A DREAM COME TRUE......

Friday, March 28, 2014

A DREAM COME TRUE......

The day began at Meiji Shrine dedicated to Emperor Meiji and his consort, Empress Shoken. I could hardly wait to get to our Sumi-e class at Carre Moji. This is one of the most elegant galleries in Japan devoted to the most expressive Sumi painting and calligraphy. Each of us had our places set with all the implements we would need and the setting was so inspiring I could scarcely concentrated. Excited X ten! Miss Judith has been studying Calligraphy with Shantien 'Tom' Chow in my studio for some time and took right to it but Eileen has never even held a brush! I must say after she realized we wouldn't send her work to the Louvre she got right into it!

I was honored by our teacher, master calligrapher & Sumi artist Madoka Yokoyama and there was lots of bowing & kind comments.

Everyone did beautifully....we learned many new things and had so much fun! Wilbur and Pam are quite possibly the dearest couple and as they've been studying with me, had no trouble getting 'into it'. Our 'teacher' later commented on how free the group was....each going along their own journey

Bonnie & Charlie are loved by all. It's their amazing joie de vivre, as they take delight in each and every precious1 moment and their educated enthusiasm is contagous!

Good job Pam!

Bonnie really gets into it! Amy, our guide is interpreting our teacher's comments.

Boyd, another student of Tom's had great fun!

Yours truly with Master Calligrapher Madoka Yokoyama.

I think Madoka wisely decided to just let loose of the reins!

Wilbur and Pam loved seeing the gallery as did we all!

With gallery owner Fumitaka Ueno

Some of the artwork in the gallery.

I was on cloud 9 all day!

The Cherry blossoms are coming into their full glory (they will barely last 2 weeks.)

Off to the Tokyo National Museum in Tokyo's Ueno Park....a portal to the creative Japanese world dating all the way back to the year 10,000 B.C.

Hi Pam!

Back to the hotel and then everyone went to the Akasaka area to a Karaoke Club and word has it they had a hylariously fun time. I stayed at the hotel still dreaming of our time at Carre Moji & went to the 40th floor for a lovely 'Italian' dinner.

This was the lovliest salad ever!

A perfect Japanese fillet.

Ending a perfect day.

1 comment:

Unknown said...: Sounds like a fantastic trip. So happy for everyone. YAY!!!; March 28, 2014 at 3:25 PM

Introduction

There is no avoiding the pull of the internet, the blogs, the YouTube imaginings. It's as if we're all 'On the Road' with Jack Kerouac each in our own world of meanderings. When we tell someone to 'get a life' it might be a bit difficult when you're dragged into other people's 24/7.

I've come to realize two foundational principals, there are no accidents and everyone has a purpose. More and more I'm desiring everyone to come into a full realization of their purpose as we all find our way on this little jewel of a planet.

For me, as a professional 'Western style artist', I stumbled into Chinese Brush Painting after a trip in 1980 to Monet's home/garden. Seeing all of his collection of Japanese woodblock prints was an ahh haa moment for me and when I returned to the States I started painting in the Chinese manner and never looked back. The first year was extremely painful for me as I felt that I should be able to master the technique since I was a 'trained' artist. Not a chance ... that just gets in your way.

Now, after teaching close to 3,000 students and having my book 'The Ch'i of the Brush' published by Watson Guptill, I can say that every one of my students does better their first day than I did my first year! Why? Because I insist that they leave their critical parent outside and just enjoy the journey, respecting the work that they do. I never let anyone throw anything away because that just ingrains frustration and defeat.

We really only begin to learn when we stop and figure out how to 'save' a painting. It works every time.I am so proud of my students, their receptivity and eagerness to express themselves is a continuing blessing for me.So, back to finding your purpose. Perhaps it starts with realizing 'it's not about me'. It so easy to want our needs met and to filter everything thru this attitude. When we realize that we're here to be of benefit to every life that we touch the universe really provides the ways and means.

The best part is that it's really exciting to not have yourself on your mind all the time!I'm re-reading a wonderful book about authenticity and in my next meandering I'll tell you about it. In the meantime I'd love to hear about your journey and am here to answer any and all questions about Chinese Brush Painting.