Progress with tea and art

For my two year anniversary post at Tea Journey I decided to put together a little montage to visually show my growth with Tea since I began consuming tea regularly. To do this I used my own art work as they both grew together over these years. Please enjoy~

First step towards my ink style. ukiyo-e with screen printing ( Abe no Seimei 2008)

Drinking tea regularly and learning new styles around this time. Stopped drinking coffee due to a seizure around Thanksgiving 

One of the few first works I have done in ink at OCAD U ( Dream or reality 2009)

Regularly looking for new teas in Toronto and regular customer for Davids Tea. 

Began to learn other methods of painting with sumi-e ink.

Bought Matcha for the first time and used a fork. Soon after

purchased a chasen to prepare it right. (Fetus Fear 2009)

Purchased first Yixing from Tao Tea leaf. Bought first porcelain gong fu set and a glass gaiwan. Began to understand more about Oolongs and a little about Puerh. Finally moving FAR away from Japanese sencha and genmaicha! Utilized old watercolour skills with Sumi-e, encouraged by thesis professors to be bolder and less controlling with future work.( Hold 2010, Thesis at OCAD U) 

Utilized tea in a work for the first time. Visited Majestes regularly for quality teas. And learned of

the Tea Guild of Canada. Joined Summer 2011! 

Attained another Yixing from Majesteas. Working for Teaopia for

over a year! Attained more yixings from work. Began tea antique collection

and began to read The Way of Tea. My second tea book after a tea handbook!

Began to work slowly towards the direction I was told to go by professors. Been graduated for over a year.

Started to take Japanese lessons!

(Lace 2011) 

Became a Public Relations rep for The Tea Guild of Canada. Now has too many teas, extensive knowledge

byond what I need for work. Helps out with "World in Your Tea Cup" Event! Great fun.

Now has too much tea ware (no such thing!) and too much tea (blasphemy!).

Began to experiment more with "tea" as tone. (Hair 2011) 

Brings tea where ever I go practically! Creating many entries on tea to Tea Journey!

Reviewed Do Matcha! Made more tea friends at the Guild, two I knew from work. Encouraged a co-worker to join Guild!

Began Tea Sommelier classes, been taking Chanoyu classes when able (I love to learn!). Working on promotional materials for the Guild!

Me working in the back in a Sumi-e workshop at the JCCC in March 2012 

Tried some amazing teas at Majesteas and Tao Tea Leaf for Spring!

Learning more about processing of teas in the process outside of class. Been

supporting The Global Tea Hut since February! Enjoying the large selection of spring teas

and refined taste of my pickings~ My chop for new work, It says " Guren" Crimson Lotus.

I will have it by next week! I picked these characters as my hair is red and the lotus symbolizes

growth for me. Growing out of the mud and into the world as a flower. 

Been with Teaopia for 2 years (June 10th 2012) and have had Tea Journey for

just as long. Now I work for Teavana, and hope to grow some more as a 茶人 (Tea person), Artist and as an individual in 

general. I truely hope to meet more wonderful tea people and have long lasting

friendships (Tiffany, Grace, Kingkoh,

Brooke etc <3 Love you all!) I will be meeting with the Guild 

board this summer to plan out fall meetings. I can not wait to get things rolling~

I am on my second tea class

and I am having one more before I start my super summer. After that third class I am

about half way done the program.

Certification exam to follow there after and my N5 exam for Japanese Proficiency as well!

"Sheng Nong" in progress for 2012! 

On its way~

Carved chop

  I ended up wining the auction. So after talking to the artist most of the day it is cut and will be shipped when he gets the chance.

Sheng Nong studies

    Right now I am slowly working on the "Sheng Nong" work. I hope to do more studies before going back to it. I have some pictures from distressing the rice paper I had on the wooden support.  I have my business cards for my work and will have The Tea Guild of Canada ones latter this week. SOOO... I will post a picture to show them off~ I am still debating making a small amount of cards to Tea Journey. We will see. Perhaps once I go through all ..300 cards I have the tea aspect may end up on new cards. Why do I have 300 cards? I originally ordered 150, and there was some cut off on the one side. To fix it Moo sent me 150 more that they had fixed.

       I just picked up a bunch of movies to help inspire me.  Two weeks ago I also acquired Marlene Dumas' book "Measuring your own Grave". Such an inspiring book to have along side with my Lisa Yuskuvage one.    I am off to watch more of Chinese Paladin and work on more studies. Till next time, Ja ne~

Koi- I hope to do a work with the next few images

Beautiful mini garden in the mall

Little turtle hiding at the mall

 


 

Kimono

As part of my Chanoyu education I have been practising the art of putting on kimono (kitsuke).  Kimono today was the end result of the kosode from the Kamakura period. It started as an undergarment and evolved to its current form since then.
  The main part I find that helps me in Chanoyu is the obi. It keeps my back straight and prevents me from slouching over. There are many different ways to tie the obi. Some are meant for a particular age group or time in ones life.  For these images I am wearing a Michiyuki, a "rain coat". I decided to wear it as it was a bit chilly out, it did the trick. 
      For kimono it is traditional to wear tabi socks which have a split toe to wear sandals. In the second image I am wearing 2.5 inch approx. high geta, they are a bit hard to walk in.
       I really enjoy wearing kimono and hope to share my kitsuke with you all here on Tea Journey and over at Split/Gender (My Art blog). Keep an eye out for random posts with kitsuke snapshots and a little history about kimono.


**** Coppied from Tea Journey, My tea blog********

Happy New Year

    I hope each and everyone of you had a great new year. This year will be great for all of us. Together with the Lolita Vulgar Team, we are working on putting together an online magazine (We are still accepting submissions!). The spring (weather pending at the moment) I will be performing casual chanoyu  for anyone who wishes to participate, more information on this as the season approaches. This year I am going to submit for the Toronto Arts Grant to work on a body of work for Grad School, or rather something that will work me towards it. Hysteria II has changed to a male version, I hope to get my needles into this sculpture series soon. The tests will be interesting none the less.
     At this present moment I am working on sketches for a birthday gift to My dear younger brother who is turning 23 this month. It's going to be a fair size at least over 22" by 20", all ink and perhaps some tea as a stain behind it. Shuuhei (my cat) has been eagerly watching my pencil move the past while, he is just as excited for new work as I am.
           I hope to have your support through this new year. May we work together to make the world a bit brighter through art!

Prepareing for Spring

　As most of you know by now I have been studying tea for quite some time now. With my full lessons (George Brown program and  Chanoyu lessons) I have come to the point where I want to invite my followers or anyone else for that matter to join me for a cup of tea (Or a few).
     By taking these Chanoyu lessons I hope to come up with a date(s) and time(s) I will serve tea to whom ever may wish for a cup. Whether this takes place at High Park at the peak of Cherry Bloosom Viewing or on the busy streets, I am still working out. The meanings behind each location and the tools I will use need much thought. Will I dress in Kimono, my usual attire or perhaps "change" to something else? Questions questions questions.  Much learning on my part as an artist as I have only done Performance art a few times. Once I wore my modern kimono down town to class (it was black with an IPod design on it) and the other was cosplaying as my ego for a large school project.
   Anyhow I just wanted to put that out there for people to look forward to.  On a side note I plan on sending out postcards for Christmas/New Years, if anyone wants to be on my mailing list before I get any of these printed feel free to e-mail me. Till latter~

Charcoal?

     I have been a little busy putting things together for some submission deadlines. Writing, documenting, editing etc. Although I was eager the other day to start and almost finish these works.  I am very pleased with the simplicity of them. This "Tea" series will continue for some time to come.
   On a side note I am also going to begin learning Japanese Tea Ceremony starting this Saturday. I am eager to learn "茶の湯” or Chanoyu. The long Zen Buddhist and cultural history interest me  so much it was a must to begin these lessons. There was a book I saw the same day as these pieces were made at Japanese Things (Harbord St, Toronto) which went over the history and context for it, this book will soon become part of my tea book collection.
  I also started two more elongated paintings but they are still being worked on. Building up the tea stain on it is a process I am still learning. These paitings have more colour but will not feature any Japanese writing.
    I have also begun to knit again, reteaching myself basics through a hat, arm warmers etc for the coming winter. Once these skills are back in place I will fully begin Hysteria II. As for the grid, I am working on cleaning my room so I will have space to work on it and other works at the same time. I found an easel near Queen street, so this will be put to good use (Sorry Matt, I'll help you set up my other one in the basement studio).
          Anyhow keep an eye out. A lot of interesting things are going on over the next while. Till next time~

New work and submission deadlines

Over the next little while I have 2 submission deadlines comming up. The first is for an OCAD University Alimni show next spring and the second is a full proposal for Xspace (OCAD U associated gallery). Slightly overwelming how much needs to be done but do-able.

      If any of you follow my Facebook fan page you are aware of the new work sitting around. Tea infused with a but of a watercolourist feel to them, some small meditations on tea and dao. I hope this medative series continues for quite some time. In addition my knitted series is in the planning stages of a continuation. Alot is going on. Updates may only occur once every two weeks unless there is enough to update earlier. I am organizeing my time for my art and Japanese study. Hopefully what I have learned ends up in my work.

Grid progression and development of style

Working on studies >.<
How the grid looked last Friday.

New work

After seeing Nicholas DiGenova's work at LeGallery, I started this peice. Its more so to build up skill with my pen and ink.  I hope to get going on a series soon.

Going places

A card for a friend at work.

Quick weekend warm up

After slipping by the show today and seeing what others have submitted I came home to paint. Much needed relaxing moments with my brushes, ink and sipping a cup of Kukicha from Davids Tea. This quick work needs some tea as well, green tea (yellowish hue) and perhaps some matcha (turned into paint. haha).
Extremely excited about tomorrows Royal Wedding. I plan on coming home to watch the recap and get some more quick works done. Still have two canvas' waiting to be attacked with my new medium. Till latter, hope you all enjoy the wedding with a cuppa.

Finished work~

Took a bit to finish but it's a good start to find out how I can incorporate tea properly. Heading to my parents' this weekend so I can grab better paper amongst other things I need to grab (watercolours included). The room/studio thing is slowly compromising itself to a comfortable level. Poor Shuuhei (Kitty~) might have his cat litter moved so I can have a little cart with my supplies available. We will see how things go after my trip home~

Happy St. Patricks Day~

This small sketch is painted with matcha, a little test I have been working with recently. I am going to start my swatches quite soon, perhaps even tonight <3

New works on the go~

Bought

I was glad to head down to the TakePart Fundraiser after a long day to discover that my work had been bought. They had only opened 20-30 minutes before I had gotten there. Whom ever purchased this work, Thank you for supporting this wonderful annual fundraiser. Sarah worked realy hard on this show and made it work. Next year I hope many more artist submitt peices so that there is an even larger selection for patrons to purchase.
Again thank you~

Moveing and art?

So no real painting or anythidng has happened the last while. With exception of a fundraiser peice I will post once I locate my camera again in this mess.
I ended up moveing finnaly out of the student Co-Op I was in before to Cabbage Town. Very friendly area and quite relaxing. Only problem now is that I have to un pack and re arage things in between working. Thankfully I have two helpers who have been working on painting while I am working full time at Teaopia. Hopefully I will beable to get something going once I have the room and the level of cleanliness I want in here.
Still waiting on my dad to make up a bracket for my futon which won't sit up right without it. I could suffer but It would be nice to have a couch and to get the coffee table I have been eyeing in chinatown which folds up flat.
Anyhow enough moving talk. I will have work going soon. I am hopeing to take some knitting to work for my break, that way I will not loose it from not working on some kind of art object.
That is all for the time being.
Best to all <3

Ink and Tea

Recently I have been playing with my two favorite things: Ink and Tea. So far I have been just been experimenting but I soon wish to utilize this in a final piece.

In addition I have been trying out different surfaces of which these two can be placed on. Canvas, paper, and cotton fabric. Are so far the ones I have played with.

In addition I hope to make notes here on the different tones each kind of tea creates as well as document my other art or rather art form through Gung Fu Cha (the way of tea or Cha Xi).

I actually picked up a new tea pot resembling an Yixing pot but made out of glass. I am about to enjoy another session of tea before heading out to see friends this evening. I will post more once once I begin my list of tones/colours that the teas I have create.

.

Final schedule for first semester

After complaining to myself about not haveing time to A: relax B: go to galleries C: go to the refrence library and D: go for my usual long walks which comprise of gallery hopping, I finnally planned out when and where I will be for most of the week.
Sunday is pretty much a day I can choose what to do and Saturday I have time to go for a nice long walk or even go home for lunch then go for a walk.
Tomorrow and Thursday are subject to change but this is my general plan right now.
Trying to save money on food by making it at home as opposed to buying it will help me save money for the New York Trip in the new year. Anyhow, I am going to eat and make a cup of Puerh tea from my Toucha (need to chip a piece off since it's a tea cake)

Almost end of a long day

Today I attended(attending or waiting more so for the latter) Post-Modern perspective & Art Writing Workshop. Almost at the end of a long week, I look forward to Gongfu Tea session after, in addition to reading required texts. Assignments need to be completed ,or considered and studies need to be done.
Thesis went well. I have to present my past work next week. Although I switched studios, from room 430(100 McCaul) to the 205 Richmond St studio ( there was a $50 deposit for the other room, money I need for food). Because of this my thesis adviser is changing.
I cleaned up my room studio and set out work to photograph for presentation next Thursday. These images will be posted here as well.
I have been reading Sun Tzu's Art of War in preparation of thesis. It has helped me mentally prepare for the work I want to do.

Class is starting in less than an hour so I will stop here. Wish me luck.