Grain Elevators in Inglis Manitoba A Monument to Prairie Agriculture

Finally after an hour and half drive through the most beautiful prairie landscapes , we stopped at the most famed Inglis grain elevators built between 1920 and 1925. They have been standing there for over four scores of years by the railway track like silent sentinels witnessing the rise and fall of the fortune of so many generations of prairie farmers. I had again so little time to spare at my final destination today as we have to return to Brandon in the afternoon. With the strong gust of wind, it was really a struggle to hold my hand steady to paint , and for a hour or so I had to hold steady my easel with my left hand against the strong wind while painting. However, the thrill of painting carried me through to a satisfying finish.

Beautiful Minnedosa Ski Valley on a sunny autumn morning

I had never been to the ski valley until I found myself standing there with my easel at 10 yesterday morning. Absolutely no words, and no words could describe how breathtakingly beautiful the valley is , and what I see at the moment has far exceeded every expectation I have about this location. I am deeply touched by what is unfolding in front of me with the valley bursting with kaleidoscope of colors you could ever find words for , with the foliage of trees and bushes ablaze with red , yellow and orange that no palette of colours could possibly match for their intensity , and with the Little Saskatchewan River meandering its way down through the valley and sparking in the early morning sunshine. I lose no time setting up easel, and started to record with my paint and brush the visual spectacular that will haunt my dream for years to come !

A glimpse from Brandon Hills before a storm

The enchanting wood in Brandon Hills on a sunny autumn morning

Painting Brandon's Brocki Donovan Funeral Home during the Solar Eclipse yesterday morning

"We were so glad we could attend the fundraising dinner for the Brandon Art Gallery and place a winning bid on a custom painting by Weiming Zhao. It will have an extra touch of significance as he painted the portrait of Brockie's between 11:00 and 1:15 today just as the eclipse was happening!
We will post the completed piece of art when we place it in the funeral home!

We are so glad to support the Arts in Brandon! There is so much talent among us!:) "
https://www.facebook.com/BrockieDonovanFuneralChapelBrandon

Chamber of Commerce Building Downtown Brandon in the morning

Painting at Clear Lake trying to capture the afternoon light

Wishing you all well at the Wishing Well on Clear Lake this morning at 11:00

Wishing you all well at the Wishing Well on Clear Lake this morning at 11:00
A spur of the moment decision led me to the Wishing well and I did not regret it when I saw the morning sunlight streaming through the grove of spruce trees over the the Wishing Well and over the beautifully landscaped garden , and saw the freshly carved tree trunk sculpture of three climbing black bears! What is even more delightful was to encounter Nancy MacKay, the park gardener at the very moment when I put my last brush stroke onto the canvas. Thank you Nancy for purchasing the painting! Your efforts behind the sculpture and the garden are the source of inspiration for the painting

Brandon University campus as viewed from 18th Street and Lorne Avenue

The controversy over the intended hedges removal from the edge of BU campus along 18th Street seemed to have pumped me to come to this spot to paint this morning despite of the humid weather. Personally, I find it totally unnecessary to spent money and effort on removing the hedges that have been functioning so well over half a century. I just do not see anything negative caused by the hedges. It is not so intrusive as a brick wall. I tend to come to this spot to paint over the years simply because this view of Brandon University is the very first I got to see as part of Brandon 27 years ago when I first received the application package from BU back in China: this view of BU was on the cover of its 1990 -1991 course registration calendar book . And it is also the very first glimpse of BU campus I saw on the very first morning I came to Brandon from China when I first stayed on the corner of 15th Street and Lorne Avenue. Painting anything BU always brings back my fond memory of BU in particular and Brandon as a whole. Without BU, never would I have been likely to call Brandon home for the last 25 years. As I was standing there on the corner of 18th Street and Lorne Avenue painting, this morning , I saw so many international students passing by on their way to and from campus, I could not help noticing how much the demographic landscape has changed over the past two decades here in Brandon as a city. Brandon University is obviously the force behind this change. As I was driving away after finishing my painting, I switched on CBC radio 2, there on the air is Jocelyn Morlock 's Aeromancy for two cellos , there came the BU connection again! I got to know her way way back in the early 90s when I first came to study at BU. Jocelyn Morlock, next time you come to Brandon, I would like to see you again !

A home on Trappist Monastery grounds

Driving down south towards the Monastery on highway 34 is a visual delight! with the rolling hills covered with  lush green  vegetation !

A charming historical church in Holland, Manitoba

Holland Emmanuel Historical church is located just a short distance away from the wind mill. It was so quiet here in this small town that I felt I was alone there while painting on the street this view of the charming church.

The Wind Mill , Holland Manitoba

It is only fitting to paint this landmark of Holland on my very first visit to this small Manitoba town. It occurred to me that this town is named Holland not so much due to its Dutch root. It is actually named after its first postmaster whose last name is Holland.

An open canola field

Off the first street looking north lies the this stretch of open field of canola which is so delightful to see at this time of the year.

The Wishing -you-well Fountain behind the Visitor Centre of Riding Mountain National Park.

A busy day at the main beach of Clear lake

After delivering my paintings for the show at Wasagaming Community Art Centre , I stopped by the lake and did this quick oil sketch for the day.

The valley on highway 10 from Brandon to Riding Mountain National Park Manitoba

The beautiful valley which,  once in your view can never be forgotten on the stretch of no. 10 highway between Erickson and Minnedosa of Manitoba

A beautiful home on 14th Street of Brandon

A character home on Brandon East on a hot summer morning

From Dinsdale Park Brandon on a summer morning

Two times flooding from the last few years have wiped out most of the trees in the park leaving the Brandon skyline across the Assisiniboine River more visible now. I have painted in this park countless times over the years now , and I am here sometimes more for the solitude than the scenery.

The Boardwalk with its colorful chairs in Wasagaming

The Park Theatre in Wasagaming

Dinner party at sunset moment on Clear Lake

Dinner party at Sunset Moment at Dr. Don Williamson's cabin on Clear Lake At this years charity event Push For Change , I offered myself to be auctioned off for my painting service. Dr. Don Williamson won the bid. So yesterday at his request, I set up my easel trying to capture the moment when he , his family and his friends were sitting at the dinner table chatting and watching the beautiful sunset over food and drink. One of the most memorable painting experiences ! Thank you Dr, Don Williamson!

Busy summer morning at Deep Bay of Clear Lake

A beautiful home from Brandon West on a sunny summer morning

The owner of this beautiful home commissioned me to paint this as a present to his wife as they are moving away from Brandon for BC and has put it on the market.

Gathering clouds over Clear Lake a view from the main beach of the lake

Visitor Centre of Riding Mountain National Park on a cloudy summer morning

The path after a summer shower of rain

The East Gate of Riding Mountain National Park

Brandon Research and Development Centre in the early morning sun--- landscape and memory

Of all the places in Brandon , this research station came into my memory the earliest Almost as soon as I moved to Brandon from China , I got to know there was a such a beautiful place called Brandon Research Station. Most because of a few research scientists who worked for the station and whose path I incidentally came across. Among them was Dr. Chow whom I met the very second day I came to Brandon on the occasion of a local Chinese picnic outing. Dr. Chow was retired then already and he got my attention right away because of his unique accident when he started to speak Mandarin which betrayed him as a native form the part of China that I had just came from! Through further introduction I realised that Dr. Chow was a native of a place very very close to the city where I had worked as a high school teacher for over a decade, and also I found out he moved to North Amercia from Taiwan directly after having left Mainland China prior to its fall to the communist rule in the 40s. On that occasion I met both he and his wife. At that time in early 90s , Mainland Chinese community was barely in existence in Brandon , and therefore, I was invited a few times by them to their home for dinner during the following days.It was not until almost a year later on one visit to their Brandon home, Mrs Chow showed me their family photo album before the dinner. As I leafed through this album of theirs, one particular photo in the album just totally caught me literally by surprise and disbelieve! There is this picture of somebody who has been a close friend to my family for 4 decades! Mr. Zhengwen Chow , a close friend to my Aunt in Shanghai, and my grandmother his god mother! I could not believe my eyes, and for an instant I thought I may have misidentified somebody who bears a close resemblance accidentally until I saw right on the wall of the photo of him was the indisputable oil painting by my own uncle which my aunt had given to him as a gift! I asked Mrs Chow how on earth they got a picture of Zhengwen! She was equally astonished asking me how could I possibly knew her husband Dr. Chow's only cousin in Mainland China! What a small world! Apparently Zhengwen had lost contact with them for long , and prior to the digital ages, communication oversea was not that easy! Now so many years have passed since that encounter , both Mr. and Mrs Chow have passed away , so has Zhengwen Chow , who was a novelist
playwright , and a poet in his life time who suffered a lot and was sent to labour camp for a few years during the communist years in mainland China. It was Zhengwen who opened my early eyes to the free and beautiful world of North America in the 70s in Shanghai. I will never ever forget how we listened together one night in my aunt's home in Shanghai on a worn out record the first time for me , the Beautiful Dreamer by Stephen Foster

Beautiful dreamer, wake unto me,
Starlight and dewdrops are waiting for thee;
Sounds of the rude world, heard in the day,
Lull'd by the moonlight have all passed away!
Beautiful dreamer, queen of my song,
List while I woo thee with soft melody;
Gone are the cares of life's busy throng,
Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me!
Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me!

That very moment from the dark age in China, I started to dream! I was 18 years old then.

Brandon University Original Building and Clark Hall in the early morning sunshine