2012Fall Lesson 1

I want to thank you for partnering with me to bring the joy of brush painting to the art lovers in Kincaid.  We had a great start yesterday, exploring the very different ways of painting with bamboo brushes on rice paper, discovering the various effects water and ink produces on rice paper. As Chinese proverb stated: Painting is done in cooperation between man and heaven, meaning interaction between what we can control with our hand and mind and what take place in science or coincidence of the ink spots in which we are either delighted or frustrated to encounter.  The running of the ink and water on rice paper according to contact time and brush loading puts everyone in a humble learner's position.  But the amazing effect it produces motivates us to try harder.

I introduced outline representation of cotton ball, stroke practice of daisy, stroke and outlined chrysanthemum, line work, and signature.  We started to compose a painting but have to continue next week.  I have attached my demonstration for your reference.  I will post all of our lessons on http://joyousbrushclubatkincaid.blogspot.com/ for your review.

I look forward to next Tuesday as I treasure our special painting time with this special group of sweet girls.  Thank you for your support.

lesson 11

Dear Creative Friends: We painted Poinsettia this past Tuesday at Joyousbrush Club. Your students did wonderful stroke works on their paintings. I am so proud of their progress. Thank you for the opportunity for me to share my joy in brush painting with your students. I certainly am blessed painting with them. I hope something has ignited in them, be it creativity, confidence, observation, personal style, composition, stroke technique, color theory, nature, design, new appreciation for beauty, or peace and tranquility...etc. Tomorrow will be our last class for this semester. They will all bring home their profolio with the paintings we did week after week. You may also view http://joyousbrushclubatkincaid.blogspot.com/ to see all of the demo paintings. I look forward to see you all after summer. Have a great summer

lesson 10 Azalea

Dear Creative friends We catch the bloom of Azaleas in our mind not realize what we know. We are surprised to find that nature trains us subliminally what beauty is. There is a natural sense of satisfaction as we imitate nature. It is like as we are speaking to nature with its language. The strokes are deliberate. Your students will their pedals one by one. This is the realization. I can transfer my emotion and ideas to yours. My mind wills and you agree. My hand executes and you appreciate. This is communication without words.

lesson 9 grapes

Dear Creative friends: We don't have class this coming Tuesday (Spring break). We have 3 more classes after spring break. I enjoy each and every class with your students. Thank you for this opportunity. Letting the painting tell you what it needs. While it's all about surrendering to the work itself, it's also the quality of the dialogue in front of it. Well-chosen placement of the confident strokes gives us great satisfaction. Then they all speak and tell us what we really are inside. As it is said, "How do I know what I think until I hear what I say." In our case, "How do I know what I know until I paint" We did grapes last week, attached for your reference. Your students are now very comfortable in loading their brushes. They are very deliberate in executing each strokes. You should see their focus and concentration when they paint. Their paintings in the hall way may speak for themselves. Enjoy it. Have a great Spring Break.

Lesson 8 plum blossom

Robert Genn, a renown Canadian artist in his Twice-Weekly Letter says:

"It's safe to say that too much drawing can destroy form and pattern. Fact is, paintings are best made
of patches, not lines....But lines themselves are a way to understand those patches and the
underlying forms....

Joyousbrush painting incorporate the patches approach to explore and understand.  It forces the students to rely on their mental imagery to paint.  We don't pencil in before we paint.  We paint directly on rice paper.  The learning takes place in both ways.  In realize what's in our mind, and to interpret what appeared on paper.  The understanding comes from the form, and the image in our mind produce the form.  This process connect the command center of your students with their environment. This exercise motivate students to integrate mind and hand in a more engaged way.

We painted traditional plum blossom with ink and color. We explored how to paint tree trunks and branches.

Lesson 7 Cherokee roses

Lesson 6 Sun flower

We did sunflowers on this lesson.  This lesson is designed to drill the mid point strokes as in bamboo leaves.  You may see each sunflower peddle is composed of 3 of these strokes.  Instead of having students work on a scrap piece paper painting stroke after stroke as traditional Chinese brush painting instructor would do, we did the same amount of practice and realized a beautiful painting.  The emergence of the beauty comes from their strokes actually motivate the students to paint on.  I don't have to convince them to work harder, they all worked their hardest.  You should see their paintings.  Nothing like a beginners work.

lesson 5 Geranium

We did Geranium this week.  We explore the round leaves and the pot.   Your students are wonderful painting partners.  They really get into it.  Thank you for the privilege and the opportunity for me to share the precious creative time with them.  You may view their work in the hall way.  All the previous paintings taken down from the Hall exhibition goes directly into their propolio.  Your students are free to bring home their profolio anytime.  Just make sure they bring them back so we can continue to add to them.

Lesson B3

Dear Creative friends

We did hydrangea last week.   We learned to load our brush shallow for the flowers and deep for the leaves.  I did not video tape our session, so I use the one below for your reference.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I24fmT0kE4s&feature=g-upl&context=G2a04e66AUAAAAAAABAA 

We will continue to work on the leaves this week and talk about composition of cluster of leaves.  Sorry for the late post.  I look forward to both of the Chinese language and brush painting classes tomorrow.

Lesson B2

We painted Daffodils this week.  I video taped the demonstration and uploaded on Youtube for your reference: . v=3QWzZImnuJE&feature=plcp&context=C3dea511UDOEgsToPDskJvpjw5oNiHPHT-vKFI0knl Your students' paintings are displayed in the hall way for public viewing.  Attached is the demo painting.

We continue to work on loading of the brush,  the pallet management and the control of the amount of water in the brush for the desired stroke.  We work on straight steady strokes of the daffodil leaves.  the landing and the lifting of the brush and the proper amount of pressure to make the leaves, flower bud and the flower peddles.  We employee the outline option to help with our strokes.  It is an acquired skill and your students are following nicely.

Spending this hour with the girls are just heavenly for me.  The entire hour passed in sweet fellowship and learning.  I can't describe the peace and the serenity we feel when we paint.  Thank you for blessings us with this delightful pursue of beauty.  

Joyousbrush Club B1

We had such a sweet time painting tulips together.  We explored how the tulips emerge from the ground as a little fold up leaves.  Then they unfold into bigger leaves, how the leaves bend. And how the flowers grows from the bud to broom.  I showed them how to load their brushes and direct their bamboo brushes to make the shape with holding, directing and pressure. Your precious students are so delightful in following my instruction yet explore their own unique expressive strokes.  

Thank you for the opportunity for me to bring such beautiful experiences to your students. I remember how I was elated when I started this art form several decades ago. I see the same delight in your students.

I will place your students paintings all together in their profolio.  They can leave it with me or if they want to bring it home, they should remember to bring it back the next week.    I have attached my demonstration for your reference.  

We had some soda crackers and flavored drinks for the students who stay behind to paint.  If there is any problem with this snack, please feel free to pack your own.