SEASONS is my series of Japanese calligraphy workshops focusing on the innate beauty of the transition from one season to another captured in poetry. There are hundreds of kigo (季語, “season word”), which is a word or phrase associated with a particular season used in traditional forms of Japanese poetry. The December session, in collaboration with Tea at Shiloh, will be 凩 (kogarashi) or Winter Wind. We will embrace the cold winter wind through tea pairing and Japanese calligraphy.

The evening will have two parts: First, guests will be introduced to the artist’s selection of haiku poems with 凩 (winter wind) as the chosen kigo to inspire, which will be paired with a cup of selected tea by Tea at Shiloh. After having our body and spirit warmed up, we will dive into the practice of Japanese calligraphy. We will go over a brief history of Japanese calligraphy,  calligraphy tools and supplies, as well as proper posture to focus on the balance of mind and body. You will begin to explore how the self is reflected in your own writing. Guests will practice the character “凩” on up to 20 sheets of hanshi paper and take their own finished artworks home as souvenir from the evening.

This workshop is designed for adult beginners. No prior experience or knowledge of Japanese is necessary.