April 12, 2016. Oil on canvas. 12 x 18cm

First day in Guiyang the sun had hidden and rain was pouring. Master Chan Chiu Lung got a flu and needed to rest at the hotel.

I decided to take the chance to practise sketching. I had brought with me the quick sketch book and some sketching reference for copying. Copying was one of the fastest way to learn if you could analyse what were those master artists thinking. 

I did 2 pieces at the Sunshine Hotel. Both time I visited Guiyang, I stayed in this hotel. It was owned a generous lady friend of Master Chan, called 袁莉。

Siu Yuen, her nick name, was born in a poor family and did not have chance to go to school. Yet she was a smart lady and she started her computer retail business at Guangzhou in her 20’s. Catching the growing economy she managed to earn a handsome profit to go back to invest in her home town Guiyang. She was married to a communist who run a JV 5 star hotel. They had a lovely family and a brilliant daughter.

Every time she would treat Master Chan and his friends for free, rooms, breakfasts, lunches and dinners. Last time she sent each of us a bottle of famous Guiyang Moutou rice wine as gift. Good one could cost $2000 RMB. Sometimes I felt too embarrassing to receive this kind of hospitality. But Master Chan said that if we rejected her kindness that was like not giving her “face”. Chinese was a nation who rated dignity very very high.

I had drawn some plein air painting from my room last time because I got a bad flu last trip. This hotel, the owner, her family, the food and the happy hours were all my memorable moments in Guiyang. 

  The Moutou gift

Master Chan was working on a flower painting in my room. And he became my life painting target.  
  A small oil painting 12 x 20″  Painting from 9/F of the hotel
We were being treated with very good meals! Grateful.