Kanji characters are intriguing. They draw you to them. Those beautiful, complex characters not only look cool, but they also mean something. We are drawn to characters when its meaning resonate with us. Last Sunday, I had the honor to do a calligraphy demonstration at the James Library in Norwell, MA. The library hosted Arthur Golden, author of the bestselling novel Memoirs … [Read more...] about Brushing Calligraphy for Other People
Shodo
Shodo is a way to transmit and expose our inner spirit through brush and ink.
Three Diamond Calligraphies
On August of 2013 I uncovered three diamonds. They came unannounced and certainly unexpected. They were left at my front door by the mailman, carefully placed inside a folder so they wouldn’t bend or wrinkle. They came with a letter from a dear friend who I’ve known for many years. When I read the first sentence of his letter I had to sit down. I did so on my porch steps with … [Read more...] about Three Diamond Calligraphies
Connecting Mind and Brush
I never rush my commissions. Commissions are done on a first come first serve basis, so I have to work on them in the order I get them. However, that doesn’t mean if I finished one commission Thursday night that the next one will be brushed on Friday night. Each calligraphy represents a moment in time of my mind connected with the brush. That moment happens once and it doesn’t … [Read more...] about Connecting Mind and Brush
What is the Hiragana?
Last week I wrote about the difference between Chinese and Japanese calligraphy. Both styles use kanji (Chinese characters) but differ in aesthetics. Like I said last week, the main difference between the two is the use of kana in Japanese calligraphy. But what is kana? And why is it important when practicing Shodo? Kana stands for hiragana and katakana; two … [Read more...] about What is the Hiragana?
Japanese vs. Chinese Calligraphy
The other day we had dinner at Five Guys. My wife pointed out a muscle guy who had a tattoo on his right tricep. He had two Kanji characters tattooed in Kaisho. "Do you know what it says?", she asked. I said I recognized the first one, but I was having trouble with the second. "How come?", she asked to which I replied because it was Chinese. "How do you know if its Chinese … [Read more...] about Japanese vs. Chinese Calligraphy