Friday, May 07, 2010

a postcard a day 4 / 每日明信片 4

落雨的初夏,空氣中有股涼意。我從講者的身份,轉化成速寫者,趁著不是我的課堂,捕捉偶然發現的ㄧ景,聽著教室裡老師宏量的聲音,學生清亮的發問聲,我很心安。

The air in early summer feels cool thanks to the heavy rain. I seize the moments between classes to do some sketches of an amazing scene on the campus I have recently discovered. As I draw, I float on steady sound waves formed by the teacher’s reassuring voice and students’ soft murmurs.

不過我把二樓往下俯瞰的景畫成一樓平視的角度了,下次再接再勵。

I planned to do a bird’s-eye view from the second floor, but it’s obviously not so in the picture. Well, I’ll take another try.

Wednesday, May 05, 2010

a postcard a day 3 / 每日明信片 3

每天在捷運上會遇到形形色色的人,那一天我遇見一個小男孩,引頸期盼地看著列車前方,他看到了甚麼呢?

I come across various kinds of people on the MRT every day. That day it was a little boy. I can’t forget the way he stared into the distance, where the cars were about to sail into.

儘管世界如此混亂,我仍然希望他看到的是生存的機會和無限的未來。

Despite the chaos of the world, I still hope what he sees is the possibility to live and a promising future.

Tuesday, May 04, 2010

a postcard a day 2 / 每日明信片 2

You think you are the only one that feels like running away?

Your bookbag wants to escape too!

Monday, May 03, 2010

a postcard a day / 每日明信片

我終於明白為甚麼大家那麼想要小孩了。

I finally realized why most of us want kids that badly.

最近覺得靈感枯竭時,看看我身邊的小方,這是個喜歡閱讀和收明信片的小孩,大人覺得沒興趣的主題,他總是興致盎然,或者大人覺得很愚蠢的話,他卻認為很有創意。於是我開始想一堆有的沒有的鬼點子,因為我知道不管我說甚麼,他都會全心接受。

When I felt that there weren’t many active brain cells left in my head a few weeks ago, I turned to Von—this is a kid who loves reading and receiving postcards. He hardly dismisses a book as boring while most adults can tell if they are interested in a subject within three seconds. Or he sees sparks of creativity in what adults consider silly. Thus, it occurred to me to brainstorm as many crazy ideas as possible because I know he’ll embrace whatever I say.

沒有創意了嗎?現在我規定自己每天早上起床要想一個很特別的點子,在出門前用五到十分鐘的時間畫在空白明信片上寄給小方,漸漸地,我好像也沒自己想得那麼腦汁乾枯了。

Out of creativity? I make it a rule to squeeze out a very special idea after I get up every morning. I’ll have to draw a quick picture and send it to Von before leaving for work. Little by little, I am not that dull as I thought I was.

昨天去圖書館的路上想到我們前兩個月在公園的野餐畫面,哪一天我們也在飛機上野餐吧,還可以打開窗吹吹風喔!歡迎我們的新成員小楷!

Yesterday on my way to the library, the image of our picnicking together in the park flitted before my eyes. Well, what about having afternoon tea one day on an airplane? With the windows open! Also, welcome our new member Kai!

Saturday, May 01, 2010

Duality of Life / 人生的二元性

每天起床都要很慶幸自己還活著,要認真地過每一天。

We should wake up every morning with a heart full of gratitude that our life still goes on, and we should live every day as if it’s our last day.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Two Wheels / 兩顆輪子


Two Wheels




If Von's feet were two wheels,


he could roller-skate to Taipei for fun!



If Mommy's hands were two wheels,



she would be done with dish-washing

within one milli-second!

That means, she could play with her babies!


If Dad had two wheels in his cheeks,


also, with the help of his teeth,

he wouldn't eat so slowly.



If Kai had two wheels on his elbows,


he could try surfing in the sea!


If Mamy had two wheels on her waist,


she would become very slender...

If Papy had two wheels in his brain,

he would think as fast as a computer.


If Shorty had two wheels on his left hind leg,


he might be able to kiss the moon!



But Grandpapa feels like taking off his wheels.

He wants nothing more than a break
in his soft couch.

Auntie Wanda is troubled
by the two wheels in her heart.


It runs too fast for her.
She can barely catch up with her heart!


Why don't we put away the wheels
and enjoy the moment?

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Graduation Trip / 畢業旅行

這個星期其他班級快快樂樂地去畢業旅行,我們選擇留在學校準備各種活動和作業。之前和好多人開了支票,說我最晚要在春天辦西班牙旅行的展覽,本來有點想假裝忘了這件事,不過既然圖都畫好了,看來我們班又需要一場旅行,不如就在教室裡辦吧!下著綿綿小雨的周四下午,伴著可口的蛋糕咖啡,除了我的基本觀眾二善,還來了不少熱情的同事,連媽咪和小方都成為座上賓,我們開了一場充滿暖意的茶會。

During the past week, other classes went on the graduation trip they had long been looking forward to, while my class opted to stay at school for the preparation of the big presentation in May and various assignments. I did give a rain check to many people about the exhibit on the trip to Spain as late as this spring, but I really felt like pretending that I hadn’t made the promise. Not that I didn’t finish the series. The drawings were in my portfolio, and we did need a trip, in any kind of form. I then made the decision to hold the exhibit in our classroom along with an afternoon tea party. Thus, on a drizzly Thursday afternoon, we had a really warm and lovely gathering with my girls and many enthusiastic colleagues. Even Mom and Von were invited to be the special guests.

託雙親的福,我從小在學校長大,畢業之後又在學校工作,我對於這個環境很熟悉,卻一直沒有跳脫傳統的框框,星期四的下午茶會讓我想了很多,學校是學習但也是生活的地方,因此所有和生活有關的活動其實都可以搬到這個場合,因此教室後面的佈告欄就變成我暫時的展覽空間,比起在遙遠的畫廊或咖啡館展覽,作品陳列於日常生活空間時,可接觸度就變高了。

For my parents’ sake, I grew up in schools, and I have worked in schools after graduating from college. I know this environment well, but I couldn’t think outside the box when it came to how to make use of it creatively. The party on Thursday afternoon made me think a lot about the functions of schools, which are a place for learning. However, we also “live” in schools as we spend about one-third of a day there. Therefore, everything related to daily life can be experimented in school. I turned the bulletin board on the back into space for displaying my artworks. Compared with distant galleries and cafes, art becomes more accessible when exhibited in everyday living space.

如果說我有甚麼夢想的話,我很希望有一天能夠在書店開讀書會,向大家介紹新書的內容和背後的故事,但是我在教室裡執行了這個想法,也很坦然地把自己的想法和身邊最親近的人分享,從前的我對於藝術的定義太遠大,其實從日常生活做起,可以得到非常直接的回饋和鼓勵,而當我聽到,至少有一個人已經決定明年也要去西班牙旅行時,我就更開心了。

One of my dreams is to hold a book-reading session in a bookstore, and I’d like to share with my readers the stories behind my book. I am glad that I have carried this out in a classroom. I also learned to share my thoughts with people around me. I used to define art in a very lofty way. In fact, I’ve realized that if I start right here and now from people I see on a daily basis, I can get very direct feedback and encouragement. I couldn’t express my happiness in words when I heard that at least one person had been influenced by me and planned to travel to Spain next year.

這是我今年春天最美好的小事件,希望大家也都受到同樣的感動!

I’d say this is the most beautiful event for me this spring, and I hope everyone present that day was equally touched!

Monday, April 05, 2010

Outdoor Art Classroom / 戶外的美術教室



關渡公園2010年自然裝置藝術季要上路了,有來自國外的六位藝術家會在公園裡建造心中的藝術作品,這個春天去關渡公園晃晃吧!

April, 2010 utters in the international outdoor sculpture festival in Guandu Park. Six artists from all over the world will create right from scratch their artworks in the park. Don’t miss the grand art event this spring!

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