What a fest at Shi Yang Shan Fang

Lin Bin-hui, a former architect transformed his vision of life in a culinary mountainside retreat at xizhi city. A devout Buddhist, Lin in fact runs Shi Yang Shan Fang,食養山房, more like a spiritual retreat than a restaurant. We had a great time roaming, sketching, drinking tea and eating soul food.

First Sketch in Taipei

My first sketch in Taiwan for this trip was a visit to the famous Tamsui fisherman's wharf, 淡水漁人碼頭. Tamsui Fisherman's Wharf is a popular shooting location for Taiwanese serial dramas. I was told the restaurants around the wharf frequently host live bands to provide entertainment for guests but the day I was there, it was very quiet. Shops were closed and not many tourists so I could sit on the steps in front of the shops and sketched peacefully. The wharf is also home to the Tamsui Lovers' Bridge, 淡水情人橋.

Taipei Skyline

Bought a NT$600 (about US$19) ticket to the top of Taipei 101 and did a sketch at the quiet corner amidst the loud and noisy tourists occasionally. I could have sketched the Grand Hotel Taipei 圆山大饭店 on the far right but too tired after one and a half hour up there.

Photo on the left was me sketching on top of Taipei 101, the tourists come and go in big numbers. Photo on top was me holding the sketch at Taichung upon request of fellow participants at Asia-Link Sketchwalk.

Huashan 1914 Creative Park

So nice to have some quiet time to do a sketch in Taipei — at 華山1914文化創意產業園區.

Taipei Sketchbook

Finally find some time to post my sketches of Taiwan. This is one sketchbook for Taipei from 30 Sep to 3 Oct 2018.
I did five sketchbooks on my recent Taiwan Trip in conjunction with Asia-Link Sketchwalk 2018 at Taichung. All these photos were taken at the hotel room in Taichung.

Sketches for the Trip

Last day in Sun Moon Lake on 10 Oct, also Taiwan's national day so I asked for a date stamp from the hotel on the sketchbook. Packing to leave wonderful Taiwan tomorrow to Hong Kong. These are the completed 4 Moleskines, 1 Saunders and 1 Laboran (continue from last Taiwan trip).

I will need to scan all the sketches and join them together before I can share on the blog. Please be patient with me. Thank You.

Taipei Panoramic Sketch

This is me holding my Taipei Panoramic Sketch at the opening ceremony for Asia-Link Sketchwalk in Taichung on day one, 4 Oct. I will scan and post the sketch later.

Taiwan Sketching Trip

On 29 Dec 2012, Ch'ng Kiah Khien from Penang, Malaysia was conducting a workshop at Taiwan University for Urban Sketchers Taiwan. I just detoured my trip to Taipei for that weekend to join in the afternoon sketching fun after their workshop proper. This picture was taken immediately after the workshop and just before the sketching session.

flying home

busy street junction

This is the only big format I did at this Hong Kong trip. It was also done as double spread in my travel sketchbook. It is the very very busy Tung Choi Street in Mongkok, Hong Kong. I was trying to capture the light too. Although it felt like 17 or 18 deg C, the sunlight was very strong. I almost lost concentration while doing this, I was too distracted by the noise, crowd and hustle and bustle.

a new year sketch

This was done on new year 2013 in Hong Kong.

Time Square, Hong Kong

Before meeting up my son, we went to Time Square and chill, it was crowded. We could not find any seat in the cafe, I was so tired walking around. Did not like the crowd and the noise. Finally found a seat at a cafe, talked to the two young ladies at the same table and they were from Singapore too! What a small world. I did this sketch after the two ladies left.

a sketch in the air

Towards the end of 2012, my husband and I flew from Taipei to Hong Kong to visit my son's family. From Taipei to Hong Kong was about an hour so I did a very quick small sketch in the air.

At Taiwan University - 草地的故事

From Susan Chang, also a sketcher from Taipei, about this sketch when I posted it on Facebook:

這片草地是近兩年才有的，因拆掉兩棟和農業陳列館成ㄇ型、開口向椰林大道的大建築，未來不一定會常如此，欣賞此美景的要快去畫。此"人類學博物館"原來是舊圖書館(即現在校史館)封閉的側門，如今整修再利用，加上眼前開闊，在Tia Boon Sim 筆下，顯現前所未有的美麗，老建築應很高興。我以前只能在門前近距離側畫，很擠呢!

又:據說拆掉兩棟建築後會空成如此草地，是計畫要蓋的文學院大樓爭議中，有另外的聲音反對兩邊都是老建築的椰林大道，校門口一進來就見龐然大物新建築。我好像在說"草地的故事"。

Day 4 in Taipei

Day 4 at Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall before meeting the gang at Taiwan University. The compound is so big, the CKS Memorial Hall was under renovation with scaffolding at certain area but I exercised my artistic license to ignore it. Also there was a big make-shift red tent with booths selling local stuff and also Taiwan flag were flanking along the pavement and these were in the sketch.

black and white sketch

While waiting for Kwin, a sketcher from Thailand, we continued to sketch at Ximending and i decided to do a black and white piece in my sketchbook. really felt very free and loose and lots of fun too. Two Taiwanese passersby were so shocked when they watched my using the dirty tissue which I used to clean the brushes to have a dab here and a blob there on the sketchbook to create the darker tones that you see here.

Kwin finally joined us at Taipei in the late afternoon, What a gathering for sketchers from Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia! Totally unplanned! It just happened!

Ximending 西門町

I did two loose watercolour pieces at Ximending and this is what you see when I put two of them side by side.

What a gathering at Ximending. The name of Ximending came from the period of Japanese colonization. At that time most local residents live within Taipei City. Ximending is the center for recreation. In 1896, the first theater "Tokyo Stand" was set up. In 1922, the place was officially called Ximending. Ximending is really a happening place. So glad to meet all the sketchers. Even Kwin from Bangkok joined us in the afternoon. Asian sketchers united!

Day 3 in Taipei

Day 3 in Taipei - my 1st sketch. We met other Taipei sketchers at the Red Theatre at Ximending. The Red Theatre was built by the Japanese as their entertainment centre when Taiwan was under Japanese's control. Now it is the incubation design centre for the young entrepreneurs. I bought a sliver ring from a young local designer.

Warming up piece. So many people watched over my shoulder and I really felt overwhelmed. Also I had to move a few times when the signage contractor came and did some welding job to put up a very big signboard just over the roof where I was sitting. A tiny spray of welding sparks also dropped towards me. It probably burnt a tiny strand of my hair. HA!

Day 2 at Jiufen, Taipei

We arrived in Taipei on 26 Dec 2012 and we visited the popular Shilin night market to eat to our heart's content. The place was so crowded and the food place was smelly but I did like it, it is the smell of Taiwan!

Day 2 in Taipei, we traveled to a famous small town called Jiufen on the eastern side of the island. We took the public bus it was very comfortable until the bus reached the railway train station and picked up all the tourists heading for Jiufen. I was looking for a restroom and found this cafe overlooking the sea. Had a cup of aromatic coffee and did a sketch. I remember I was very pleased with the piece when I completed it on location. Sketching really lifted my spirit. Yay!

A second sketch was done at the teahouse which was the movie set for the famous local film that gave Jiufen the fame. We had our lunch here and the owner repeatedly told visitors about the stories of the place and his 100-year old timber furniture.

The weather was gorgeous. We bought two bags and a few tees made of Jeans designed by the shop owner, a fashion designer. He had two shops called Cool Jeans opposite each other.

Preparation for another trip

My recent trip was a cross over trip from 2012 to 2013 in Hong Kong. First stop of the trip was Taipei when I gate crashed Ch'ng Kiah Khien's sketching workshop held on 29 Dec 2012 at the famed Taiwan University. Ch'ng is from Penang and very well known for his impressive black and white sketches using just tree branches and twigs and Chinese ink.

Instead of doing the same thing the last trip I was in Hong Kong, I brought this sketchbook made by Ketta Linhares who put all her handmade sketchbook on this link. The sticker I bought in Taipei was matching the colour of the cover.

This time we traveled on Cathay Pacific. The gate at Changi Airport is right at the end of the terminal, this is what I saw on this sketch, the cargo planes.