Oriental Brush Painting Workshops

Morning Session

9.45am - 12.30pm

From ancient times, people living in China celebrated the Lunar New Year which marks the end of the cold season and the beginning of the spring. This is a very special time when the “yin”(the moon energy) and “yang” (the sun energy) starts to shift and allow life to rejuvenate and reborn. To make good use of this wonderful time of year, we will bring mindfulness, body movement and brush painting together in this retreat, to breathe, be still, and also create!

Calligraphy Practice

Hanging the character  “福” （"Fu"） on doors and walls is one of the most common and important customs when celebrating the Spring Festival, or the Chinese Lunar New Year. The character “福” （"Fu"）, which is traditionally handwritten by calligraphers, expresses people's delight in the festival and their wishes for the coming year.

In this workshop, we will look at how this symbol “福” （"Fu"） has developed through thousands of years of time, from the first sign been found carved on bones, and how this symbol evolved into seal script and then,  formal script, the most commonly used style nowadays. At the end of the workshop, we will paint the three different styles and create our own artworks, postcards and rolls.

Afternoon Session

2.15pm - 5.00pm

Ink Painting Practice

Bamboo is the Noble Spirit of the first season of the year, when the yang energy starts to grow and lives are forming. Bamboo has always played a key role in Chinese culture and art. As the bamboo grows upright, weathering all conditions, it came to represent the perfect gentleman who always remains loyal. Wen Cheng Ming wrote:

In this workshop you will learn how to hold a brush, the body posture and how to relax your body with breathing exercises. You will learn how to paint bamboo through various brush techniques and exercises supported with step-to-step guidance. At the end of the workshop, you will paint a bamboo piece with black ink on rice paper.

This workshop will start with some simple body movement and breathing exercises to help us relax our body and mind. Basics such as body posture, how to hold the brush will be introduced briefly for beginners to get familiar with this practice.

Tools & Materials

All the tools and materials will be provided on site. You are welcome to bring your own brushes and materials.

Booking

Early bird price is available if booking before 18th January, 2025.

If you have any questions please contact info@artofthebrush.ie.