Adventures in Brush Painting

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3 people painting at a table Picture

Students practice bamboo strokes

My videos show up in wonderful places! Sensei William Reed, a long-time bilingual resident of Japan, teaches brush calligraphy at the International College of Liberal Arts in Yamanashi Gakuin University near Mt Fuji. He recently used my Bamboo video as a teaching tool. 
4 people watching video Picture

Watching Virginia's sumi-e bamboo video in class

Reed's students show great attention and mindfulness as they practice. They found it harder than expected to get the strokes right, but stayed well focused.
Picture Japanese student with brush

Student Practicing bamboo

Picture of Japanese student with brush

Student Practicing bamboo

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Chinese brush painting of red bamboo

Red Bamboo

We are now officially in the Year of the Monkey! In China my friends will be traveling round to visit family, cooking and eating banquets, giving and receiving red envelopes of money and lavishing attention on babies and grandparents. The Spring Festival surrounding the turn of the Chinese Year will last a month, students and teachers will be out of school, many restaurants and businesses will be closed as will many local government offices. Beautiful calligraphy specially written on red paper for the occasion will festoon homes and stores and good-luck paintings of red bamboo will mark the occasion.

If you enjoy reading blogs about life in China written by ex pats, I highly recommend reading the New Year Blog Hop organized by Two Americans in China.

Virginia
Lloyd-Davies

Painting in sumi-e and Chinese brush technique since 1976 in 'splashing ink' style has taught me to appreciate the delights of spontaneity. Just as in life, there is no 'perfection' in painting, but there is much joy. Come join me in this adventure!