China - Elegance and Grace. In 2009 I spent about 45 days in Beijing and Xi'an teaching at the Beijing Institute of Technology and the Central University of Finance. My time in China was a true awakening of the spirit. I was allowed to get to know not only my students but their parents, people in the streets and museums, the quiet Buddhist temples and parks. Each afternoon after class, I walked miles, seeking quiet spaces and photographically capturing moments as I experienced them. It was the everyday people that I remember most. I tried to understand how they were each experiencing the amazing change that had taken place since the 1949 revolution. I learned a lot as my stay progressed - as you might expect, some of the changes were good and some not. There is a special elegance and grace that exists in China that I hope I have communicated with my photography. I was fortunate to explore China over a relatively long period of time which most tourists never get this opportunity. Sincere thanks to all my former graduate students for their kindness, patience and desire to share their culture and history with me.
