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.