Category: Workshops 2024

Tien Chang brought paintings he would create at the workshop: a walking and flying Canada goose.

Sketching is a way of studying the goose for a painting.

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A sketch in a notebook lets you define the structure, details, and the light and dark sections of the goose.

Tien Chang brought a handout for the artists with his goose sketches.

Begin your painting with a light image of the goose.

Tien Chang used an absorbent paper cloth when the painting had too much water on the paper.

The flying goose was also created as a light image. Note that the wing comes from the body of the goose not the shoulder.

Then Tien Chang turned to the dark ink that would be added over the light images.

The head, neck, and top of the body are dark.

The underside is a a softer grey.

The leg is well-defined and dark.

Complete the walking goose with a smooth, light grey line along the belly.

The flying Canada goose has similar dark markings as the walking goose.

Use dark ink on the long feathers of the outer edge of the wing.

The neck, tail and some parts of the top of the body are dark like the sketches Tien Chang had shown.

The second wing is mostly hidden by the wing you can see.

It was time for the artists to paint using the handouts as guidance.

This scroll from 700 years ago shows that the goose has been around and been painted for a long time.

Tien Chang helped artists paint their geese.

Our geese captured the spirit of Tien Chang’s walking and flying geese.

A flying goose with the wing flapping downward.

A flying goose with a wing similar to that painted by Tien Chang.

A walking goose.

Artists were able to get personal help and tips from Tien Chang.

You can learn more about Tien Chang on his website.

Art often leads to discussion.

Anyone of any age appreciates art.

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Diana Bullock, a well-known sumi-e artist, selected notable works in the show. Water Logged V2 by Laura Beaton received the Ruth Yamada Award, given to an exceptional work. Diana commented:

The energy of this painting captivates the viewer. Bold, well executed brush strokes draws the audience into this painting! A delightful work.

Little People by Gary Bist received an Honourable Mention. Diana Bullock wrote:

A whimsical painting executed with expressive brush strokes. You can feel the tall buildings around the “little people.”

Po Man Chan’s Beauty and the Dragon received an Honourable Mention with these words:

Simplicity and energy, the very definition of Sumi-e. Wonderful, well executed brush stroke!

Joy by Roslyn Levin received an Honourable Mention. Diana Bullock commented:

This truly is a joyous painting. The dog is poised to take advantage of the space to run. You feel the anticipation! Well done

Azra Rashid’s Sway with Me received an Honourable Mention with these words:

Well executed strokes with the simplicity of the subject matter creates a beautiful painting. Well done!

An Honourable Mention was awarded to Mountain 2 by Katherine Stark. Diana Bullock wrote:

There is a peaceful solitude to this mountain vista. A restful place to visit.

Three Ladies in the Park by Nicole Tamir received an Honourable Mention with these words:

A wonderful emotional connection between these ladies. A charming painting.

A retrospective of paintings by Hiroshi Yamamoto, an instructor of sumi-e art at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre for many years, fascinated visitors.

No shortage of art led people and art-loving dogs in different directions.

This character caused a reaction in onlookers.

A pine tree branch with an almost hidden insect led many to this scroll.

Imagine a painting on a maple leaf!

The entrance to this show featured an ikebana (Japanese flower arrangement) by Betty Lou Arai, Head Instructor of ikebana at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre.

Demonstrations attracted visitors. You cannot have too many brushes if you are a demonstrator.

Roslyn Levin’s brush brought to life animals for both amazed children and grownups.

Diana Bullock’s mountainous scenery had numerous admirers.

A large art show is not staged without considerable volunteers who bring a joy to this show too.

Cards with original hand-painted art and cards with printed art attracted show visitors.

Scrolls and larger art on easels had many serious onlookers.

Discussions on art were held everywhere.

This show had an abundance of art and art lovers.

The visitors will remember and discuss this show for a long time. We will likely see them again at future shows.

Looking forward to our sumi-e art show and sale next year.

With some unexpected brush strokes, the bird takes on a more unique and often humorous character.

The effect is a more comical look at our feathered friends.

Another approach is to vary the typical way you would paint a bird.

Using a brush that gives you less control, can create a more expressive painting.

The effect may surprise you.

These examples gave artists starting points for their own paintings.

Artists challenged themselves to paint something a little different.

Most artists started with what they knew already about painting birds.

The expressive twist of their work was taken seriously.

This artist captured the freedom of movement.

These two birds expressed a dialogue.

Diana Bullock was around to nudge artists into a more creative state.

Returning to demonstrating, Diana Bullock turned to other birds like penguins.

Where do Diana Bullock’s birds end up? Often the birds appear in her notebooks, which she encourages artists to keep as a source of ideas.

Parrots can be a source of inspiration.

Alone on a branch, this bird seemed to be in a pensive mood.

Another entertaining character from Diana Bullock’s brush.

The many startling paintings led to a show on the wall.

Everyone wants to be seen with their favourite bird – especially with these very unique ones.

Diana Bullock pointed out features of the many characters on the wall.

You learn more from an art class when you share your ideas with others.

Some creative birds jumped off the wall.

Learn more about Diana Bullock on her website.

Po Man Chan started painting the first chrysanthemum by outlining the petals.

The petals are layered with petals further away in a lighter gray

More flowers were added for the chrysanthemum composition.

Leave space for the leaves when creating flowers.

The leaves are added in single strokes with a large brush. Three strokes create the leaves that are in groups of three.

A main stem and secondary stems connect the flowers and leaves.

Po Man Chan completed the painting with a few more leaves.

Using a collection of chrysanthemums, Po Man Chan turned to painting the chrysanthemum in colour.

This chrysanthemum would create petals with one brush stroke per petal.

Start on the outside of the flower and finish the stroke with a taper to the centre.

The flower is quite large. Work slowly and steadily. Be careful to keep your petals separated by space.

More flowers were added though space was left for leaves.

Leaves are added with a larger brush similar to previous painting. As leaves are added, think of the stem that will tie the flowers and leaves together afterwards.

The stem is created in a quick stroke followed by other stems connecting the flowers and leaves.

Po Man Chan created a few more flowers and leaves to complete the chrysanthemum painting, leaving space for the butterflies.

The workshop artists began their chrysanthemums though with the help of a chrysanthemums painting.

Po Man Chan helped each person in the workshop.

Painting the chrysanthemum requires patience.

Po Man Chan returned to add butterflies to the painting.

The wings are done with one stroke from a larger brush similar to painting the leaves.

Artists carefully watched the controlled use of the brush by Po Man Chan.

White dots highlighted the markings of the butterfly.

A few more details to flowers and leaves finished the painting of the chrysanthemum.

Po Man Chan signed the painting with her name.

The workshop artists gathered for a photo.

Artists will never tire of flowers like the chrysanthemum and the butterflies that adorn them.

Katherine Stark described the dramatic, almost cliff-like edge she had painted.

By highlighting a few sparse trees and rock faces, this painting creates a rugged, imposing landscape.

Wendy Morrow showed how to create the border that defines the snow in a winter scene.

The heaviness of the snow on the trees is felt in this painting. The flock of geese adds another element, indicating perhaps that the geese were caught unaware of approaching winter.

Janice Bennink’s northern scene had a wild, defiant look.

The painting captured the harshness of surviving through many hot and cold seasons on a northern shore.

Julianne Kang turned to an interior scene: her cat.

The brush strokes create the feeling of soft fur and a contented expression. Like other artists, Julianne Kang added calligraphy to the painting.

A familiar northern rock face that many Canadians have seen draws the eye to Laura Hill’s painting. The colour and the cracks in this old rock bring a realism to the landscape and add a dominant component to the composition.

Dancing cranes have fascinated artists for many generations. Jeanne Lee also discussed the symbolism of two cranes: harmony such as lifelong relationships.

The art is to express the interplay between the birds. The vitality of the birds is contrasted with a background of an old pine tree.

Marilena Isacescu explained how her painting came about.

The central pine tree bends in the wind yet expresses a strength and durability to live within this north region of lakes, forests and rocks.

This western view of Canada by Ayako Shibata blends overpowering distant mountains and forests with a foreground of an island and some closer fir trees, perhaps a refuge for some canoeing travelers. The painting is very much a look at the elements of natural Canada.

Left-to-right the graduates are Katherine Stark, Julianne Kang, Jeanne Lee, Ayako Shibata, Janice Bennink, Marilena Isacescu, Wendy Morrow and Laura Hill.

An impression of each artist’s seal was added to the Sumi-e Artists of Canada list.

This long list is one of many lists dating back to the 1980s.

Snacks courtesy of Linda Nakatsu and socializing mostly about art ended the graduation ceremony. Time to return to our painting along with our graduates.

Begin with a bold start of a mountain with a large, wet brush.

Continue with the slope of the mountain.

Guan Sui-Sheng turned to the other mountain side

The form of the mountain emerged with the large wet brush. The side of the brush is used for rocky, scratchy surfaces.

Guan Sui-Sheng holds his brush high and works in forceful brush strokes.

A landscape painting often has a foreground. Guan Sui-Sheng added a tree.

Still with the large, wet brush, some areas on the mountain were emphasized.

A temple, often found on Chinese mountains, was created with the tip of the brush.

The temple completed the first level of Guan Sui-Sheng’s technique that does not use water.

In the next level, a drier brush – not gray ink – is used to create more distant mountains.

Mist is also created with the dry brush.

Elements of the landscape were in place: the mountain, the foreground tree, distant mountains and mist. All elements were created without water and gray ink.

A flat brush with little ink was used at this point for the final level of detail.

Rocky weathered surfaces were created.

Distant mountains were clearly defined.

Leaves filled the tree.

Guan Sui-Sheng wrote some calligraphy.

The artists tried painting a landscape without using any water and gray ink.

Guan Sui-Sheng helped each artist.

This painting caught the essence of the technique.

A flowerpot rock often seen on coasts where water has eroded the rock used the technique effectively.

This artist blended a rocky landscape with the sea.

Guan Sui-Sheng left us with a memorable landscape and a unique way of creating it.

See more work by Guan Sui-Sheng by visiting his collection at Shih Tai Arts and Crafts.

Begin with the petals. Roslyn Levin painted each petal in a single stroke.

Start with the top petals of the iris and then work down to the side petals.

The large lower petals follow.

A stem is painted in one quick stroke.

Roslyn Levin pressed the brush to get the thickness of a leaf. The leaf was started from the bottom of the iris.

Starting another flower, Roslyn Levin emphasized that understanding the structure of the iris petals was the key to developing the flower.

This flower had more varied petals.

The leaves too were more varied.

The petals led into the flower though did not touch any central point. Roslyn Levin added some yellow paint which you find on the inner part of the iris petal.

Next, Roslyn Levin worked in colour.

By carefully loading your brush, you can paint the delicate texture of the leaf.

A yellow stem brought this coloured iris to life.

The artists headed to their tables to paint their own irises. Roslyn Levin’s sketches and handouts would help.

Roslyn Levin’s workshops are a joyful affair.

Another demonstration by Roslyn Levin focused on the tulip.

Using a dryer brush, details were added to the edge of the petals.

These small details lead to more expressive art.

A gnarly branch began a painting on blossoms. The branch was created in a single stroke with the side of the brush; then Roslyn Levin used a pointed brush to create the rougher edges of an old branch.

Tiny blossoms were added in light gray.

Pink petals on the blossoms or blowing away in the wind were created by brushing the hairs of a paint brush with her finger.

Continuing with another blossom, Roslyn Levin used brush strokes similar to those that created the petals on the iris.

By using variation on loading the brush, pressure on the paper, and varying the speed of the stroke, you finish with a variety of petals for your blossom.

A second blossom began with some pink paint.

Two vivid blossoms were created to further inspire artists at the workshop.

You can learn more about Roslyn Levin in on her website.

Another continuous page book had homes on the pages.

The second book the artists would build joined several separate pages.

The third book the artists would build was based on origami folding paper techniques.

This origami technique can turn artwork into a decoration.

Liz Menard provided the artists with kozo paper and showed how to fold the paper in two for the first art book.

Artists followed Liz Menard to make more folds in the art book that would be a continuous strip of paper.

Covers were given out.

The goal was to put the cover on the strip of folded paper.

Putting the glue on is similar to other times that artists have worked with glue: start at the center and work outwards.

Artists were successful in getting the cover on their first art book.

The result is a continuous page that can be stretched once you open the cover.

Liz Menard’s book on the Don River is a good example of this kind of book for artists: a subject that requires a long page to show a story.

The next book looked like the first book with what seemed like a continuous page that has been folded; however, the difference is that it was several separate pages joined at the fold.

Liz Menard had artists create the separate pages by folding a sheet of kozo paper and cutting the equal size pages.

Then artists used smaller strips of kozo paper and glue to join the pages. Liz Menard reminded the artists that paper has memory. Joining the paper had to be made at the point where folds had been made prior to cutting the separate pages.

The result is similar to a continuous page of paper though with separate pages bound together.

Use this type of book when you have images on separate pieces of paper that could be associated in a book. Perhaps you have a collection of fish paintings that could be put together as a book of fish artwork.

Using origami folding, specifically the flower fold, with two coloured pieces of paper was challenging for the artists. However they succeeded by carefully following Liz Menard.

Then the artists had to glue the two pieces together.

Even though Liz Menard provided instructions for the folding and gluing, Liz Menard was also available to help with the assembly work.

The artists surprised themselves with their origami skills.

A table showed our collective successes.

Use this type of structure when you have abstract artwork to turn into a decoration.

The artists gathered to congratulate themselves on their progress.

You can learn more about Liz Menard on her website.

Turning the whole hand along with the brush is important to get the right effect.

William Ho provided more guidance by outlining the steps to the five petals in this flower unique to China.

Curving the brush stroke inward to the centre of the flower is key.

Some brush strokes curve in from the right to left.

Other brush strokes curve in from the left to right.

The shape of each petal and the direction to create the petal were shown by William Ho’s outline and arrows. There is also an order for creating the petals.

Artists tried their own flowers.

William Ho offered a hands on way of demonstrating how to turn an artist’s hand to create the petal that they wanted.

The result was better petals.

When you feel the direction of the hand correctly then the petal of the flower appears naturally.

William Ho’s technique resulted in better flowers.

Books brought by William Ho demonstrated his unique style.

William Ho continued the development of the flower.

Using a fine pointed brush, William Ho selected a darker red ink.

Veins were added to the petals. Veins like the petals were created from the outside towards the centre.

Next came a cluster of flowers.

The same hand movements that created the petals were used.

A fine pointed brush added details. A cluster of flowers should consist of variations in size.

The same approach of painting five petals is used but the variation in size of each flower creates a life-like effect.

The journey from learning one flower to creating clusters ended with many vibrant paintings.

We gathered for a class photo of this memorable flower workshop.

You can learn more about William Ho on his website.

Begin a detailed dragon by using a fine brush to make the head. The dragon can be thought of as a collection of animals: The head is like a camel, the fangs like a tiger, the whiskers of a catfish, eyes like a rabbit, ears like a cow.

The body is like a snake or lizard and the legs have claws like an eagle.

The body is covered in scales. Baoxing Zhang also wrote the calligraphy for dragon.

Spikes are on the back. Then Baoxing Zhang used a large brush to fill the body with paint.

Remember to load the larger brush with more ink on the tip. With more ink on the tip, the result is a body that appears more rounded as the top is darker and the underside lighter.

Fangs, whiskers and spikes were highlighted with white paint.

Use a spray to wet the paper. Dragons are often shown in a mist and are associated with typhoons and storms.

Use a large brush to create the background of mist and a distant landscape.

Baoxing Zhang also demonstrated creating the dragon from the body first. Using a large brush, the body is created in a single, sweeping brush stroke.

Then the details are added with a small, pointed brush.

The details for the head like the eyes, fangs, whiskers are created.

A second dragon was added to this painting.

Colour can be added to a dragon particularly on the body.

The finished painting included other brush strokes as background or for more dragons.

Then it was the artists turn to create their dragons.

Baoxing Zhang brought a scroll with nine dragons for artists to study.

Baoxing Zhang has also created a book of dragons.

Help was provided by Baoxing Zhang.

This dragon has the lizard-like quality of a dragon.

A basic structure of a dragon helps prepare for the final art.

Your dragon can be anything you imagine, even a fun-filled dragon.

This artist created the roundness of the body by putting darker ink on the back of the dragon.

When adding the scales, follow the direction of the body and legs.

The menacing look of the dragon appeared in this art.

You can learn more about  Baoxing Zhang on his website.