Tea mats/Carlos Pueblo

 Tea mats/Carlos Pueblo

Yu-Mei Chen, a famous Eastern Gouache fine artist of Taichung, Taiwan gave me 48 sets of her special made tea mats in May, 2024 on my return visit to the Island. I have been very impressed by her efforts to engrave her art products into the porcelain to withhold tea. It is very unique and good looking especially on my rosewood tables. She gave me a set and a nice tea cop when I visited her art show at Taiwan Normal University in March, 2024.

 
I told her that I would like to buy some for my friends as gifts. She replied that she would give it to me for free. I took a train south to Cheng Kung, Taichung some 200 miles from Taipei. I first came to Taichung Station and transferred to a local train to Cheng Kung Station where a famous Army base is located. Hill Cheng Kung is an infantry training center where most of the ROTC are trained here. Suddenly, I realized that I was not trained here in 1967 and 1971, I was on another base both at the 5th Army Infantry Center at Che Long Poo Base which was damaged severely some time before.
Mrs. Chen's art gallery is across the street from the small railroad station on a newly built high rise building. Her gallery is considered large to show her success and establishment. She introduced me to Eastern Gouache Art which is also Japanese Art. It is very popular in Japan, of course. It is more popular in central Taiwan based on Tunghai University where she has her master degree. The Eastern Gouache paintings are usually very colorful and vividly expressed. Her painting arts work are full of color and especially on high hill shoes.

I have distributed 16 sets to Taiwan Normal's public relations office for transferring some to the University President, Senior Vice President, Chemistry Department Head, and many professors who have treated me kindly. I also gave some for my dentist and his family, my senior high school classmate  and his family, and some of the hotel staff. I carried 6 sets back to Houston for Amy's church friends.