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Chinese Brush Painting Group

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Is it just art then, a skill that one can learn with training and years of dedicated practice?

Teacher Wang emphasizes that an artist can only bring forth what is inside her. You cannot create art unless there is peace and harmony within yourself.

One of the WTIC interest groups is the Chinese painting class, conducted by Teacher Wang, who is not only an accomplished artist but an amazing teacher. To an observer or even a student of Chinese painting, the simplicity and naturalness of it seems to imply an effortlessness on part of the painter, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. The skill, the technique, the powers of observation, the control over self and tools as well as the focus that is required for this art form is phenomenal.

The first few classes focus on getting your posture and the manner of holding brushes right. You learn how important preparation is - of the ink, the color, the palette- and how equally important patience is, for a breath out of turn or a flick of the wrist at the wrong moment or even an extra drop of water can destroy hours of hard work.

We learned to respect the breath, the mood, the energy and the meanings. We learned to look at the plants and flowers around us, how the leaves swayed with the wind and how they glistened in the rain. This art is truly a reflection of the sum total of this civilization’s outlook, perception and philosophy of life.

If you haven’t tried it yet, do drop in for a tryst with the art of Chinese painting. Who knows where it may lead you!

By Harsha Dass Spouse of Director General India-Taipei Association

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