artist's Guild (Directions below)
Feb. 1 - 24, 2004 | Meet The Artist Feb 1. from 1-4 pm
Guild Open Tuesday through Sunday, 1-4pm

The first thing that strikes you about China after the rich history and architecture is its people. China is only beginning to open its doors to the western world for tourism as is evident in the stares and awe that the locals have when they see you walking down a street. It is always quickly followed by a kind smile or pleasant gesture. When I returned from a 14 day tour that took my wife and I from Bejing down to Shanghai I was really moved by the photos my wife and I had taken. Having a digital camera as well as a laptop gave us a unique advantage in that we were able to take over 1,750 photos in those 14 days. So even the littlest details and oddities got captured. What I wanted to share with you as the viewer was a glimpse of the beauty, mystery, color and texture of a world many may never get to see first hand.

I was especially excited to work on the watercolor to your right, Tantalus, 10 x 22. As I was walking through the back streets and markets in the city of Wuhan this incredible man stood out amongst a crowd of people like a sore thumb. You don't see very many, if any, homeless people wandering around in cities throughout China, it just is not the norm. What really struck me was here was this man, I did not know his story, his past, what happened, how he got to where he was, all I saw was a human being. Here he was wandering through a market rich with foods, fruits, drinks all of which he had no access to. It reminded me as I looked at the photo of the Greek tale of Tantalus. A man punished for defying the Gods who was sentenced by the Gods to forever be just out of the grasp of eating or drinking for eternity for having tried to fool them. So here was this man, punished for whatever he'd done in life to be where he was, unable to enjoy the abdundance around him, invisible to everyone, forgotten. So I wanted to paint this so he would not be forgotten, that his dignity and soul be known. He is after all one of us, human.

Directions to get to the exhibit:

Ocean County Artist's Guild
Ocean and Chestnut Avenues
Island Heights, NJ 08732

732.270.3111
Guild Open Tuesday through Sunday, 1-4pm

Garden State Parkway South take Exit 82 (not 82-A) to Route 37 East. Travel east to the sixth traffic light and turn right onto West End Avenue. Travel south on West End into Island Heights. Turn left onto Ocean Avenue. The Guild will be on the next corner, Chestnut Avenue, on your right.

Garden State Parkway North take exit 81 onto Water Street. Turn left at Main Street for one block. Turn right onto Washington Street and travel 1 1/2 miles to Whittier, turn right. Follow to the end and turn right onto West End Ave. Travel south on West End Ave into Island Heights. Turn left onto Ocean Avenue. The Guild will be on the next corner, Chestnut Avenue, on your right.

Route 35, travel south through Ortley Beach and follow signs for Route 37?Bridge. Take the jug-handle at the fifth traffic light for West End Ave. Travel south on West End Ave into Island Heights. Turn left onto Ocean Avenue. The Guild will be on the next corner, Chestnut Avenue, on your right.