Friday, July 19, 2013

Chinatown LA!


I've visited Chinatown in downtown Los Angeles for as long as I can remember.  It's a memorable place when you're a child.  There was even an organ grinder with a monkey that collected money, and there still is a big wishing well.  The current location was built in the 1930s and Hollywood film set designers had a hand in the design.  It was seen as a tourist attraction, a Hollywood version of Shanghai.  The buildings have been kept up with their neon edged dragon roofs, and it's very festive year round with many red lanterns.  Of course Chinese New Year is a big event there.  

I've taken photos many times over the years in Chinatown and when I started plein air painting I hoped to paint there with a group.  It turned out that last month two paint-out groups had Chinatown as our location.  I was so happy to finally have the opportunity.

Since it's pretty hectic at Chinatown, or at least there is so much to see, that I thought I would just do a small gouache both days instead of trying a watercolor too.  It turned out that on the Thursday we painted there, they were pressure washing the streets and sidewalks.  The Chinatown streets have been closed to cars for years but there was a power washing crew and truck parked in front of the colorful buildings.  Oh well, inconveniences are part of plein air painting.  We worked around the crew, but our painting time was even shorter.  The noise was awful so it was such a relief when they finished.  Some of the group had a Chinese lunch after painting.  Maybe next time!



The pink building was Hong Kong restaurant. 




8 comments:

  1. Your colours are so vibrant and just right to depict your china town scenes. Love how the gouache has such intensity

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    1. Thanks Lorraine! You can see why I've wanted to paint there! So colorful!

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  2. You have really captured the essence of China Town in these paintings Sherry, your plein air painting is so good... really need to get out and do some!!

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    1. Thank you Judith! I'm finding gouache has challenges but maybe a little more forgiving since I can "correct" things.

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  3. What lovely happy bright paintings. They are so atmospheric. The gouache was the perfect choice

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    1. Thanks Polly! I'm loving trying the gouache even though, as I've been using it, it goes through an "I give up" stage.

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  4. Sherry, you've really captured the colors and spirit of the place. These are happy paintings, and it seems that gouache is the perfect medium for Chinatown!

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    1. Thanks Terry. I think the gouache worked best for such bright colors.

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