San Po Kong Factory District 新蒲崗工業區

Sketching the San Po Kong skyline. Once a vibrant factory district in Hong Kong from the sixties to eighties, now factory buildings here have become warehouses, art studios, offices and some are redeveloped as residential high rises.

曾幾何時新蒲崗是香港其中一個重要工業區，今日大部份工廠大廈已變成貨倉、寫字樓或畫室等，部份工廠大廈更重建為摩天住宅大廈。

Old Barber Shop in San Po Kong 新蒲崗舊式理髮店

Possibly the oldest shop in San Po Kong. I walked past it every day as a kid when I lived in this area. Now it is the only shop that remains the same in the whole street.

San Po Kong, Hong Kong

兒時每日都經過的理髮店。今日還在。

Nga Chin Wai Village 衙前圍村

Nga Chin Wai Village is the only surviving walled village in the urban area of Hong Kong.  According to legend it was established in 1278 by a group of people who followed the Song Emperor who fled to Hong Kong from the Mongols.  The Chinese characters, read from right to left, "慶有餘" (Hing Yau Yu) engraved on the granite stone above the entrance are said to be the handwriting of the Song Emperor.  

This historic village will soon be closed for redevelopment and the remaining villagers are forced to leave the village. 

衙前圍村立於1278年，乃香港市區僅如古村。據聞，衙前圍村係由追隨宋端宗嘅人建立。村口「慶有餘」三字有傳係宋端宗本人所題。

可恨香港政府決意遷走村民並原地發展地產物業。試問，重建時保留幾塊磚瓦，趕走原居民，這是保育，還是借保育之名圖利?

5-Day Sketch Challenge Day 5 : San Po Kong 五日速寫大挑戰 第五日: 遊走新蒲崗

The last day of my five-day sketch challenge!   I wandered around San Po Kong and sketched the following. The first sketch was the iconic plastic wares company factory building which has been around since the 70s, the second one is a lonely stone fence of a playground facing a wall of a tenement building, and the third one a Chiu Chou food stall. 

It's an interesting experience really as the limited time available each day forced me to pick up scenes that I otherwise would not sketch. Good lesson for me!

比畫友提名連畫五日畫，每日三張，「五日速寫大挑戰」最後一日啦！第一張係新蒲崗紅A，第二張係唐樓間嘅公園仔畫嘅，最後一張畫一間潮州食店。

5-Day Sketch Challenge: Day 1 五日速寫大挑戰: 第一日

I was nominated by a fellow urban sketcher in Hong Kong to take up the challenge.  For 5 days in a row, I have to produce 3 sketches each day and here is the results of Day 1 of the challenge.  I had a art party in my studio this afternoon and friends made perfect subject matter for my sketches!

一位香港速寫人提名我參加五日速寫大挑戰。參加者每日畫三張畫，一連五日，今日朋友係我畫室畫畫，就以他們為題，作畫三張。

Lion Rock on the First Day of 2015 獅子山2015的第一日

The first day of 2015, I decided to sketch something symbolic!  I spotted this view of Lion Rock between buildings and trees and settled there and started sketching.  Besides sketching the scene, I also added the huge yellow banner calling for universal suffrage for Hong Kong, which was hung there a few days ago.  Hong Kong, it's time to stand up and make yourself a nation state!

2015第一日想畫張特別啲嘅畫。行經新蒲崗永顯工業大廈，見獅子山遠處聳立，就囉畫具出里畫，畫時加埋早幾日掛係山上黃色嘅大banner，喻意香港首長，立法會全面普選，港人治港，城邦建國。

Sketching at a Noodles Shop in San Po Kong 新蒲崗麵後作畫

After having fish balls noodles, I took out my sketchbook and quickly sketched the scene while waiting for the rain outside to subside.

落大雨走入衍慶街漁蛋麵舖，食完漁蛋麵拿出畫簿速畫舖面和街景。

Concert in Protest Against Redevelopment 衙前圍村音樂會

The oldest village in our urban area, Ngai Chin Wai Village will soon be demolished! Residents and a conservation group were holding a concert today in protest against the URA's move to redevelop the village.

市區古村衙前圍村快將重建！村民同保育團體今在村旁舉行音樂會。