Journal

So…a camera shop…  mm…  I don’t think so.

John’s pearl shop – Shanghai (© Deanna Roberts 2016)

At the top of the stairs we’re met by the photographer in his studio, decorated with, well… various little sets to pose in… the compulsory love seats with the floral backdrop and something that looks like a temple.  We show him the dodgy camera and he disappears into the next room muttering something in Chinese.  He returns with a huge pair of pliers and without hesitation yanks off the lens cover to reveal a shattered UV filter underneath. I’m putting all my trust in this guy.  He laughs and mutters something again that I don’t understand, but it’s clear the camera still works.  Phew!  I’m ever so grateful and the photographer graciously sends me on my way… no charge.  I’m surprised at this but I wonder if he’s good mates with our new friend.

Mr John, the man in white, shows us the exit but it’s not the way we came in.  There it is.  His pearls shop.  There’s the catch.  There’s always a catch….literally in this case.

Travel hint no. 5 – Safety in numbers

After saying no to millions of offers of ‘bargain’ pearls, I walk away with a $50 pair of earrings.  John’s been so nice after all!  Guilt + kindness = purchase.

“Ok John,” we say.  “Where can we get lunch?”

Again we follow him to an upstairs location tucked away above a strip of shops that you wouldn’t know existed.  Nice view, but the menu is pretty limited.  Nope.  Not an option.  Next restaurant please.  Now we’re seated at a much more suitable place and the food is yummy.  Gotta love those dumplings.  Mmm mmm.  Dammit.  Where are my reading glasses?  I want to check out the menu to see what’s for dessert!  John kindly offers to back-track everywhere we’ve just been; the other restaurant, the stairs, the studio, the alley ways, only to return with nothing.   Damn, damn, damn.  A busted camera lens and now I can’t see anything clearly.  Feeling somewhat annoyed at these little mishaps.  John however…. He is a good, kind man.  Buying those pearls was worth it.  We swap business cards.  We’re happy.

View from restaurant above Yu Garden – Shanghai (© Deanna Roberts 2016)

Travel tip no. 6 – Carry a spare pair of glasses.

Turns out I’ve left my glasses on the tour bus… fallen somewhere between those bright red seats no doubt.  Ugh.  Hate that.  I called the bus company… nothing handed in.  This is simply a day to lose things… except my cool.  That just ain’t gonna happen.

Back seat tourist – Big Bus Tours – Shanghai (© Deanna Roberts 2016)

Ok… so I’ve made it to stop no. 1 – Shanghai.

Shanghai is simply huge.  Massive.  Ginormous.  23 million people in 1 city.  That’s Australia’s population all stashed into one big-arse city.  Shanghai is cosmopolitan.  It has history everywhere yet is also very contemporary.  Depending on which corner you’ll turn, you’ll find a modern, new-wave, designer-style cafe and outside a father will be holding his child over a gutter with the child’s pants around its ankles, having a pee.

The French Sector – Shanghai (© Deanna Roberts 2016)

Around the next corner someone’s sleeping in a doorway and on the opposite side, outside the bank is a bride and groom posing for photos on a pedestrian crossing.  Go figure.  It’ all about survival I guess.

The Bund is nearby and we get on one of those 2-storey tourist buses to get a great view and tour of Shanghai.  We stop off at one of the touristy areas, Yu Garden and a fabulous marketplace and my expensive digital SLR camera falls out of my backpack, lens first, on to the footpath with a sickening thud.  Goddammit.  We have only just started.  Well, the on-off switch still works but there’s no way that lens cover is going to budge.  We need help.

Don’t stand up on the Big Bus – Shanghai (© Deanna Roberts 2016)

We’re walking and talking and attempting to get this bloody stubborn lens cap off but its persistent.  It ain’t moving.  Witnessing our struggle is a nice-mannered man offering to help.  He can’t budge it either and so offers to take us to a camera shop.  I’m already sus about this dude in white.  Let’s call him John, because that’s his ‘English’ name.  We follow him but keep our distance in case we need to make a quick getaway.

Yu Garden – Shanghai (© Deanna Roberts 2016)

We’re lead around different corners, past various shops and alley ways, then up some stairs, sign-posted with all sorts of Chinese symbols.  I’m hoping that one of those symbols at least represents a camera shop.  But more on that later…

Travel hint no. 1

Fly direct to Shanghai or go via Sydney from Melbourne.  Avoid any stopovers.  It’s such a drag having to get off the plane after 8 hours to have to go through security all over again, to break any sort of sleep you might’ve had and then to wait another hour and a half for your next flight.

Travel hint no. 2

Take plenty of tissues with you.  It’s a hygiene thing.  Not all toilets are of western design, nor do they remain stocked with a good supply of toilet paper.  You might need to clean up a little before you even think about doing your business.

Travel hint no. 3

Make sure you have travel insurance.

Travel hint no. 4

Stay somewhere in Shanghai where you can have a good, hearty breakfast before you explore the city the next day.  There are plenty of places to eat but you’ll burn up your brekkie before you know it.

Breakfast at Astor House Hotel – Shanghai (© Deanna Roberts 2016)

Layered slip platter –  Deanna Roberts © 2016

Diana’s arrived at my place… I’m somewhat embarrassed by my amateur pieces.  I’ve studied this art of ceramics.  I’ve done the hard yards.  I’ve sat the tests and exams.  I’ve done my homework.  Yet I feel I’ve done nothing by comparison.  Diana gives me praise here and there and loads of encouragement, which I graciously accept.  She then asks me what I want to do with ceramics, ie where I want to take it and I explain that I don’t know but I do keep coming back to Japanese designs.  She notices that that’s exactly where I excel.  She points out the difference between the ordinary and the exquisite.  I’m flattered but also inspired and encouraged.  This woman really thinks I have something special.  I’m truly honoured by her support and admiration for my work.

Japanese ‘Armour’ – Deanna Roberts © 2016

Then she says it… “You must come to Jingdezhen”.

“Jing de what?”, I asked.

“Jing-de-zhen”, she spells out.  “It’s the porcelain capital of China and I usually go there twice a year for 2 to 3 months at a time”.

“Really?”, I ask… “Why?”

Diana sits me down and tells me how she came to meet Danyun and her father, the great master Liu, how she paints for him and is now venturing into sculpture.  I’m in awe.

Diana leaves and I do some research online.  There’s actually not a lot of information. I need to talk to her some more.  I’m wondering if she’s serious about me going with her.  Could she really be prepared, this amazingly talented woman whom I’ve only known for a few hours, to hold my hand all the way to the other side of the world, just for porcelain?

As it turns out Diana is quite prepared.  We’re not exactly rolling in cash right now.  I’m in the throws of dissolving my other business and seeing to become something more to do with art and business and run a whole lot of workshops around NLP for artists.  It’s difficult.  Do I spend the money we’ve saved for a rainy day or do I pass up this amazing opportunity to share in the experience of something wildly different and definitely out of the box?

After lengthy discussions and lots of red wine, it’s decided.  I’m going.  I’m excited!

2014 – Who is this Diana Williams bird?  We’re friends on Facebook… how did that happen?  Can’t remember.

Copyright – Diana Williams 2016 (published with permission)

There’s her post of an image of one of her finest creations – this incredible artistry.  Wow!  What an amazing piece of work!  The image of a life-sized baby clinging to a missile grabs my immediate attention and I marvel at this bedazzling talent.  Her website gives me enough information to know that I simply must contact her.  I could only imagine how much work was involved in putting this piece together, let alone sculpting a life-sized baby.  I simply had to speak to this woman, Diana Williams.  I thought it would be a marvellous idea for her to come and speak to my pottery group, Treefern Potters, about her journey into clay and her inspiration behind her creativity and expertise.

Deanna Roberts – Pit-fired Exhibition pieces 2015/2016 (© Deanna Roberts 2016)

Facebook messages and 90 minute phone calls later… we have talked about her, her family, the influence that war, and how this has affected her family over the years, has had on her work.  We agreed to meet first.  (To this day we still haven’t done the speaking gig thing… funnily enough).  I like how this bird’s mind works.  I can see we’re going to get along just fine.  Treefern Potters was holding an exhibition and sale at the local community centre and Diana popped in to say hello.  We had a lovely long chat and I introduced her to the other members of the group and she was off and running.  I like her.  What a beautiful soul.  From that point, there were more coffee catch-ups and lots of talking, visiting each others’ studios and artworks.  Instant rapport.  This was my kind of friend.

It’s a long trek to her home.  I reminisce about driving this route many years ago, every day – to and from working in the city.  Its a long way from everything and I’m greeted with open arms, warm chicken and salad for lunch.  Her hubby disappears after a short introduction and we chat like we’ve known each other forever.  We laugh a lot and share stories.  You know you’ve got a true friend when its all just so easy and you don’t have to try.  Truth is easy.  Laughing is a cinch.

Diana takes me through her home and explains how each piece has come about  She empties out these beautifully-decorated, embossed fabric boxes, each of which contains her prize pieces.  Its a tragedy that they’re shut away where no one can see them.  The occasional exhibition is simply not enough.  Its a crime to keep such talent under wraps.  Then she shows me that Facebook piece ‘Innocence’.  The baby on the missile has a $20k+ price tag and I get to hold it.  My God.  I’m gob-smacked.  The work… the story… the craftsmanship… the technique.  I’m blown away.  If I haven’t told her once, I’ve told her a million times; her work should be in the Louvre.

Next stop… my place.  Oh dear… will this be embarrassing… comparing my works to hers?  I think I’m looking forward to this.  I think…