Sunday, April 23, 2017

Laidback creation of contact prints 遊走大自然創作

 Friends asked how I was up to.  I said same old, laidback and enjoying my creation while riding or hiking with my energetic teams.  Over the two weeks life was brimming with  activities and got inspired by nature. Love my biking team I got chances of riding in the village lanes, along the fish ponds and my hiking teams over the region mountains.
  朋友問候近來可好 ? 我說還不是山上走 ,地上跑, 好享受的遊走自由創作, 這兩周跟著隊伍兩輛子在大嶼山、元朗 、 深圳福田騎行、 在西貢山頭遠足。 這些野外活動豐富了創意 ,復活節假期與友共聚及工作坊教學, 總結這兩星期近況 。
 That day with the team we took ferry crossed the channel  to Lantau island for the Tung O  Ancient Path (東澳古道) riding.
A tough ride on the stoned trail at the beginning. 
A break for the view of the infrastructure being built over the sea.  The crossing bridge to Macau and China that will make us closer.

We're the dynamic team with leader and members care each other. We're not for the speed racing but keen on exploring new routes,  fish ponds, ancient temples and into indigenous villages.  
My friends overseas may have the instinct that we're in the cement forest only with high rises but just in a stone's throw we're surrounded by greenery and stunning nature.
  
The fish pond in Yuen Long is one of my fav spots.
 
I can be a solo rider but with a team we can explore the region following the leader and the guide who know well the routes.

This day I joined other team for the off shore riding in Futian (福田) China. We took the train to the border.
 In the train we've to dismantle the front wheel. Getting into China for the riding is quite a tough activity.  We need to go through two customs and dismantle then fix the wheel. Too heavy to carry the bike for a tiny woman like me.
We intended to ride about 50-60km along the mangrove forest into the boulevard by the sea but only into the entrance of the mangrove area we found the road was blocked due to too many bikes during those holidays.  Shame that we have returned Hong Kong.
Back to Hong Kong border we cycled a while in Lo Wu (羅湖), along the water pipes  supplying from China......
and doing exercise of riding on slope.
Indeed this is the part in Futian, China where we intended to do cycling.
I was a bit disappointed for not allowed to enter on that day.
Days later I took the chance of meeting friends in Shenzhen and went to see how this area looks.

  
It's quite a broad road good for cycling and strolling with views both China and Hong Kong
In a  short distance is the bridge over the bay of Shenzhen across Hong Kong

In Shenzhen we met Christine and Rod who came from Australia for a China Tai Chi and cultural trip. A jaunt with our friends in a restaurant to catch up before they left for airport in two hours.

Back to Hong Kong, hiking was another activity for my soul and mind. We went up the mountain in Sai Kung (西貢) with the stunning view of Po Toi O (布袋澳).
The outing in Shenzhen and Hong Kong I got inspired by the casaurina and the leaf with red side on the back (Xcoecaria cochinchinensis 紅背桂)
Immediately that night back home I already done the experiment with the layout with inspiration of the water in Futain.

The red back leaf outcome is not red, just brown.  Anyway it's an experiment.
 


Another experiment with the leaves and casaurina I laid on this silk with the Tibouchina urvilleana (野牡丹). Purple is nice outcome.


    
The last day of the long Easter holiday wrapped up with a workshop for the eco prints and nuno felt fashion. I taught the students who like simply prints thus a little leaves were used.

Each made different styles of the fabric printed.  Simplicity is our belief - clean and clear.

Eco printing is such a nice creation. Sometimes unexpected but sometimes you can control it with proper placement and mordant. These samples of fashion I am going to teach in BC Vancouver Island, Canada is fusion of fibre and fabric with flora.
 Eco printing is sky limit. You can get inspired from nature.  Any leaf except those toxic you can do with.  Without needle or thread, a seamless tunic and multi-styled vest/scarf are made.

Sunday, April 2, 2017

Eco prints from nature 源自郊遊的天然印染

It's a crispy Sunday morning.  Just two days ago the weather was changeable but I was able to do nature activities with creation. 
這兩日春天天氣變幻 , 從一日和熙陽光下踏單車遊走北區羅湖邊界村莊到翌日本意遠足西貢山頭, 但因滂沱大雨折返而在岸遊小島, 景致依然美, 順道在郊野撿拾花葉做實驗, 香港郊外, 近在咫尺, 美不勝收.


That day I biked in the north towards Shenzhen Lo Wu (深圳羅湖), the China border. Not far there's the well developed city in sight. 
Along the flat path and the river......

with some cows grazing....


and some resting on the river bank with birds on the back

 Arrived the border is the Hong Kong Tak Yuet Lau Police post (得月樓警崗).
A few years ago this area closed to Lo Wu China boundary is prohibited to enter without permit.  Now it's open to the public.
  
Then I was in the village,  Liu Pok village (料壆村) is located at the West Lo Wu.  Indigenous inhabitants of Fung clan.
I've a nice chat with a gent who returned from Holland.  He's one of the overseas Chinese of the village moved to Europe in the 60's for working. Now returned for retirement.


After a short ride in the village I forwarded to
Ho Sheung Heung (河上鄉). This Hau Ku Shek Ancestral Hall (居石侯公祠) was built in 1368 with alter and the hall used as village school.  The monument is well maintained and protected under the Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance

Next explored to find my way .....


Along Kwu Tung Road (古洞路) is the village shopping centre 

Views under the 2-wheel is nice to explore
  
The village in Kwu Tung still with typical farming huts


After a few hours leisure ride I stopped by the famous shop for the bean curd custard

Home with handful new finds -  the guava and eucalyptus leaves.
Next day supposed hiking in Sai Kung (西貢). Arrived the bus terminus caught my sight was the bright Tabebuia chrysantha (黃花風鈴木)
I collected a few on the ground for eco prints experiments 

Went up the mountain with friends and said hi to the boars.  While we're in the bush, it's pouring.  Play safe we called off hiking. 
Instead we returned to the pier and strolled along the promenade with my friend Ellen. She showed me the other side of the seaside. That moment rain stopped and we could see the clear and beautiful landscape.

I've never been to this part of Sai Kung peninsula.  It's stunning with boats.
 The mountain in the further we intended to do hiking.
The bay with lots yachts and boats is peaceful and calm.
Ellen and I decided to spend a couple of hours on other island.
We took the ferry to Kau Sai Chau golf course (滘西洲高球場) for light buffet lunch

We've a nice time in the restaurant with greenery around.

The weekend with plants collected I tried eco printing with them.  The Tabebuia chrysantha and the purple ones were new to me.  Can't expect too much.
The two pieces of yardage done
Guava leaf is bold and clear. Yellow and purple flowers are resist only, no color at all.
This is stretch silk yardage. The same piece in two ways upside down.


This one is wool blend cotton, prints and dyes in exhausted indigo with tumeric for yellow and greenish blue. Also one piece in two ways upside down.

So here are the two pieces of yardages experiments with new finds during the two days nature outing. The flowers are only as resist but I got to know which eucalyptus yells red and where to collect the windfalls when I need it.
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