The Way of the Brush

Course Description

NOT CURRENTLY IN SESSION; LAST OFFERED DURING SPRING 2011

Course Description

Japanese brush painting and calligraphy are age-old art forms practiced originally by scholar-monks and then the Samurai, who eschewed the formality of the conventions of Buddhism as it was practiced at the time.

The artist holds his/her brush with a relaxed grip, and then with a broad sweep of the arm, places a swath of blackish-gray across the page. In this way a work has begun. This is not a thought-out art, it is an art of being in the moment, an art of seeing, and of allowing one's spirit to shine through in each stroke.

In this class we will practice the techniques and strokes for painting in ink, which involve practice, practice, and more practice! Individual compositions are encouraged after we learn something new. We will cover landscapes and other nature themes such as birds, flowers and animals, as well as practice Chinese characters as used by the Japanese.