These are not souvenirs from a trip to China, but the next best thing - a trip, one of many, to the Guimet museum of oriental art in Paris - or rather, the postcard comes from the museum and the figurine (stuffed velvet with a weighted base) was concocted some years ago, based on a group of dancers from the same era, the Tang dynasty, 7th and 8th centuries AD. The lady with chignon is a tomb figure and compared with the dancers is rather portly. Other "mingqi" of stout women with amazing hairdos also exist - the story is that they are based on the 8th-century emperor Tang Xuanzong's favourite concubine, Yang Guifei.
From Jo - The bear was given to me when I was 2 or 3 years old. He is about 6 inches tall, and I loved him, carried him everywhere, then one day I lost him in the High Street. I remember a puddle, and mother thinks he may have been run over either by a push-chair or a car. It's all very hazy but I think someone else gave him back to us when he saw us looking for something. He was whisked away, and when he was returned to me his right leg was longer than his left and rigid. He no longer sat down with his legs out in front - which was his great charm. I was very upset by this and kept trying to make his legs do what they used to do. Even now, I remember the terrible frustration of Not Understanding Why! Adults were useless - just making jokes about is state of health. But all he could do now was lie down and I stopped playing with him. Looking at him now I can see trauma - lots of fur missing - and the wire hook his leg should be on is still sticking out. The leg has been stitched, lower, and very firmly, to his body. One day, when I summon up the nerve, I am going to "operate" and try and restore function...!
From Mags - Some of my most rewarding travel has been when I've been able to combine plant conservation work trips with holidays . I bought the handcarved wooden Echidna in Australia in 1995 and the raku ceramic guinea fowl in Cape town , South Africa in 1998 ( wish I could have smuggled home a penguin.... )
From Najlaa - My drawing is a section from a Tunisian rug which we visited in 2003.
From Carol - Here is the souvenir plate I brought myself from Godstone in the Isle of Wight many years ago. The family tease me and say it is rubbish but I like my little cheese chief, and nobody complains when the entrees and nibbles come out in it.
From Janet B - I made the most of the glorious sunshine and drew in the garden. I started with a Manx Viking propped up against a mini jute bag from Dundee and finished with Mungo from Glasgow cathedral.
From Judith - From Brazil, I love the bright colours. Still getting used to Inktense pencils once water added!
From Joyce - this is a moose mascot given to us when we hired an RV in Canada in 2007. It travelled with us on our adventure and now sits in my studio watching what’s going on, giving me inspiration sometimes!
From Sue S - Here’s my sketch - a collection of kitchen implements gleaned from various holidays.
From Janet K - Friends bought this puppet on a trip to Thailand and gave it to me as a present.
From Gillian - Cushions and fabric from a fabulous 6 weeks in Mexico City. The chihuahua is here on holiday from Mexico too.
From Richard - Caran d’Ache, not keeping up with the light moving, of:
-a plumbago, brought home from Corsica as a seed stuck to my trousers (it’s healthy, just too lazy to draw all the leaves);
-Catalan bowl from a nesting set we bought Collioure market, cough cough years ago;
-bottle of Norwegian aquavit;
-a Turkish coffee pot (think I’m cheating and it came from our corner shop).
From Jackie - Rugs from India and Peru… joys of travel from days of yore..watercolour
From Ann - This bird of paradise flower is a memory of our holiday in beautiful Costa Rica in March this year! These exotic plants are everywhere ..Paradise indeed.
From Sue M - I've clearly got out of practice
From Sylvia -
From Hazel - My holiday souvenir is a tiny (67mm) metal, hand-painted cockerel from Portugal. I drew with pencil, acrylic, gouache and oil pastel.
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