Chedi at Wat Pan Tao

“Chedi at Wat Pan Tao” size, mixed media,* 28″ x 42′
The pra chedi of Wat Pan Tao was under repair. Bamboo scaffolding echoed its elegant shape pointing up to the heavens. From around the corner, the chedi appeared unexpectedly, towering over buildings and businesses. It was my favorite view.

I returned to the spot often with sketchbook and camera. Protected from the sun under the awning of a noodle shop, I worked to capture the beauty of the composition, the contrast between order or chaos, the sacred and the profane.

Nothing holds still for me: not the traffic, the people, nor the sun.

In an act of artistic telekinesis, I put myself into the scene, opposite from where I actually stood drawing.

*mixed media (aka the kitchen sink) includes: Chinese ink, black pen, acrylic, watercolor, water-soluble markers, white correction fluid, colored pencil, marker,

“Red Chedi” Sketch, 5″ x 7″ (earlier version)