Sumi e: “the art of Chinese brush painting”

One of my primary interests in coming to Japan for a year was to further cultivate an art of my own.  For most of my adult life I have been drawn to many of the Japanese arts and envisioned that during my time here, by exploring several different arts, I might discover the path of my own to continue exploring and creating long after I leave Japan.  As I have already come to appreciate, the Japanese practice and cultivate their arts over lifetimes and generations, so one year is simply to begin.

“Shodo” or calligraphy, also known as “the way of artistic hand writing or beautiful writing” is an art form that dates back to China and is a high art form taken very seriously.   When I first adventured to China in 2014, and then again two years ago, I was captivated by the art form of Chinese calligraphy.  Since Chinese characters originally developed from the images they were describing they take on more of a beautiful art form than simply learning letters.  When I was very young, my mother was a teacher and I can remember her working with me to emphasize proper form in handwriting.  To this day, my mother still has the most beautiful handwriting I have ever seen and I can only hope some of that has been passed through to me in some small way.  In the last couple of years, I have found the practice of writing out passages and quotes and letters in longhand a very meditative exercise.  Perhaps it re-connects me to the practice of calligraphy in China and Japan, where mindful time is blocked out for this important practice.

Sumi e or “the art of Chinese brush painting” is something I first discovered during my visit to China and since that time had acquired several books and began exploring it on my own and practicing from books.  I knew that when I came to Kyoto I wanted to find an authentic teacher to begin exploring this art form.  Having now been here for almost 3 months, I have learned that finding authentic teachers for any Japanese art from is much more challenging that one might be accustomed to in the United States.  Teachers of these art forms in Japan are not creating high profile websites to be found on Google and promoting themselves to attract students.  Japanese culture is reserved and quietly passed down.   It is more customary in Japan to be introduced to a teacher by someone and recommenced as a student.

Interestingly, most of the amazing discoveries that have happened since I arrived in Kyoto begin with me finding myself lost.  I had left my house one Saturday to go find a tea supply shop which had been recommended to me by my teacher.  I ventured out on foot and found myself once again lost amidst the narrow streets and corridors of Kyoto, once again with no street signs and no wi-fi.   At one point I began to navigate my way back in the general direction of my home, following my internal compass.  Along the way I would poke my head into shop after shop, just exploring and seeing whatever I could find.  As I got about a half mile from my home, I stuck my head into an interesting looking shop.  It turned out to be an art gallery with interesting pieces all along the walls.  I was immediately greeted by a beautiful Japanese woman with a kind smile.  She spoke very little English but seemed to speak more than most people I have met so far.

She began to explain to me that this was the art gallery belonging to her and her husband.  He was a painter and their home was also in the back of the studio.  About that time, her daughter came out in her Alice In Wonderland dress and said “Konichiwa” with a smile. I couldn’t help but notice the beautiful garden in the middle of the home, with the house build entirely around the garden.  As we talked, I told her that I was very interested in learning Sumi e and this was one of my reasons for coming to Japan.  She said “we have a teacher…..comes here on Mondays……I invite you….please.”   As it turned out, the teacher came  on Mondays at 2pm for 3 hours and did not speak any English, but I was welcome to come visit.  Just a few blocks from my house. Of course I could not wait to get there.

On Monday I arrived and was met with a puzzled group of older artists  who had clearly been studying Sumi e for quite some time.  I was in awe of their collections of brushes and supplies and simply watched as the process unfolded.   The teacher would hand out various copies of Chinese Sumi e and then the students would begin to copy the work.  Copying other pieces of art is actually a very common practice and shows respect and appreciation.  All of this is done in the traditional kneeling position so once again I was fighting back the tears as the circulation cut off in my ankles and my legs went numb.

After several demonstrations the teacher asked me to take his seat and give it a try.  I felt like a first grader working on my first attempt at finger-painting.  As with most things in Japan, no matter how hard I try to be reserved and respectful and follow the proper etiquette, I feel like a complete slob and a bull in a china shop. Surprisingly, the teacher said it was very good and invited me to return again to the class.

These are the 3 works of art from the first class.  Two of these are by the teacher and one is by me.  See if you can determine which is mine and which are his.  Please keep in mind he has studied this art form for many years in China and is considered at the master level.

Whether or not I will become a great Sumi e artist will certainly take years to discover.  In the meantime, I am grateful to have found an artistic expression that I am excited to explore and seems to want to come through me in some way, so I will let it flow.

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"If you hear a voice within you say 'you cannot paint,' then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced."

-Vincent Van Gogh

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One of my very first Sumi e attempts in 2018

Read more about the arts of "Shodo" and "Sumi" e in my prior post here: https://kyotojournal.org/culture-arts/mastery-of-movement