milestones

so i graduated....

...and started working here.

life just got insanely busy and deliriously real.


cups of coffee:  2

mood:  happy-tired

and there was much rejoicing

7 1/2 months of research and writing....almost 8 if you count some of the work that started in the summer. 30 sources cited of various mediums and sizes, from books to online articles. countless cups of coffee.
blood, sweat and tears...well, apart from a few paper cuts, mostly sweat and tears of fatigue.

finally. it's finished. all 76 pages of it, from cover to cover.

printing out my master's thesis on archival paper and sticking it in one of these special binders felt quite archaic in this digital age, but i admit there was also something extremely satisfying about creating something tangible and feeling the weight of my labor.

i've learned so much throughout this research process, and for this i'm very thankful.

now it's one step closer to graduation......


cups of coffee:  1

mood: free

data, data, data

'data' is the magic word these days as every industry is trying to validate what they are doing and why. and the whole idea of impact measurement is like a golden ticket in the non-profit art world...except it's not always the right kind of ticket.

this is the crux of my master's thesis: the disconnect between what data can measure and the realities of how art can benefit communities. it's not just about trying to measure what might be immeasurable according to current criteria and metrics; it's also about providing organizations with the right questions and tools that a) actually prove useful and can be consistently utilized over time and b) enable them to understand how to gauge their own program effectiveness and communicate that information to funders in a way that's coherent.

it's like i'm swimming in these issues, to the point where i can't stop thinking about it. i am obsessed.

measuring impact is a hot topic right now, and here's a great recent post by david brooks in the nytimes about why data collection and interpretation can be not only inaccurate but actually insufficient:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/19/opinion/brooks-what-data-cant-do.html

love this quote:
"One of the points was that data is never raw; it’s always structured according to somebody’s predispositions and values. The end result looks disinterested, but, in reality, there are value choices all the way through, from construction to interpretation."- David Brooks

at the end of the day, it's not just about the answers you seek but the questions you ask (or don't ask).


cups of coffee: 3

mood:  nerding out

internship

this semester, i'm interning with an organization called no longer empty, a non-profit arts organization that revitalizes unused spaces around the city by curating temporary art exhibitions coupled with thematic community programming. the workload is running me ragged - i'm coordinating several events - but i'm LOVING it. thank God for my days at twocities.....all that event production experience is coming in handy.

here's a visual smattering of some of the events i've been involved with so far....

 "the wedding": an interactive theater performance where audiences participated in various wedding-related transactions with the actors

 "amorama": part of a monthly family day series with workshop activities for children

 "immigrants are tax contributors": a participatory performance art piece with immigrant movement international

and i get to work with and meet some pretty darn cool people. can't complain.......


cups of coffee:  2

mood:  tired but thankful

lent-ing

it's officially ash wednesday and the start of lent!
last year, i gave up alcohol, chocolate and dating for lent.

this year, i'm giving up 2 of those 3 again.

guess which two?

in other news, i'm ready for spring break.


cups of coffee:  numerous

mood:  i need a massage

thesis-ing

i care so much about my thesis. SO MUCH. more than i need to.

is it because i'm a type-a-asian-american-oldest-child-of-an-immigrant-family? is it because i'm an obsessive perfectionist when it comes to my work?

or is it because i love my topic so much and believe (probably naively) that i may be able to prove some assumptions and develop some tools that can prove radically beneficial to the non-profit arts sector?

whatever it is, sometimes it hurts to care this much.


mood:  uggggghhhhhhh

coffee:  2

wowzas

yesterday, tom finklepearl spoke in one of my classes about public art and community.

today, richard armstrong spoke to another one of my classes about the guggenheim brand.

i'm in awe.


cups of coffee:  3

mood: ahhhhhhhhhhhh

pretty great

today, one of my classes toured the met museum to walk through a newly opened exhibition with the curator.
that was followed by another class tour of the east fourth street cultural district in east village and sit-down discussion with fourth arts block's executive director (my internship supervisor!)

o, grad school. even when things are crazy busy, you're pretty great.


cups of coffee:  2

mood:  busy busy busy but happy

perspective

i am tired. my brain is fried, my body is both jittery from caffeine and completely wiped from lack of sleep. i am living, breathing and even dreaming of the overwhelming amount of work that stands between me and relative freedom this summer. two more weeks. and i am grouchy.

but then.

i remember the wonderful privilege i have to live in what is inarguably the greatest city in the world. i remember that it is a gift to have the physical, mental and financial capacities to attend graduate school. i remember the amazing group of friends i have here, all that i'm learning - both good and hard, and the ways the Lord has provided again and again, beyond abundance. i count all my blessings and then some. and i am truly, truly thankful.


cups of coffee: a bazillion

mood:  persevere, persevere.....

wretches and jabberers

i had the amazing privilege to watch this film, "wretches & jabberers", in my art education in museums class today. this class is held weekly at MoMA (another great privilege), and we heard from MoMA's associate educator of community and access programs as guest lecturer. in telling us about the museum's programs for visitors with disabilities, she showed us the film to help us better understand autism and dispel any misconceptions we may hold.

i was absolutely blown away by this documentary, particularly by the two witty and incredibly thoughtful protagonists, larry and tracy, two autistic men who travel the world as advocates. the film is told through the voices of those with autism, and it's absolutely inspiring and humbling. it has definitely transformed the way i view autism and reaffirmed my belief in the dignity and creativity of every human being. everyone longs for connection and communication, and every person has been endowed with great abilities even when it's not immediately apparent.

do yourselves a huge favor - watch "wretches & jabberers" and be inspired!

cups of coffee:  3

mood:  tired but inspired

overflowing

i've been back in the states for about 3 months now and a student for almost 1 month. life is setting into a sense of normalcy, though adjusting to student mode has been more challenging than i'd expected.

the last time i was in school, people were still using desktop computers. we were just starting to really use mobile phones, but only for making phone calls and to send the occasional text. my course readings involved a mountain of textbooks. i had to call or email my professor's department office to arrange meetings during their office hours.

technology has changed everything in the past 10 (wow, 10! how old AM i.....) years. everyone has a laptop now and a good handful use tablets. my iphone is my crutch: i'm checking email, looking up restaurants, using the dictionary, constantly referring to google maps when i get lost. all my professors have their calendars online, and scheduling meetings now requires clicking on their calendar link, signing in, and scheduling the slot myself. my readings involve a small pile of books but tons of websites, blogs, and pdf documents (which led to the purchase of my first kindle so i could read while in transit. and i know i should have waited - purchased my kindle mere weeks before the new kindle fire was released!).

i went to the library for the first time last week and was absolutely overwhelmed. nyu's bobst library, besides being architecturally massive, overflows with resources both online and physically. i actually had to sign up for an orientation session next week, for fear of being completely lost and in a panic come final papers deadlines.

my life is overflowing in so many ways. when it comes to school, i feel as if my head were cracked open and all this information is just being poured into all the crevices. i'm living, reading, sleeping, breathing arts administration. with the copious amounts of reading assigned - particularly for my "environment of the visual arts" class, taught by our interim department director, a very thin richard gere with intense eyes and an airy voice - i am constantly reading and trying to stay afloat.

the readings are fascinating. i always realized the art world and arts organizations were complicated, but this past month of reading, discussing and learning is further opening my eyes to just how complex that world is. from the current reality of a ludicrous art market to questionable ethical practices in the non-profit and for-profit realms, it is an amazing array of greys.

when i'm not reading (which is pretty much all the time), i'm visiting exhibitions and taking notes. one of my classes is "intro to galleries and museums in new york" and we visit different galleries, museums and art districts every week, sometimes with guided tours by staff who are alumni from our program. needless to say, i LOVE this class. all my classes require visiting exhibitions on my own time as well, and most of our papers and projects revolve around our research and analysis of these institutions and the work they're doing. this weekend, i have back-to-back museum trips scheduled: first, it's off to brooklyn museum for their 'target first saturday' event, then it's sunday afternoon at the MoMA for the 'talk to me' exhibition. i'm hoping to catch the much-acclaimed de kooning exhibit at the MoMA as well on sunday - that is, if i'm not totally over-saturated by art yet.

i confess that i am a bit of a nerd, and my curiosity is being wonderfully sated by school. i love learning and asking questions, and i'm excited that two of my final projects involve putting together analysis and strategic suggestions for a museum and an arts center. so much of what we're learning is theoretical but there is a heavy emphasis on the practical. we are getting to apply what we are learning, and that is incredibly satisfying.

on top of school, life in nyc is bursting with a million and one things to do. last weekend, i celebrated my birthday on U.S. soil, the first in nearly a decade. dear friend hanneke came down from boston, and we trekked to flushing, queens with a few other friends for an afternoon of delightful noshing on cheap, good chinese food. the evening was spent celebrating with friends over drinks in the lower east side, followed by a couple hours of rousing karaoke. ironic that i would celebrate my first birthday back in america doing pretty much what i would have done in shanghai.

 my awesome roommates

 reunited with hanneke

in what has become an annual tradition, i "gave up" my birthday to raise money for charity:water. upping the stakes a bit each year, i raised my goal to $2,000 this year and was so excited to see that goal met! a big, warm "thank you!" to those of you who participated in the fundraiser this year! it was also a pleasant surprise to receive a personal thank-you video from founder scott harrison, as part of their fifth year anniversary celebration this september.

i continue to be deeply grateful to live life in this gracious overflow. i know what i've been entrusted with is a wonderful gift - not to be hoarded but to generously share. i am thankful for each and every provision here, and my daily prayer is that these gifts would pass through me - as fruit from one hand to another - to bless, nourish and encourage those around me.

cups of coffee:  1

mood:  deeply thankful

last day

yesterday was my last day at the gallery. so strange to turn in my keys, clean out my desk, and walk out those heavy wooden doors for the last time (as a gallery employee at least).

i started out this job almost 5 years ago with practically non-existent management experience and bottom-of-the-barrel art knowledge. i was timid, uncertain, naive and intimidated. the gallery was just starting out - a little place with big dreams. now, 5 years later, we've established a solid presence in shanghai, known for the high caliber of our exhibitions and events as well as the sincerity of our hospitality. i couldn't be prouder to have been part of this amazing venture.

in the past several weeks, many folks have expressed to me their appreciation for my part in building twocities and how i've helped to grow it. to be honest, this job and this place have perhaps grown me more than i've grown it.

though fear and uncertainty will still strike me every now and then, this job has increased my confidence and capacity in ways i hadn't imagined. i hope i'm not speaking out of arrogance - it's more of a sense of pride in doing good work, in knowing failure is inevitable but resilience is possible, and in knowing that if what you are doing is true and meaningful, people will sit up and take notice.

i've learned to develop a thicker skin, to let things slide and pick my battles. i've learned to manage people (not my favorite thing to do) and in managing, aim to truly care for those under my wing. i've learned to be firm and saccharine at the same time - sometimes the only way to get things done around here, especially as a woman. i've learned to read the many shades of nuance in chinese culture and to read people more proficiently. i've learned to not fear failure.

and there is, of course, all the nitty-gritty of the art business that i've learned along the way. but that's a whole other blog post in itself.

most of all, i've learned more about who i am and how the Lord has created me. i've been made more aware of my strengths and weaknesses and in doing so, have gained a fuller understanding of how He's designed me. i've discovered the things i'm passionate about, the places where my skills and God's heart intersect. i've realized what makes me come alive. i've learned what it means to listen to and follow your calling.

thank you, twocities. it's been an often challenging, frequently frustrating but truly remarkable journey.

cups of coffee:  1 1/2

mood:  bittersweet

shanghai life-cycle

when i first arrived in shanghai 8+ years ago, i was determined to "be chinese". taking language classes at a university, i surrounded myself with chinese friends, plunged into the cuisine and culture with fervent tenacity, spending most of my waking moments wanting to love and learn china.

and then i realized i would never fully be chinese - there is so much american in me. and in the eyes of the chinese, i would never be completely regarded as a foreigner as well. so i struggled for a few years, wrestling with the tension of being both-and-neither, trying to tame the anger and frustrations in my heart. during this period, i also transitioned from student status to young professional in shanghai, navigating all the ins-and-outs of work visas, taking jobs that pay the bills, salaries that barely cover the bills, and negotiating with chinese landlords. and the whole young expat scene - ah, yes.

i dove into the wild, intoxicating shanghai nightlife, especially after i took a position working at an art gallery that required schmoozing with the shanghai glitterati (or glitterati remoras). parties, clubs, neon dance floors and tipsy nights. it was at once exhilarating and exhausting.

now i've reached a certain calm - in my shanghai lifestyle but perhaps also stage of life. it may be a certain tediousness that comes with even the most robust and seductive nightlife a city has to offer. it may be that i'm settling comfortably in my 30s and no longer feel the need to prove my twenty-something self. some other friends who once cruised the party circuit with me agree: all that once glittered is certainly not gold and at the end of the day, we all crave for something more solid and sure.

my current phase can best be described as "nesting" - i think the cold weather is partly to blame. in the past week, i've hosted four dinners with friends: cooking, laughing, eating and connecting over mounds of good food and glasses of wine. incredibly nourishing to the body and soul. chinese, foreigners, from various walks of life and faith backgrounds...all of us sharing our struggles and joys in this simple act of living life day to day.

i like where i'm at now.


cups of coffee:  1 1/2 with soy milk

mood:  vacation!

process...ing

tonight we kicked off a new series at the art gallery: "twocities conversations". our hope is that this series would focus on the creative process and the lovely overlap of art and life as we interview various musicians and artists with whom we work. our first guest was steve sweeting, a brilliantly talented jazz pianist who we've been collaborating with for five years. i hosted the program as the interviewer, putting some of my journalistic training to work (thanks, BU) and living out one of my daydreams as a talk show host (move over, oprah).

it was a lot of fun interviewing steve, especially since he's grown to be a good friend through our years of working together. he's also one of the most gifted, astute and imaginative musicians i know, and he never ceases to amaze me with his breadth of creativity and depth of thinking. he spouted quite a few things tonight that were worth mulling over and digesting - everything from the importance of playfulness in cultivating creativity to the capacity for improvisation and openness to surprises in music and life.

steve shared about the process of songwriting, how inspiration can come in many ways and many shades. there is rigor involved in constantly working and reworking songs, trying this style or that key, setting it in this or that time signature, until the song develops into something you can be satisfied with. there is obvious joy in the process for him - even in talking about songwriting and experimenting with different arrangements, his face lights up and his fingers twitch as if itching to dance across piano keys.

being an excellent musician or artist (or anything in life, i suppose) requires a certain commitment to the "process." there must be a willingness to try and fail (sometimes spectacularly), and fearlessness to take risks. it's not about always obtaining measurable outcomes.

i've learned a lot about process from my time in shanghai, particularly working at twocities. patience was never one of my great virtues, and i usually operate at two speeds: 1) fast and 2) faster. i used to think patience was about waiting: sitting around wearing some calm composure, a face of serenity that could rival the placid visages of mother mary statues, hands folded in gentle acquiescence, waiting. but lately, i've started viewing patience from another perspective: perhaps it's not passive waiting but a very active engagement in the process. our lives are always in some sort of transition - i think those moments of complete inactivity are rare. we are constantly growing and learning, trying and adjusting, succeeding and failing, acquiring and losing. in the midst of it all, we are impatient, wanting to push past this stage, get rid of this or that now, move to the next level, etc. we cannot allow the process to occur and run its natural course. we struggle with being fully present and committed to the process. we grow in discontent.

but to see our life as a work of art - a sculpture being chiseled or a song being penned bar by bar - to allow the process to be and to remain open to what we cannot plan or manipulate...
and how reassuring to know there is a Great Artist who is shaping us, who forms my bones and my days, and who knows exactly where and how the process needs to be....

i am striving to not just learn patience; i am learning to be more present. i am learning to derive more joy from the process.

on a side note, at the end of the interview with steve, i peppered him with a series of questions proust-questionnaire style, in the tradition of "inside the actor's studio." here are the ten questions that i aim to ask every guest in subsequent "twocities conversations":

1. What is your favorite word?
2. What is your least favorite word?
3. What makes you happy?
4. What makes you angry?
5. What is your favorite quality in a man?
6. What is your favorite quality in a woman?
7. Where would you like to live next?
8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
9. What profession would you not like to do?
10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?

just for fun, here are the answers i would give:

1. cacophony
2. retarded
3. hugs
4. stripping away of dignity
5. humility
6. resilience
7. italy
8. chef
9. mechanic
10. "well done, good and faithful servant."


how would you answer these questions?


cups of coffee: 2

mood: excited

surreality

i realized in mid-conversation with a friend the other night that for the past four years, i haven't been living in reality; i've been living in surreality. it's the combination of working in the art world and living in shanghai, creating a wild, decadent environment layered with airs of pretension, decked out in neon and glitter and soaked in champagne. weekends become a record of parties and hobnobbing - invitations to make it as a guest on the a-list flying furiously on a friday night through the text-o-sphere.

it all seemed quite silly at first - like we're all playing dress-up or still in high school and trying to find out which party the cool kids are going to. but then i realized that the parties were where introductions were made, collaborations were formed, doors were being opened...at least in the industry i'm working in. parties aren't optional; they come with the job.

so i started attending. i invested in (more) black clothes for my wardrobe. i transitioned from wearing hardly any jewelry to enormous earrings and clunky rings. i started wearing eyeliner. i wear heels (sometimes). i purchased a business card holder.

this isn't to say i haven't enjoyed it - i've enjoyed it a lot. it's a bit mind-boggling when i reflect on the events i've attended and the people i've met, particularly in the past couple of years: invitation to a dance performance with european royalty in attendance, dinner at art celebrity pearl lam's home, opening parties for luxury design brands such as hermes and dolce & gabbana, hanging out with renowned contemporary artists like mako fujimura....to name a few. i have been spoiled.

i think, though, that i've reached a point where i'm ready to take a break from surreality and live in reality for a bit. i'm also starving to learn - to be under the tutelage of those older and wiser than me. part of the surreality of shanghai is that we really are a bunch of kids: publication editors, gallery curators and directors, art dealers....most fall firmly in the age bracket between 25 and 35. shanghai really is the new wild west: most of us work in positions that would take us years elsewhere to reach. if i were in new york, i'd be lucky to be interning at an art gallery, forget running one.

what i really want to do right now is to go back to school, work in a cafe and learn to make a perfect cup of cappuccino, and grunge out in hoodies and jeans. i basically want to re-live my early 20's.

ironically, that feels more like reality.


cups of coffee: 2 + 2 green tea

mood:  contemplative

urbanity!

the urbanity project happened last saturday. it really happened! that glimmer of an idea from about a year ago actually blossomed, amid much sweat, tears and (thankfully) little blood (may have been a papercut or a splinter here or there), into actual fruition. the "hey, what if...." erupted into "we're doing it. and doing it big." one book, 130+ pages, 32 contributing artists and writers. one massive exhibit opening/book launch/celebration. now we're looking into both local and international distribution channels for the book. i'm still kind of in shock.

 welcome to the urbanity project exhibition!

 nice crowd

 our hardworking book editor justin and exhibit curator chelsea

 urbanity! urbanity! urbanity!

at your service

feeling incredibly humbled and oh-so-thankful. people have already started asking about volume 2....?

i think we need a breather first. :)


cups of coffee:  2 + 2 green tea

mood:  wow

potpourri

for your enjoyment, a mishmash of current musings and fixes:

- my current timewaster is the rachel zoe project. yes, i realize it's already completed season 3 in the states. yes, i still live in china so i blame my disconnectedness with pop culture on geography. yes, there are better things i can and should be doing. but when you have that much fashion and drama and over-the-top characters....well, hard to resist.

- it's cold this week. blisteringly cold. did winter really arrive this week, fast and furious--a cold punch in the face? and does this mean i can start listening to christmas music?

- i admit it: i love halloween. love halloween! it's my second favorite holiday (next to thanksgiving). anything that involves candy, costumes and parties--count me in! this year, some friends and i are planning on hitting up a "heaven or hell" party at a lounge on shanghai's famed "bund". partygoers are supposed to dress up either as a heavenly creature or one from down below. since i don't look good in horns, i've decided to opt for a heavenly being. but where do you find angel wings in china? upon a friend's recommendation, i tracked down a costume/party supplies store surprisingly not far from where i live. what a treasure trove! they had everything - even a pair of beautiful white feathered wings. i can't believe i've lived in shanghai for eight years and never ventured to this place of magic. i regret the costumes from years past that could've been....sigh.

- my cat has learned to open kitchen drawers. here's jimmy caught in the act. good thing i don't keep the cat food in that drawer.

- finally, if you're a lover of verse and want to learn more about poets of the christian faith, this is a terrific blog to subscribe to: kingdom poets.

here's a gem from luci shaw:

As Iron Sharpens Iron

Walking, this morning, I began to think
how everything wears its other down. How
this sidewalk smoothes my rubber soles.
How stomachs slick their food, waves
burnish shattered bottles to sea glass,
how prevailing wind shapes trees
and bends them to its gusting will.
How calm weather soothes an impatient sea.

A panther, crated for the zoo, will pace
her pattern in her cage. Today my open window
carves the sunlight to a square that warms
the rug. God tools me like a strip of buckskin.
My silence wears your chatter like a suit;
your charity unravels my reproach. You
shape me, and I shape you, and all our kindred
work to shape us into who they wish we were.

(luci shaw, taken from kingdom poets blog)

cups of coffee: 1 + 3 green tea

mood: hopeful

feasting

i love food. love it. always have, always will. it's not just the eating - though that's pretty spectacular - it's everything associated with a meal. i love the preparation: mulling over recipes, shopping for all the right ingredients, visiting the vegetable market with tote in hand, checking the leafy freshness of spinach, squeezing tomatoes, picking through bulbs of red onions... i LOVE the cooking process. i love rolling up my sleeves and getting my hands caked in everything from flour to oil to spices and the occasional meat juices. i love the sounds of cooking: the quick sizzle of oil on a hot pan, the gentle murmur that crescendoes into aggressive bubbling of boiling water, the comforting grind of the pepper mill. and the smells - oh, the SMELLS! i love knowing a dish so well that you know, intuitively by the smell, whether it's ready or not. i love setting the table and selecting the right serving dishes, the clink of silverware and pristine white of my matching plates.

most of all, i love the company and conversations that surround meals. i was raised in a family where we always had dinner together, no matter how busy everyone was. it was always around the dinner table, never in front of the television. it was an unwritten rule in our home that dinner was always enjoyed with loved ones and served with conversation.

i love that my parents instilled that value in me, and i suppose that's where my inclination for hospitality arose. it's hard to think of a good meal without the company of good friends. strangers may sit down at the table, but rarely do you leave a table without having built some rapport. it's no wonder that in traditional cultures, deals are made and promises sworn at the banquet table.

i was reminded of this when mako was in town. during our trip to nanjing, the chair of the international program at nanjing arts institute invited our group for a meal. the restaurant was tucked down an inconspicuous lane, hid in an ultra-modern building sleek with glass and steel. the restaurant served chinese cuisine though it was decked out in uber-luxe faux-art-deco-meets-victorian-era decor. imagine plush purple velvet lounge couches with giant chandeliers. and four birthday balloons drooping on one wall, forlornly out of place.

the food was served with great attention to detail and attempts at artistic flair: sweet and sour chicken served in half a pineapple emflambe, succulent chicken deboned (a rarity in china), and an interesting combination of a meat pastry with a sweet sesame dessert soup, to name a few memorable dishes. but it wasn't the food that stuck out to me, delicious as it was. what stayed with me from that luncheon was the courtesy displayed, the respect and mutual admiration exhibited by the parties involved.

working in the chinese art world for a few years has taught me several invaluable skills including the art of holding my liquor at dinner parties. i've had to make and accept many a toast from museum officials, distinguished guests, artists, etc., and when the chinese toast, a sign of respect is to empty your glass. no one ever gets embarrassingly sloshed from such behavior, but most do turn lobster red after a meal (thanks to that asian drinking gene most of us have inherited....).

this particular luncheon was no different. there is an art involved, a dance i've had to learn to perfect (and am still perfecting). always aim your glass low - it's a sign of respect. a toast always ends up like some sort of glassware limbo, trying to outdo each other in how low you clink your glass. the host usually starts with some general toast to everyone, and then begins to singularly toast the guests in some sort of hierarchy (usually working from most important, or most essential to the event at hand, down). the toasts are scattered throughout the meal, so you wait and watch. and then it's your turn to reciprocate, and the polite thing is to toast those who've toasted to you, in a similar order. and of course, you can toast anyone else you want as well - it's a form of bestowing favor and respect. but you also have to gauge the toastee's glass. since they will want to honor you by emptying their glass, i try to time my toast with the level of their drink - too high and it may end messy, too low and it's not much of a toast.

after plenty of toasting and kind words at the luncheon, we left the table with relationships established and agreements made. though no papers were signed, no official partnerships were formed, there was an air of understanding that there will be future collaborations and a level of trust had been reached.

food builds community and was meant to be enjoyed in community. every feast we indulge in points to a perfect, beautiful feast we will enjoy for all of eternity. it's not only the food we'll enjoy but perfect, beautiful fellowship and unbroken communion with God and one another. what a lovely thing. :)

one last note - two recent publications on this theme of food worth savoring:

- The Spirit of Food: i found out about this book through the Image Journal's newsletter. from organic farms to kosher kitchens, 34 writers share stories and recipes about the ways food draw us closer to community, God and creation. i've already placed an order and can't wait to read it!

- Saveur Magazine: 25 Greatest Meals Ever: 25 food writers share their most memorable food experiences, including some recipes.


cups of coffee: 1 + 2 green tea

mood:  o joy!

enlarge my heart

this has been a most amazing week - busy, to say the least, but in a wonderful, fulfilling, mind-blowing-cup-overflowing sort of way.

we are so honored to host mako fujimura this week and to hold his first exhibition in china (opening this afternoon!). things are blessedly under control, which explains why i'm able to take time to blog on the morning of an exhibit opening. :)

last night was a wonderful dinner with mako and members of our arts group - feast for the stomach and the soul. as an artist, writer and creative catalyst, mako is a strong advocate for arts education. one member of our group asked, "what if you're passionate about the arts and creating art but frankly, you're just not really good?" mako had an honest and thoughtful response - he pointed out the purpose of educating one in the arts may not necessarily be to cultivate oneself to be the next picasso or shakespeare. mako emphasized that art enlarges our capacity for empathy, that's why the arts are important. when you watch a play, you can't help but step inside the characters' lives and feel their joys and sorrows. when you hear a beautiful piece of music, your heart automatically rises and falls with the notes and you transcend your circumstances to be part of something grander and universal. when you look at at a work of art, you catch beauty and truth that may either affirm or question certain assumptions you hold about the world as you know it. art causes you to step outside of yourself, even if briefly, and simultaneously reminds you of your humanity and the greater humanity in which you participate.

as a writer, empathy has always been one of the virtues i strive to encompass in my work. i suppose that's why i chose to study journalism at university: i was attracted by the imperative responsibility of sharing the stories of others. every person carries in them a beautiful narrative, and all these stories weave together as a bigger, glorious narrative. we were created to be storytellers and storybearers - i think in sharing stories, we better understand ourselves and the world we inhabit.

but we, selfish creatures that we are, long for greatness. we want to make a name for ourselves, for our art to be immortal. we forget that we ourselves were meant to be eternal beings. we turn inward and riddled with doubts and fears, we strive to protect and promote ourselves. yet we were not made for greatness - we were made for grandeur. we were meant for a world more brilliant and beautiful than the world we know, we are more than what can be contained by this frame of flesh and bones. we were meant to worship something grander than ourselves.

art can remind us of that. art carries us beyond tangible, visible realities to a greater reality we sense but are often too timid or scared to touch. art expands our imagination and enlarges our heart to gasp and grasp at the Mystery. and when that happens, we can't help but forget ourselves.


cups of coffee: 1

mood: mind percolating like a coffeemaker on overtime

art! art! art!

in the midst of the biggest week in shanghai's art scene. a few snapshots:

our booth at shanghai art fair (come visit us in the ceramics hall!)

ready for the preview opening

sh contemporary 2010 - vernissage was tonight, just got home about half an hour ago. this year's show is much smaller than previous years and (in my humble opinion) not terribly impressive.

fun giant floor-to-ceiling installation made from twisty balloons

friend viv admiring this creative installation of shoe tongues nailed together

whew! and we're halfway through...

as this week wraps up, i'm uber excited for next week as our gallery hosts... MAKO FUJIMURA! he is one of my personal heroes, and i'm so honored that we get to host him for a week AND show his first exhibition in china.

weeks like this, i LOVE my job.


cups of coffee: 2 + 2 green tea

mood:  busy but so, so thankful