Sept 13, 2016. Oil on canvas. 25 x 35cm

Russia希斯金夏宮

Taiwan painter, 詹振揚organised a Russian Tour at September 2016. I was very pleased to join them and knew more about Russian art, culture, heritage, history, as well as got new Taiwanese friends. This was supposed to be an art tour with half of time appreciating arts, and half of the time doing plein air painting in Russsia. 

The art tour consisted of 10 members. It began with heritage buildings, churches, museum, masterpieces and paintings in St. Petersburg.

This was the first plein air painting we did the third day we arrived St. Petersburg. The beautiful building was called the Summer Palace. The Russian Royal Family was so wealthy. Their “homes” we’re all grand inside out. And this summer home had a big garden. And this gave us a great opportunity to paint. 

I love painting. This was a special tool to record my life. Also to express my feelings towards people, things, incidents. And I hope my contribution to the world to be part of mankind history as well.

Today was a bit cool. Despite the sunshine we sit in the breeze to paint. Time was a bit short to complete a nice one. And I was happy not matter what I had done. I painted under a different sky – the iron curtain communist Russian country, and in the garden of one of the ancient emperor’s garden.

The magnificent 東正教 Church called 滴血教堂. The exterior was very beautiful details and tiles of different colours. And the interior was 馬賽克 of bible stories. All best artwork.

The church were all nicely built. It was to highlight the wealth of ancient emperors who had hired architects and artists from Italy, France, Spain to build the best houses and churches.This was the Winter Palace Square. An important square in Russua where the most important ceremony and celebration was launched. 

Now the palace had become the national museum. A tourist attraction. The interior had been well reserved. Golden lavish and glarmous, as the ancient days. The Russian kings had been very very rich and one could imagine the average pleasant had been very very tough. 

Russia was cool. The Autumn was about 10 degree. Very comfortable. The Winter and Spring was very cold like -30* degree in. Ice and snow.

Visiting Russian great artist, Repin’s home and grave. Impressed by his pleasant attitude and his passion towards arts.Visiting great Russian pianist, Tchaikovsky’s home. His home with all his belongings was donated by his family to the country as his permanent museum. Russian loved their country. They valued their country, people, arts, family much much more than money. I respected them. 

The donut shop was one of the oldest shop in St. Petersburg. It sold exactly the same donut and coffee as 50 years before. Donut was a cheap snacks and of course over the 50 years retail price had gone up. But it was still very very cheap. One interesting fact for the shop was its boss – two fat cats which stayed on the chairs in the midst of the busiest business hours. We saw old ladies in her 90’s resting in the donut shop. People loved this shop. And when a business proposed to purchase it the Russisn government had interfered and made it compulsory to stay the shop in the same business with the same family owner. It was a great story to learn how the Russisn government did to preserve culture. And made great choices sacrifying economic benefits.

Russian was good at arts, music, dance, ballet, paintings. It was a great experience going to theatre for ballet show.Big book store where I brought many many books.Street scenes.