Well, time to get back to this neglected blog.
A lot has happened since I let my blog fade away. I managed
to get a position with Chieng Rai Vidyakhome School in Chiang Rai teaching English
to Mattayom 5 and 6; Grades 11 and 12 in the west.
I loved it! Students were wonderful and keen to learn for
the most part, and I enjoyed teaching.
During this time I met a fellow English teacher, David
Lewis, from Wales.
Like me, he is an artist. Unlike me he continued to draw and
paint. I had given up on that and concentrated solely on photography. Somehow
he persuaded me to buy some paper, charcoal, and conte crayons and we went out
sketching around Chiang Rai. David reignited passion in me for art and I soon
bought an easel to strap onto the back of the Honda and we were out sketching
almost every weekend. Eventually the painting bug crept back in and I bought
some oils and began to set up studio in the living room. My style is somewhat
post-impressionist with a comic book flavour.
I’m trying to capture the whimsical, upbeat nature of life in Northern
Thailand. I’m especially interested in line and colour.
I managed 11 decent oils and dozens of sketches before bad
news set in. In mid November of 2015 I got very ill. I thought it was the flu
turning into bronchitis. I took anti-biotics for a couple weeks and felt worse
and worse. Then the x-rays showed a mass in my lung. After a CT scan, I decided
to return to Canada to have this dealt with. After a mad panic move, leaving
stuff in David’s care, throwing others out, and donating crap I arrived back in
Canada.
I’m staying in Vernon, a sleepy small town in the North
Okanagan. People are friendly and I like it here although my wish a return to
Chiang Rai. I’ve had to wait 2 months before BC Medical kicks in and I can
start testing. I’ve had a lung biopsy
and am waiting till the 14th March for my results. In the
meantime, I’ve moved into my sister in law’s basement and setup studio in the
garage. My old easel that my brother Terry built years ago has been resurrected
from the barn. I’m grateful to be able to stay here. I’ve got more painting on
the go here. I’m painting much bigger now!
I’m hoping to return to Thailand as soon as this health
issue is resolved. In the meantime, I’m selling my crap left in storage here
and painting.
