"Shen Nong"- In process

      After applying a few layers of rice paper I decided to sand part of it away and even get it wet to help with the process. I wore a mask as I had an asthma attack a few days earlier, it helped to an extent. Once I got really into sanding parts of it away I got a little winded.


I left it propped up against the wall over night, and came back after work... the cats had used it as a scratching post!!! I have been cleaning up the studio today and will take some pictures of the result they created.

       Pride is just around the corner I can't wait to see some old friends who have been away for a while. I will be posting about different aspects which relate to my practice and have them linked to the "Studio Research" page which is on the right. I hope to have a collection so I have a better understanding of what I do and like. I have posted a list of ones I want to do at this point in time, but I hope this list will grow. Many of them may help others and I hope they do. This is the second part of my reason for doing this.  Please look forward to these posts~

Business cards!

  While at Druham Pride I quickly took a picture of these before I forgot. I just adore my Tea Guild of Canada cards I got this week.
      I am debateing makeing simple cards for tea related things, that way for Tea Journey I can have the url on them.
     Art stores these days sell "trading cards" made of different materials. So I may just get a few packs of watercolour paper ones and make them all by hand. Maybe my chop will apear on them.  I do plan to get a square chop similar to my digital one on my banner.  These characters have "wu wei" and "wabi sabi", zen and Daoist terms. Wu wei I am always learning new things about. Although what it means to me is to become so proficient in something it comes easy. Practice and more practice. Wabi sabi is to see beauty in imperfection. Something we all should take to heart as nothing is perfect.
       I am going to continue to enjoy the Queer Stock show out here in Durham Region. More latter on the "Shen Nong" work!

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

 


 

Working towards the dream

  Just a bit ago I bid on an Agate chop, which the shop will then carve for me. I have been looking at many different places to purchase one and even considered taking on the carving task myself.  In the end I could not wait any longer and found this shop on e-bay.
   The characters I have chosen are for "Crimson Lotus",  紅蓮. After many months of debating I decided these will be the best for my work and me.
   Why these characters? As I hope you know I have coppery red hair and I am still an emerging artist. The lotus grows up from the mud into a beautiful flower. I hope this image will push me further to where I want to go.

    On another note I was just about to get some sanding paper to attack my current work with. I seem to have added way too much rice paper to the wooden support and I have made Sheng Nung too big!
      Hopefully the rain and some sanding paper will do the trick to help things along again. So far though I like the idea of having rice paper on a wooden support. It's not the same as adhering it to canvas.
   Anyhow I am off to grab the sanding paper, mask (I aggravated my Asthma on Tuesday and had an attack, much better but safety first) and perhaps a snack to go with a bowl of matcha.

New tea bowl from a reader over at Tea Journey (My Tea Blog)