Another huge week! Many groups have been coming in to create art. I'm working with a group of architecture students to create tree demon lantern puppets, and local installation artist Chao is working with another group of the same students on deer lantern puppets. The students are really talented, and I'm really looking forward to seeing how the pieces turn out! We also had another huge group of architecture students (70!) arrive to create large scale sea creatures. More on them in an upcoming blog. [View Full Entry]

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Today we go to Wulai. We drive to a park area, trek a little way into the woods, cross a stream, and land on a rocky beach. I have brought the "Barbecue in a Box" setup that I received from Melody, and which provides up with quite a feast! There is a steady drizzle, but we manage to get our barbecue started and some people even go swimming. Afterwards, we head to the Wulai hot springs area. Besides the hot springs, Wulai is home to one of Taiwan's indigenous population and many of the items in the local shops reflect that [View Full Entry]

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Saturday morning we reorganized the paint area and Chao made us some great signs. As you'll see in the pictures, the space was abuzz with energy. Saturday night we capped off a busy work day with a cabaret show. I sung my "No no Nina, no no!" song, (which was a huge hit!) There was song and dance and puppetry and movement. One of the highlights was a sketch comedy where characters were auditioning for the Chinese Opera! Later Katie and I spent some time working on projects. [View Full Entry]

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A very busy week! Lots of groups wanting to make things! Katie and I started a couple of seahorse lanterns. More sharks being built. Lots of animal masks. A giant eagle. A giant manatee. The giant deer, for which I'm working on the antlers. The reed material we got in last week is getting lots of use. Chinese Melody invites us to an evening barbecue at her school. They're one of the schools that have been hosting Samba workshops. I'm the only one of our group who makes the trip. The principal himself picks me up! Quite a scene. Over [View Full Entry]

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Tuesday afternoon we learned that John Paul and Chien Yu had been in a car accident on the freeway and were now at the emergency room at the hospital. Everyone spent a worrisome few hours until they returned in the early evening. Although the car was totaled, they managed to escape with minor scrapes and bruises. Relieved, everyone got into some serious hang time before dinner! And the art goes on. [View Full Entry]

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After Jui Fen, we drove down a long steep road with several hairpin turns. Soon we were back in an urban area and parked the cars. The Keelong night market was across a busy intersection. We went through an underground passageway and walked by several shops to enter the night market. If you have never been to a night market, it's a little difficult to relate the experience. Everyone is bustling, cooking, eating, selling, buying. The streets are filled with people! [View Full Entry]

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Monday is our day off. In the morning, several of us went to see examples of traditional Chinese Opera. In the afternoon, we left for Jiu Fen, the "Gold Town". A popular tourist attraction, this scenic town along the coast has a huge temple and a magnificent tea house with great views. After the temple, we follow a long road that winds uphill to the tea house. Lined with small shops, you have to walk carefully and watch out for scooters! Along the way, you are deluged with sights and sounds and smells. Fine art, trinkets, stinky tofu, fragrant almond milk, [View Full Entry]

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This weekend was really busy. We had several groups come in to work on projects. Three more bicycle animals were started, and I began to work with a teacher who wants to create a large Chinese style dragon puppet with butterfly wings and a body shaped like the 101 building in Taipei! [View Full Entry]

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I've only been in Taiwan a few days and so much is happening! I'm one of a group of 30 artists from around the globe who have come together to create the 5th annual Dream Parade in Shijir City, about a half hour drive from Taipei. There are artists from the United States, France, India, Mexico, Thailand, and Indonesia, as well as Taiwanese. In addition to the Parade itself, there will be a "Moon Theater", an evening performance with giant puppets entitled, "Dream of Formosa", which will chronicle the history and culture of Taiwan. For a look at some of [View Full Entry]

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