Original Sumi-e Brush and Ink Zen Art on Rice Paper by Marie Taylor
Ink, brush, rice paper and water are the material I use to create Zen Brush art. The rich black ink represents the mineral kingdom and when mixed with water produces a multitude of shades of gray. The brushes are made from the hair of various animals and are in differing sizes, from the very thin and small to wide thick paddles or mops. Each brush has its own personality – quick, abrupt and strong to soft, yielding and diffuse. I paint on double Xuan rice paper imported from China. Because it is highly absorbent, the ‘wetness’ of the brush and quickness of the stroke determine the sharpness of the lines.
The process of painting is a meditative practice. I often do not have a subject in mind before painting but prefer to let the ink, brush, water and paper to paint themselves without interference. Some pictures are created in a few seconds with quick, decisive strokes of the brush; others are layered in shades of black and gray, allowing drying time between applications.
When I judge a piece is completed, I ‘size’ the work with a paste of rice flour and water and add a second sheet of white rice paper to the back of the painting. After drying, these two layers bond together to produce a smooth, crisp sheet to display the art.
"A brush stroke resembles nothing so much as a sword stroke, the release of an arrow, the judo grip, the sumo throw, the karate chop. They all have one thing in common: they require an extraordinary discipline and concentration of the mind on the stroke, the blow, the grip, with exact coordination of mind and body achieved through controlled breathing. They achieve such incomparable perfection of expression that they go beyond the merely physical purpose into the realm of the spirit, and this is what the Chinese call 'Tao'."
— The Way of the Brush by Van Briessen
