Dream of Figueres

Not sure if there is a dream,
It seem so real.
I was so close to him,
reading his story.

Inspired by his great creation,
my inner self.
Still searching of my direction,
in many way.

Learning,
to live the life.
Just like him?
the genius.

Never alone,
it will be colourful
and
meaningful.

Jade's dream

The Journey

Finding Me

Art In Life

Some years ago, naively, I thought my life was in the worst place. I learned that it wasn't as painful compared with someone who had lost their loved one or had lost every thing in life. Whatever comes into life is a challenge to practice and learn to live our lives better.

My life journey is not as simple as my parents', but nevertheless full of lessons to learn. In my young days I remember that I wasn't that bright in studies. I was very playful and enjoyed playing with friends,  climbing rambutan trees, busy plucking rambutan, cycling in the kampong and paddy fields. Childhood was full of love and laughter.

The best result I ever had was in ART, in secondary school. It was the subject that I loved most and most proud of. Living in small kampong, enjoying life, not having pressure from parent to get results, I was not aware how important language is, especially English.

I had so much discouragement and difficulties during college time. My Mandarin wasn't the best and English was the worst. I struggled so much, but no one was able to help.  Those were the times I regretted. After getting a diploma, I wanted to further my studies overseas, but I dare not. That was because of my poor English. Without a second thought I jumped into education because I love children. It proved the right decision, because it has brought lot of joy, and success.

We have to make many choices and decisions. I started learning art on the age of 16. I fell in love with arts. That seed has been growing since then, until today. 24 years later, it has blossom, and I have a second chapter of  art in my life, at 40.

New chapter, new story in life, http://peiyeoubradley.blogspot.com

new blog and story about my art..

A Cambodian Dairy

Siem Reap, Cambodia, has been developed so much. Lots of tourists are now in the town. Pubs and 
bistros Have mulitplied. Many houses along the riverside have been demolished, I have no chance to be close to Cambodian daily life, in town, any more. Tourism helps the country to development but it also brings materialism.

In Colors of Cambodia Gallery, advance class students spend their time learning art in their free time. Tourists walking pass, some drop by, look and go. Some stay, chat and support. The most wonderful thing about being a volunteer teacher for CoC (since 2007) is that I am not only sharing with the people here, but they have inspired me too ~ how to live simplely but happily. Traveling back to Siem Reap is a great reminder for me to be grateful all the time. Students and parents who have joined me and helped in teaching in Thai Zo school miss the Cambodian children. Some of them have started keeping clothes and stationary for me to take at this year's end. This is the beauty of planting "seeds of loving kindness" in children. 

Many copies of "a story of Colors of Cambodia" have been sold, and a significant amount of money transfered to Mr. William Gentry on 30th March, 2013. There remains a balance of books needed to be sold. Each little step, each little support for this art project will help to bring joy for the children in the Siem Reap school and gallery. It allows them to have the opportunity to play with colours, and to have fun in drawing and painting...and to have dreams too.

A Cambodian dairy was our first workshop in Colors of Cambodia. We had the writer MrPaul GnanaSelvam to share his writing and reading, and my husband Mr Martin Bradley to share art history and read some of his latest poetry and myself, of cause sharing about my art and helping the students to create. We also have Om Poh Poh and her two boys joining us to local school and orphanage, but they are just too tired to join the workshop at night after exploring.

I am sad to know there are sponsored students who have to stop studying, I wish that I could help more but.... their families need their help to earn a living. Home visiting to sponsored students, riding across paddy fields, on small motorcycles was really remarkable. There was a sense of resignation from the poorer families and mild shock from us when we saw the simplicity of some of the lives of these families.

These workshops bring together local Cambodians and those willing to share with them. The next workshop will be from 1st to 5th Dec, if you are interested to share, please contact me.

My reflection of loving kindness to you all, may all be blessed with blossom of happiness, wealth and peace.