We were painting the outdoor market in a neighboring village when school let out for lunch. Several hundred elementary school children passed through the square. The girls walked in small clusters, sometimes holding hands, lots of giggling. The boys, well... they were boys! Running around, making loud noises, jumping off of things. One boy jabbed his finger into a pile of white paint and ran off. (His mother is not going to be pleased when she tries to get oil paint out of his clothes). Could have been outside of any school in America.
At the beginning of the trip we felt a little funny because we were staring at people and taking their pictures while they were going about their everyday lives. Not any more. I think what turned the tide was the day I was taking a picture of a family and suddenly another family member came outside with HIS camera and started taking pictures of me. We have learned that we are exotic! (Wow, I may never come home. If I do, will you please ease my transition by staring at me and snapping photos? Thanks).
One of the other painters experienced this in a big way. She was painting in a small village. A man came up to her easel to watch. He stayed for almost 4 hours. Even more amazing was the fact that he never once looked at the painting she was working on; he spent the entire time staring at her.
Gotta go paint now...
...again! This time, I am spending two weeks in the small villages of southern China, looking for inspiration for my paintings.
