Waving to China (Weiyin)

by Godfrey J. Ellis – Acrylic 20×24 May 2021

This lovely man and his 12-year-old son, Liu are wode peng you (my friends – see the characters on the lower right). The father was my Chinese teacher at Pierce College in 2004. The College brought him over from China (his wife had to stay behind as collateral) and essentially dumped him in a small apartment near the College. No trips to Seattle or elsewhere, no plans for Christmas, to trips to the Asian grocery. Except for me, his students were all 20-somethings. I befriended him by taking him shopping, sightseeing, and to our house for Christmas. I even let him try driving our car, a first for him. We became peng you. One of our sightseeing trips was to the shore of the Pacific Ocean, where he could wave across the waters to his home in Beijing. Some 17 years later, during the Covid mess, I painted a picture of one of our excursions. Below are the reference photos from which I created a composite.

Below is a photo of Weiyin and his wife holding the painting. Even though years have passed and he has changed his hairstyle, Weiyin hasn’t changed that much. What a sweet couple they are! He wrote, “It is such a marvelous painting, a masterpiece, and an echo to the wonderful day we spent on the other side of the Pacific Ocean.  My rented apartment, small and unimpressive, will look quite different from now on. My wife, Ji Song, is also amazed by your talents as well as she is moved by your care and considerateness for us. She says she is especially impressed by the reflections, the waves and the delicate shades of colors. A million thanks again, my dear friend!”

Below are photos of the painting as it took shape.