The first project I got involved with was an International touring exhibition called The Art of Zhen Shan Ren (which mean the art of Truthfulness, Compassion, Tolerance) as it was coming to a local town called Falmouth and I know the organiser (I now live with her, she is a very inspiring women whose daughter I knew when I was little, strange how things turn out isn't) This was a breath of fresh air for me. The paintings were so beautiful that I spent lots of time admiring the 56 we had on display, there is now over 60 in the collection. The Exhibition has been touring the UK since 2008, I am still working closely with the project though my role has shifted from helping at exhibition to working on the online media. An area that I didn't think I would enjoy as much as I do.
Please look up this very powerful and beautiful exhibition: http://www.zsr-art.org.uk/
We are preparing our next tour now, first one is due in May 2014.
From helping with the exhibition I became connected with a small group who were asked to visit a school as an assistant teacher was very taken by the values that the exhibition embraced. Together using a project which I have supported for a few years now called Petals of Peace, we were able to craft a morning of activities to share with the children, including stories, origami Lotus folding, group brainstorming, music and sampling the Falun Gong exercises which is what we practise and also the theme for Petals of Peace.
We have visited the school twice and have just finished putting our leaflet together ready to send to school and use at events. Our website is still under construction but to find us look for 'Petals of Peace UK' this project is one that has been spreading over the world since early 2000, predominantly aimed at children and young people but many adults also enjoy the challenge of origami folding (it's not really that hard, just looks it)
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| Origami lotus flowers made ready for handing out to people at local events. |
There have been small events that I have also been doing in Cornwall all linked with Falun Gong; demonstrating the exercises and talking about the background with people, and of course Petals of Peace; folding the origami lotus flowers with anyone who wanted to try.
But through all of this, the traveling and hard work, I have still found time to keep sketching and drawing when the moment takes me. Some of the paintings that I have created have been, for me, some of the best work I have done from many years. I feel that a part of me has been added to the paintings and each one has shown me something new about myself.
I hope to get this webpage/blog going again and re-vamp it to give justice to the work that I do.
