Hi everyone, I hope you are enjoying the change of the seasons, the stunning autumn colours and the warm lantern at night. Today I am sharing the new dates for the online autumn term and coming up workshops till the end of the year. The workshop in-person in London will take place possibly in November, I am waiting for the confirmation of the room. I will keep you updated.
As you might’ve read, my Shodo book will be launched soon in the middle of October. I will write about it more detailed in my next post. So exciting! Yes, it is a beautiful book. You can read the teaser here and pre-order the book. Shodo book : https://www.shodocalligraphy.com/my-book.html
Here is the new date for the Autumn Course and workshops. You will learn the art of Shodo with me, based on the original mindfulness method. Very interactive and meditative.
○ Date : 04.Oct / 18.Oct / 08. Nov / 22.Nov / 06.Dec ○ Time : Tuesday, 19.00 – 20.30 (UK time/GMT) ○ Course : 5 sessions x 90min ○ Fee : £170 / €170 / $200 ○ The course includes:・Template / Mindfulness-based basic brush movements ・Template /Two foundational brush strokes (side brushing + direct brushing) + other original exercises ・5 Shodo template every session and – extra home works on request. ・Correction and feedback ・Access to the recording *more info, check the link :
Hi everyone, I hope you are healthy and had a good start of the year! Are we ready for the Lunar New Year on the 1st. February?! Are your tigers ready for 2022? Or – Already up and flowing?
I had a wonderful New Year’s Calligraphy Kakizome event on the 2nd January. Thank you very much for joining me and celebrating together! It was such a great fun! Arigato.
If you missed the Kakizome event, no worries! I share with you some videos I created, so you can practise at home at the Luna New Year!
Tiger in Sosho, cursive style
Tinger in Gyosho, semi cursive style
Like every new year, I’ve made a new year’s card with a zodiac symbolism. The tiger palm is designed with Enso movements, Ten/Point and Hane/Jumping techniques. You see the Hiragana calligraphy TORA とら on the right hand side.
You can also see how it was done in the video below.
Finally – I have also completed the online new workshop + course plans for 2022.
The first workshop for brush-up is on Sunday, 06. February with the theme ‘Celebration 祝賀 Shukuga’ celebrating the Luna New Year arrival. We are going to practise two calligraphy styles, in Kaisho and Gyosho. It would be very inspiring and mindful! I love the combination of these two Kanji characters, very dynamic and elegant.
Some of you have already signed up for coming spring term. We are going to restart from the 8th February. There are still some space left, you can send me a sign up form. Here is more Info: https://www.shodocalligraphy.com/shodo-online-course.html
This year there will be limited 5 workshops for beginners. It is online-interactive program. It is now on Saturday afternoon in Europe. So I hope it works good for everyone all over the globe. If you are interested, hurry up and book your place. Book https://www.shodocalligraphy.com/shodo-online-workshop-for-beginners.html
Saturday, 15.00 -18.00 (GMT/UK time)
12. February
02. April
04. June
24. September
19. November
I’ve been working on my new Shodo book since October, trying to represent my mindfulness method and techniques in a different format. It is not easy but I think it is absolutely worth putting effort! It will be published sometime in September-October, first in English and the other languages! Will keep you informed! Apart from that, there will be two exhibitions and some very interesting projects and collaborations coming up this year. I am so pleased to plan the exhibitions again and work with other artists and musicians soon – No art no life!
Before I say ‘enjoy the Lunar New Year’, I would like to share the poem by Thich Nhat Hanh who taught me about Mindfulness’ and has just passed away on 22nd January. I did a brush stroke below just after I read this poem.
“Oneness by Thich Nhat Hanh”
The moment I die,
I will try to come back to you
as quickly as possible.
I promise it will not take long.
Isn’t it true
I am already with you,
as I die each moment?
I come back to you
in every moment.
Just look,
Feel my presence.
If you want to cry,
please cry.
And know
That I will cry with you.
The tears you shed
will heal us both.
Your tears are mine.
transcends history.
Spring and Winter are both present in the moment.
The young leaf and the dead leaf are really one.
My feet touch deathlessness,
and my feet are yours.
Walk with me now.
Let us enter the dimension of oneness
And see the cherry tree blossom in Winter.
Why should we talk about death?
I don’t need to die
to be back with you.
In Call Me by My True Names by Thich Nhat Hanh (1993)
I hope you are well and – you’ve all had a wonderful year (despite the pandemic).
This year, I’ve just made a Christmas-tree design with Japanese Katakana! Yes, it goes horizontally from left to right. (Last year it was in vertical) I’d like to share with you, – some of my Christmas archives from the past years!
Merry Christmas in Katakana 2021
Merry Christmas in Katakana 2020
I’ve been working on my new Shodo book in the past weeks which will be published next year! So exciting! It is not easy to transform all my mindfulness method and detailed structures into neat words and illustrations, but I think I am getting closer to the core elements which I would like to share with learners…. I will keep you updated!
For your info, I am hosting the Kakizome, the New Year’s Calligraphy event again in the new year. (Online event / Sunday, 02.January 2022). You can already check it out and save your place via the link. It is donation based event. I’d be very happy to see you at the Kakizome and celebrate the new year of the Tiger / Tora together! https://www.shodocalligraphy.com/kakizome-calligraphy.html
For now, – I hope you will have fun looking at these archive Christmas images below and inspire you to have a joyful pleasant Christmas time & holiday weeks! Thank you very much for your support, compassion and inspiration. Arigato.
I hope you are well and enjoying the spring breeze.
– Have you already seen your first cherry blossom of the year ?!
In March I’ve given a Shodo workshop with the theme word YOZAKURA 夜桜 – Cherry blossom at night. We’ve practised YOZAKURA in two styles – Kaisho (block) and Gyosho (semi-cursive). I was very impressed by the mindfulness process of all participants.
Sakura cherry blossoms are without a doubt the most loved flowers in Japan.
As many know, cherry blossoms have a very short life in high spring time like in March and April.
As Sakuras are in full colour full bloom, might stay for a week or two – however a strong spring wind can instantly blow all blossoms away within a moment.
One night, Sakura is presenting its height of beauty, the next morning the pinky blossom could be all gone. One could absolutely never tell how long the breathtaking Sakura reminds in a full bloom.
Therefore the Japanese see and reflect the impermanent beauty as their own life circle.
And they see the whole transformation of Sakura as beauty – even it is withered just like their life-circle. That’s why they gather and celebrate the arrival and the momentum beauty of the spring under the Sakura trees, called HANAMI Sakura viewing. Capturing the momentum of beauty and appreciating the present moment.
Thus Sakura also strongly presents the Ukiyo ’floating world’ as well as the Wabi-Sabi philosophy, the quintessential Japanese aesthetic which is a beauty of things imperfect, impermanent and incomplete.
In my sessions/workshops, I encourage my students to envisage the feel of these Sakura elements specially the Wabi-Sabi aspect – so impermanent and sentiment and to bring the input into the movement as they do the Seisho at the end. (Seisho is the calligraphy with clear mind done at the final stage of Shodo practice)
Hi everyone! I hope you are well and inspired. As you might’ve seen I’ve been very busy with online events and creating new works during the summer time. Finally I am happy to inform you about the new autumn course for beginners. It is one of my new Shodo-Online programs.
Online-Live : Autumn course for beginners :
○Date : 13.Oct / 27.Oct / 10.Nov / 24.Nov / 08.Dec ○Time : Tuesday 19.00-20.30 (UK time/GMT) ○Course : 5 Sessions x 90 min ○Fee : £170 / $200 (or £35 / $42 per session) ○Inclusive original PDF Templates / Texts / correction / individual name and stamp templates / access to the video recording (1 week)/ access to the limited videos *Utensils & materials : you will get the list and info video link prior to the session, please prepare the basics by yourself.
☑️To book, please visit my Shodo website and proceed the payment and you will receive the confirmation, additional info, link and the file.
School of SHODO 