Artwork Stories: Male Fan Dancer, South Korea (Watercolor)

In anticipation of an art exhibition, I wrote a short story about each painting, as if written by the person in the painting. These are all real people, and the stories are based on experience, observation, and representative/factual information typical of someone from that region/profession. Some of these paintings are still available, so if you are interested in purchasing one, please contact me.

As a young boy, I loved to hear the stories told by my grandfather. Now I am a pansori singer. Accompanied by a drummer who strikes a rhythmic pattern on his buk, I sing narratives based on popular tales. Performing on this festive Chuseok harvest festival, my excitement is apparent in my dynamics and the way I manipulate the fan with crisp, fluid movements.

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A Few Leaves Left

Gone is the colorful foliage that was painted over the Wisconsin landscape. With a few exceptions, most are like the tree in the foreground - bare, save for a few scraggly dried-up leaves, clinging to the branches.  I'm thankful that no (s)now has yet fallen on my neck of the woods, but I know it's only a matter of time. 

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By the Glow of the Supermoon

Although my photographic knowledge and camera equipment limited me from achieving any spectacular view of the moon, I was determined to produce at least some creative photos incorporating the moon. My current position by Lake Monona prevented me from capturing both the state capitol and moon in the same image. I would have to go elsewhere. 

My brother and I went to Madison's other lake - Lake Mendota. The small parking lot at the beginning of Picnic Point was full. I guess other people also took advantage of the mild temperatures to enjoy the full moon. Navigating by the bright moonlight, we walked along the path towards the tip of the peninsula, passing by other walkers and some young people who were enjoying campfires at several designated sites. Several women spoke excitedly in Chinese as they pointed to the city skyline, naming some of the city's landmark buildings.

The moon was quite high in the sky, but the bare branches added some creative framing for the night scene. Thanks, brother, for patiently putting up with my night photography!

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By the Glow of the Capitol

Spurred on by the relatively mild (for Wisconsin) November evening, my brother and I went for a night stroll. Our first destination was a small park across Lake Monona. 

From here, we had a great view of the beautiful state capitol and the small Madison skyline.  I was grateful for the ordinance (passed in 1966) that restricted the height of buildings within a mile of the capitol to be no higher than the base of the dome. Considering that the capitol at 284 feet (86 meters) is the tallest building in Madison and second tallest in Wisconsin, that's a vastly different skyline than in Seoul (tallest building is 1,820 ft - 555 meters)! 

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My latest artwork: Naxi Woman with Blue Shawl

Naxi Woman with Blue Shawl

Lashi village, China

Color Pencil ©2016 Melissa Enderle

For eighty-three years I have trod through the narrow lanes of my small village - first to my parents’ home, and then to my azhu's family farm. I loved living with my nai nai; now I get to enjoy the laughter of my grandchildren as they run through the family courtyard or play with the kittens. Even though my son says I don’t have to go to the market to sell vegetables, I quite like it, for it gives me something to do and a chance to chat with the other women. With a basket securely fastened to my cape, I slowly make my way to the tiny market, chatting with friends along the way.

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A Roadside Shave

Gotta love the convenience of services in India. On the road to Agra (a few years ago), we spotted this man getting a shave.

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A Web of Pearls

With a thick fog enveloping the neighborhood, I knew that capturing I would not be capturing autumn colors on my morning walk. Instead, nature granted me a different photographic subject. The intricate strands of pearls simultaneously emphasized a delicacy as well as the strength the web must have had in order to withstand such weight. 

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Rainbows and Crosses

One of the things I love about the changes of seasons is that it enables me to see the same scenes in a whole new way. I passed by this wall many times on my walk without giving it much of a glance, but on this autumn day, it begged for attention. 

Before me was a splendid "rainbow" in warmer hues.

The Cross was also featured, reminding me that God is always with me and can even speak through nature.

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A Walk Through the Woods

The bright sunshine beckoned us out for a walk through the woods. The leaves were already quite deep in some places along the path, but Meko (the dog) was keen in accompanying us.  

The afternoon sun cast long shadows on the leaf-strewn forest floor. Many of the trees are already rather bare, allowing even more light to penetrate.

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Sanghyang Dancer, Pastel

My latest pastel painting - Sanghyang Dancer

As the last performer of the night, I want to leave a lasting impression on the audience and of course, the gods. I am proud to be one of a small select member of the Pemangku temple priests. I deeply breathe in the incense that a fellow priest wafts in my direction. Now possessed by the celestial soldier deity Gandarwa, I enter a trance and mount my hobby horse.  The chants and percussive rhythms of my fellow performers encourages me to imitate the movement of a soldier on horseback as I dance in a circular motion around the blazing fire of coconut shells. After several circumnavigations, I have achieved the state needed to pass directly through the fire, filled with the energy and powers of Gandarwa to scatter the red hot coals with swift kicks of my bare feet. Surely I, as with previous Sanghyang dancers, now have been endowed with the power to drive out illnesses and disease. 

See more artworks at http://www.melissaenderle.com

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Framed by Yellows and Oranges

Shortly after I started my walk yesterday morning, the clouds gave way to reveal the sun. A great opportunity to take a few photos of the changing colors in my neighborhood.

If only the colors would last!

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One Lonely Leaf

Although some trees have really begun to change, there still are a fair percentage whose leaves are green or yellow-green. While walking in Tenney Park, I spotted this maple tree which had a highly contrasting red leaf dangling from a vertical branch. Perhaps it had more courage or was in no mood to procrastinate.

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Early Morning Rays on the Yahara

The shorter amount of daylight has really become apparent these last few weeks, making it harder to get up in the morning. I waited a bit longer so it was lighter before I went out for a walk. I headed down to where the Yahara River is a tributary into Lake Monona to see how the autumn trees were looking. Still at 7:40 AM, the sun was still rather low in the sky, its golden reflection bouncing off the water. 

The trees weren't all that far yet, so I sought a different subject. Some warm-hued leaves were backlit just above the dewy grass.

The combination of cool shadows and warm sunlight peeking beneath the arched trees was quite pleasing. Perhaps with the nippy evenings these past few days, the rate of coloration will increase, prompting a re-visit in a week or so.

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Tenney Park Bridges, Autumn

The other evening I went for a walk to nearby Tenney Park. The early autumn lighting was quite nice, complemented by the very still conditions.

Here I focused on a few of the bridges in the park, combined with some the some changing leaves.

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Lanterns of China and Seoul

When walking through the Chinese Lights display at the Boerner Gardens, I couldn't help but compare them to the Lanterns I had seen in South Korea. I went through some of my MANY photos of the lantern festivals I had seen in South Korea, and paired them up here with ones similar at Boerner Botanical Gardens.

Chinese Dragon, Boerner

Korean Dragon, Seoul

Fish, Boerner

Fish, Seoul

Pandas, Boerner

Pandas, Seoul

Flute Player in Lotus Flower, Boerner

Amongst the Lotuses, Seoul

Which do you like better - the Chinese sculptures at Boerner, or the Korean ones in Seoul?

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Chinese-themed Lanterns at Boerner Botanical Gardens

Although all of the 1,000 silk lanterns at Boerner Botanical Gardens were created by Chinese artists from Sichuan Tianyu, there definitely were some displays that felt more Chinese in theme. 

The warm hues of the Chinese Palace lanterns contrasted beautifully against the sapphire night sky.

The fan was one of my favorites, portraying elegant peacocks, flowers, and butterflies.

Detail of the fan

The Chinese zodiac lanterns were a crowd favorite. People posed in front of the zodiac animal from their birth year. I even had my photo taken in front of mine.

The display also had several Chinese figures, such as the operatic performers below.

A bit of China in Wisconsin!

The China Lights display can be seen at the Boerner Botanical Gardens through the end of October. 

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China Lights in Wisconsin

When living in Seoul, South Korea, I eagerly looked forward to the Lantern festivals which took place at the Cheonggycheon stream as well as the parade of the Lotus Lantern Festival. I loved seeing how illuminated sculptures formed from wire frames and hanji paper could display such elegant beauty. 

Upon hearing that the Boerner Botanical Gardens was having a China Lights Festival, I knew I must attend. Despite the rain, my friends and I traveled from Madison to Hales Corners (near Milwaukee); by the time we arrived, the rain had just stopped. In compensation for the cancellation of some opening events and muddy pathways, we were allowed to hold onto our tickets and return another time. Being hardy paid off! 

When we began to walk through the gardens, it was still rather light outside. It enabled us to see the natural flowers and landscaping, but the colors of the silk-covered displays were not as dynamic.

Soon, the night darkness arrived, enabling the China lights to shine forth in glory. 

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Washington's Ribs

Madison, Wisconsin has many places set up for those who like to bike or go for walks. In fact, views are afforded to such alternative travelers that are not able to be seen by those in cars. Such is the case with Washington Bridge. A walking/bike path follows the Yahara River and goes directly under the bridge and avoiding any interaction with the busy vehicle traffic above. 

For those individuals willing to take a few moments while traversing under the bridge, they are afforded a great interplay of line and value. I love how the "ribs" of the bridge reflect in the rather calm water.

Change your vantage point, move farther away from the light, or tilt your camera, and you've got a variety of abstract compositions. 

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Pointillist Night Walk

While walking through the night exhibit at Olbrich Gardens, one of my favorite parts was this pathway. The white birch trunks were a wonderful canvas for the cool lights, which also cast their glow onward. The archway of branches leaning towards each other contrasted with the night void.

The round-ish leaves appeared stippled, creating a pointillist scene of alternating cool hues. Coupled with the echoes of monkeys from the nearby fire monkey lantern sculptures, a subtle, but exciting mood was established.

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Fire Monkeys, Olbrich Gardens

One of the most popular artist installations within the GLEAM exhibition at the Olbrich Gardens, "The Fire Monkeys" is the creation by local artists Laurie Rossbach & Jennika Bastian. According to the Chinese (and Korean) zodiac, it is the year of the Monkey. 

The installation hearkened me back to the beautiful lanterns I saw while in Korea, in the Lotus Lantern Parade, at the Jogyesa Buddhist Temple, and at Seoul's annual fall Lantern exhibit.  The Fire Monkeys were also created out of paper (in Korea it was called hanji paper), wire, and paint. 

While walking around the gardens at night, I heard the yelping monkey sounds well before I arrived at the willow tree. Each of the monkey sculptures glowed as if on fire, which is one of the four purified elements within Buddhism.

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