Testimonials

Tao Hua Tan Artist Residency has been an unforgettable experience. The area was beautiful, the food delicious and the hosts were kind and generous. It has also been fantastic to meet and spend time with 40 artists from all around the world, literally from all 5 continents. The works produced during our stay have been and will be exhibited in different locations in the area (Hefei, XuanCheng…) and they will be part of the collection of the future Tao Hua Tan Museum of Art.

- Eva Navarro, artist, Spain

Dear dear Gordan,

My apologizes for keeping silence for so long.

So even though this is a very late response I wanted you to know how great full I am for your invitation and the wonderful opportunity you gave me to visit China and to meet you and all the other artists.

These three weeks were extraordinary; I find it very difficult to convey to other people what this whole experience was, as it was so complex - challenging - strange - frustrating at times and funny...

I hope you are well

I hope you are still planning to come to Israel

How is the print shop and your house getting along?

Love,

- Efrat Galnoor, artist, Israel

Hello Gordan,

Thank you for the fantastic experience in Tao Hua Tan and Beijing. The people, the art, the food, the sights, the culture, all intense and memorable. Plus a lot of fun! Thanks for inviting me out of the blue!

I hope that the print studio/your new home will be ready for your triumphant return in December? April?

all the best,

Paul

- Paul Shakespear, artist, USA

Thank you, thank you, thank you Gordan for inviting and accepting me into the THT residency, an experience I will never forget. All reservations disappeared when I walked into the giant dome knowing this is where I would work. It was a privilege to paint in there and of course to pull my first mono prints with you in there as well. The whole experience was positive - the assembled group of artists had such lovely chemistry, the setting and facilities were spectacular, the staff all sweethearts especially the giggling women, the food and beer delicious, the generosity of Mr. Wei and his wife unbelievable, you, Jeffrey and Lucky such gracious hosts and facilitators, the landscape, mist and fog sublime, I even enjoyed the Nescafé! What a spectacular confluence of magical ingredients. I had so much energy and worked so hard and can’t wait to see what comes out in the studio here.

Thank you also very much for embracing Danny, the only non artist. He felt totally welcomed and joined right In thanks to the generosity of the people you assembled.

I have some suggestions for future participants. Please let me know if you are interested in any names.

I hope the new group has been equally sympatico and productive as ours was and that the fall group will be as well. Did Micheal,dig his hole?

- Marie Lannoo, artist, Canada

Tao Hua Tan, 1st International Artist Retreat and Painting Residence, 2017:
a group of cosmopolitan artists, with great authentic languages and differences that could match very well.

What I think about it? I am going back to the “By the Peach Blossom Pool Arts and Holiday Riverside Resort”, again this year, on the scene again and again:

It is just because of mornings, food, platform, order, space, fear, playground, time, curiosity, creativity, surprises, exploration, risk, play, engagement, collaboration, unpredictability, love, fall, interaction, history, misunderstandings, culture, orient, sobriety, light, situations, sweetness, sounds, accidents, river, smells, colours, dreaming, geography, people, stimulations, conversations, déjà vu, good humour, senses, nights, expeditions, feelings, momentum, darkness, unknown, the truth, metaphysic, connections, happiness, share, courtesy, smiles, echo, bells, journey, accumulation, attention, hugs, stage, treat, fly, mixed up, citation, negotiation, process, intuition, stimulations, evenings, subversively, , absence of structure and in spite of beauty presence all around.

All in one magnificent place.

Milenko Prvacki, Artist, Singapore

Thanks Gordan!
How you doing? Still in China? I had a wonderful time at Tanhuatan. The resort and surrounding countryside are beautiful, the food is fantastic and the people are great! I can’t wait to return! Next time I will come early and spend time in Beijing or Shanghai. And also want to visit you in Croatia! And get an art history lesson in Saskatchewan.
I hope the second group of artists was as fun as the first. Also- I have many names of artists for you, for future residencies, If you want them.
I miss your crazy stories!!!
Best, Sj
Sarah Anne Johnson, artist, Canada

Hi Gordan ,I trust you are well. My apologies that it took me a bit long to send my greetings after I left for my country. I enjoyed each an every moment of my residency. I want to say thank you for the great opportunity. I would have loved to collaborate more with you at the printmaking studio unfortunately time was to short. I have bought a big roll of Chinese paper. I will be producing new prints with in South Africa,

Cyril Manganye, Artist, South African Republic

In the tranquil misty light of Tao Hua Tan, Canadian abstract artist Robert Scott began his month-long residency program at The Peach Blossom Pool Holiday Hotel. From the very moment Scott and his wife Susan arrived at Shanghai International Airport, the pair were treated like royalty. A red carpet guided the two up the grounds of The Peach Blossom Pool Holiday Hotel, towards their five-star room and down into a banquet hall celebrating the arrival of 40 international artists attending the first annual residency program.
Inspiration came naturally to Robert Scott as the residency program offered a variety of activities such as artist talks, studio arts and printmaking workshops, as well as a tour of a local handcrafted paper and printmaking company: The Chinese Xuan Paper.
"Inspiration was found everywhere we went. From the traditional sculptures on the grounds of the hotel, to watching the practice of making handcrafted paper; some of which takes five years to make. It was truly an incredible experience."
Scott and the other international artists attending The Peach Blossom artist residency had the opportunity to select the location of their studio space from the grounds of the hotel. Built on top of a historic town in Tao Hua Tan, Robert Scott decided to work in The Peach Blossom Hotel's greenhouse. "I was very impressed with this artist residency's ability to bring together so many different artists and allow them to feed and thrive off one another's energy, it resulted in very interested art being created."

Robert Austin Scott, artist, Canada https://www.robertscottartist.com/blog/

Hello Gordan!

Since we didn’t have time for proper good bye, I just wanted to thank you giving me chance of doing this residency at Taohuatan!
In those two weeks I learned so much and I’m ready now to work on those lessons and incorporate them into my works!
I’m really, really grateful!

Hopefully we will meet again!
Thank you once more for believing in my work!

Best,
Anna Pelc aka Aaliyah Navras, artist, Poland