Monday, April 11, 2005
Shuji... or scribbling with a brush and paint
Me, basking in the final minutes of sunlight, as the orange ball sinks into the mountains beyond the ocean.
Tuesday night Yuka invited us to her shuji (calligraphy) class. (Okay, we actually invited ourselves, but thanks so much for having us, Yuka!) On the drive up north, we just had to stop and enjoy the setting sun.
I have this obsession. Not the obsession with finding my way to the top of 山王山.
There’s another one.
This obsession is with another mountain. It’s in this picture. The last little peak on the right—just before the landscape dips down, nearly merging with the water. Can you see that little peak?
I love to look at it. I love the shape of it. It’s sharper than the other peaks off to the left. It’s smaller, but somehow it grabs my attention more than the others. I get a really good view of it along the highway to the north. I have to be careful to watch the road because I want to stare at it—see it from every angle—as I drive by.
There is a road on it. You can't see in this picture. When driving I can barely see it etched horizontally through it’s width. It slopes up to the right. Part of me wants to find the road and see where it leads. Another part of me wants to keep its mystery shrouded.
Besides, being ON the mountain isn’t the same as looking at it from a distance. It may not feel right. For now I’m satisfied with looking at her from across the ocean bay.
I named her Hatsumomo.
It’s kind of a villainous name. I don't think of her that way, but at the same time I think it suits her.
…
Enough about my mountain. Calligraphy class was a lot of fun for my mom. Here are the pictures.
Here’s the wife of the teacher lending my mom her brush and supplies for class.
Starting with some easy lines. Marking a white sheet for the first time is always hard… Just get that paper wet!
She did really well with the straight lines. Steady hand.
Let’s move on to something more complicated. The teacher gave her this kanji, which means “spring,” to write in script! Talk about difficult!
Mama’s first attempt looks a bit like a child’s scribbles.
But it has more feeling than mine…
My work is more angular and stiff. Shucks, this is hard!
Another member of the class.
Second, we try something a little easier. Yama and kawa (mountain and river). Here’s Yuka teaching Mama some basics about how to start.
Let’s doing! She looks promising…
This is really good, and it's only her first!
Getting critiqued by the sensei. He said she was great!
What a fun evening! Mama did a really good job—we were all impressed. I hope she can find a class in Detriot and keep practicing!
Love, Sierra
