Adventures in Asia by Michelle Zacharias The Art of Suiboku-ga by Jessica Craven

The Art of

Jessica Craven (Saitama)

Suiboku-ga

Painting by Jessica Craven

Painting by Jessica Craven

Japanese ink painting is experiencing a boom of popularity in the West―many artists are looking to expand their materials and methods―and right now there is a particular interest in Asian art. Nevertheless, in Japan it seems surprisingly to be a somewhat overlooked art form. Perhaps this is because the younger generation of Japanese people have less interest in it. Despite this, ink painting, or suiboku-ga, is an art form with an incredible expressive power and profound history, and it is sure to reach a peak of popularity in Japan again later down the road. Quite a few foreign artists like myself are studying suiboku-ga in Japan, so I hope I can pass on some of my experiences and knowledge of this art form to you all.

First, I’ll run through a brief history of suiboku-ga (also known as sumi-e). It is a type of ink painting that was first developed in China during the Sung Dynasty (960-1274), and brought to Japan by Zen Buddhist monks in the mid-14th century. Over time, the styles of painting between Japan and China

became distinct, with Japanese art generally having softer lines and forms. A distinguishing feature of suiboku-ga is its limited color palette. Paintings are often monochromatic, or only one or two colors are used in addition to black.

For me personally, I began studying the suiboku-ga technique after meeting my teacher, Abe Michiko, largely by chance. A couple of years ago, one of my friends invited my parents, who were visiting from the U.S., and I to participate in a tea ceremony at Ms. Abe’s house. It quickly became apparent that Ms. Abe was an extremely active and multi-talented woman, despite admitting to being over 80 years old. Incredibly, she taught herself traditional Japanese ink painting techniques when she was in her 60s, and has exhibited and sold her work worldwide. She has had solo art exhibitions in Taiwan and several galleries in Tokyo. She regularly teaches students suiboku-ga painting at her home in Saitama Prefecture, and has other students of tea ceremony and contemporary kimono design.

Upon seeing her work, I immediately decided I wanted to study with her, but I was worried she wouldn’t be willing to take on a foreign student. Those worries turned out to be unwarranted, as I speak a reasonable amount of Japanese. Now, I have been studying with Ms. Abe for about two years. For the first few months, it was very challenging. When working with ink, every brushstroke is permanent. Extreme focus is necessary in order to avoid mistakes. As a result, it is a very slow and meditative process, even a small flower painting takes about two hours to make. Much

Suiboku-ga

Painting by Abe Michiko

like yoga, it cultivates mindfulness and forces you to be active in the present moment. A single brush can make a large variety of different shapes and lines, but you have to always be aware of your process. That way, you can adjust the position of the brush and the amount of water mixed with the ink for every stroke.

Practicing in Ms. Abe’s home, I can see her admiration for Western art as well. Copies of many Western modern and contemporary artists’ works hang on her walls alongside her ink paintings. This isn’t the first time that such admiration has existed between Eastern and Western artists. Western artists, such as the abstract painter Franz Kline and the later generation of Minimalist artists, also drew much inspiration from Japanese calligraphy and ink painting. It will be interesting to see what this global exchange of art and ideas leads to next! If you would like to try suiboku-ga painting for yourself, it’s pretty cheap to start out. You can practice with calligraphy (shodo) paper and black ink that you can find at any 100 yen store. The only other things you need are a black mat to place the paper on, and metal weight to hold the paper down, and two shodo brushes (one small and one medium size). These can also be found at most 100 yen stores, or in the calligraphy section of many stationary or department stores. There are also specialty suiboku-ga papers and colored inks that you can use. Tokyu Hands has a selection, and a wide variety can be found at art speciality shops, such as Sekaido in Tokyo or on their online store. These are a bit more expensive, but you can use them for a long time. If you have any questions about ink painting, or just want to chat about art in general, feel free to contact me through my Instagram page!

Jessica is an American third-year ALT in Kasukabe City, Saitama, where she teaches at two high schools. She is a graduate of painting and Japanese language. Her other hobbies include traveling, ceramics, and video games. She has recently taken part in several group exhibitions in Tokyo, including TJET artists’ “Transitions” exhibition and Agnes B Gallery’s “Got it for Cheap” Exhibition. You can see more of her art on her Instagram page at jessica_craven_art.

LIFESTYLE

WELLNESS EDITOR connect.health@ajet.net

Caroline Allen

SPORTS EDITOR connect.sports@ajet.net

Rashaad Jorden “Football is a simple game. Twenty-two men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans always win.”—Gary Lineker

Photo: Charlotte Coetzee