I have finished this new large painting, 20.5” x 40”,  I have been working oninspired by thelanterns outside a funerary shop on Peel Street in Hong Kong.  I posted a few months ago the sketch that I did, plein air, sitting in the alley across from the shop. I have always wanted to do the lanterns in a large painting.  I really enjoyed working on this. It brought back so manymemories of the day I satin the alley doing the sketch listening to the Chinese opera music coming from the shop I was  in front of, and smelling all the exotic smells from the food being prepared in the neighboring dai pai dongs and the incense from the shops.

I wanted to convey in the larger paintingthe delicate,  colorful, light struck lanterns floating in the gentle breeze juxtaposed against the cool, textural concrete building, they were hanging in front of.  I used some textural techniques in watercolor to imply the rough, dingy facade of the Hong Kong architecture. The bright yellow sign is typical for many shops in Hong Kong and I love how the shape and value of it, being washed out by the bright sunlight, adds another level of interest to the painting.  Do you like how the Odd Man Out,  has eyes on the Chinese goddess on the lantern below him?  :-)