Sumi-e Minimalism

Recently in this season of reviewing the summer’s hectic schedule and its complicated and sometimes impossible calendar demands, I have returned to the “keep it simple” and “visit the roots” principles that have helped me gain perspective and inspiration in the past. Recently, I conducted a workshop about minimialism and visited again some of the excellent works of the master painter, Qi Baishi. I have often considered the turbulent times and disconcerting uncertainty that must have accompanied his changing environment and art community, and concluded that his miministic focus on the “little souls” must have helped him endure and thrive as an artists. In the workshop, I did a demo that attempted to copy the essence of Qi Baishi’s famous painting depicting an ox grazing under a willow tree (see below). Many thanks to Henry Li, another amazing master of sumi-e, for his excellent introduction to Qi Baishi’s painting.