Two New Blue Heron Shows This Month

Dec 15

Blue Heron Chapter of the Sumi-e Society of America

Blue Heron News

Blue Heron Chapter has mounted two shows, both starting on Dec. 1. The first is our annual show at the Norfolk Botanical Garden featuring paintings of plants

and flowers. The second is our second annual display of sumi-e holiday cards at the Pretlow Library, many of which started life as part of our annual holiday card exchange.

The pictures are from last year’s respective exhibits. To see the current shows, you’ll

have to go to the Botanical Garden before Jan. 31. “Miniature Masterpieces” (at the Pretlow Library) runs through the end of the month.

Club Officers 2015-2016 Co-Presidents: Cathy Peyton, Joan Grosch Vice President: Jill Brunner Secretary: Mary Ann Matika Treasurer: Lynette Corley Blue Heron News is published nine times a year by the Blue Heron Chapter of the Sumi-e Society of A.m.erica, Norfolk, Virginia. President/Publisher: Joan Grosch Editors: Ann and John McCarthy

It has been a longstanding tradition among artists to exchange pieces of personal art. The Blue Heron Chapter has carried forward this tradition with its annual holiday card exchange.

It's always exciting to see the artwork on cards. We feel proud to think that members care enough for each other to give original work. We encourage you to paint in our sumi-e tradition to make personal gifts to share with our friends. Each of us has learned to use sumi-e brushes made with special animal hair to paint sumi-e style using the strokes of the four gentleman: bamboo, plum blossom, orchid, and chrysanthemum. We paint miniature compositions on rice paper in ink and color. Then we mount these small paintings on cards, sign our names, and take pride in these gifts which we will share with others.

This act of friendship cements relationships. The holiday season is a time of celebration and sharing. We also share memories, as many of us have a collection of Blue Heron members' hand-painted cards which we have gathered over the years.

The winter solstice is a joyous time. Thank you for sharing your talents through your art with us all.

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Rooster Workshop Comments Joe is a wonderful instructor!  Yasuko Zucker

Joe's workshop was very relaxing while learning the tonals of black and the dynamics of a rooster. He made us think before putting the brush down to paint the rooster. The class was well worth our time!  Betty Oliver

Joe's classes are always wonderfully prepared with handouts and preliminary sketches and books marked.  This was a great introduction to the Year of the Rooster.  Barbara Battelle

What a class! Joe taught me how to get awesome tonals in my birds.  Also, he gave us a bonus, a better way to do chicks. I found this class helped me to better use my brushes for crisp lines and better brush loading .  Joe, your classes, Rock. Can't wait for the next class.  Dianne Milner

Joe is a wonderful instructor. I have great joy when I come to his classes.  He is funny, happy, and a joy to watch. He is helpful and gives great guidance.  Phyllis Hyatt

Joe is a professional artist who teaches the disciplines of sumi-e painting.  He always gives his best to the class members.  This workshop was great fun! Cathy Peyton

Meeting MinutesNovember 15, 2015 at the Pretlow Library Co-President Cathy Peyton called the meeting to order at 2:00 p.m. Cathy told the chapter about how Joan Grosch and she judged the mosaics at the India Festival. The October minutes were approved as written. Twenty-two members and one guest were present. Norene Spencer introduced Donna Compton. The treasurer reported a balance on hand of $7,229.08 which included $4,250.00 of payments for Henry Li's workshop. Calendars were on sale for $7.00. The meeting was the last day for submitting an OAS order.

Committee Reports External Exhibits: Gail Goodman Twenty members will attend the Henry Li workshop in April. Members were encouraged to review Li's work on YouTube. A list to offer ideas for lessons from Li was passed around.

In-House Workshops: Kathy Bush Jill Valentine asked participants in the "Painting the English Rose" workshop to bring the following supplies: ✦ different types of paper ✦ small and medium brushes ✦ pink, red and yellow paint The workshop is Saturday, December 12, 2015, at Yasuko Zucker's home. All attendees will have a seated place to paint.

Newsletter: Ann and John McCarthy The deadline for the November newsletter is November 30, 2015. Please send articles to both John and Ann McCarthy.

Exhibitions: Jill Brunner Paintings for the Norfolk Botanical Garden should be delivered from 10:00-11:30 a.m. on December 1, 2015. Members should continue to send Jill Brunner information about the paintings they are submitting. Gail Goodman reminded members about the "LanternAsia" exhibition at the Botanical Garden in spring 2016. Colossal works of art made from eco-friendly materials will highlight traditional Asian themes to include nature, wildlife, architecture, and ancient folklore. More information about the display of notecards at the Pretlow Library will be shared when it becomes available.

Old Business Next year RaVae will add pages of recipes to the end of the calendar. Small paintings and sumi-e symbols will decorate the recipes. Maggie McGeorge submitted chapter news to the national newsletter. Norene Spencer told about the "wonderful" Sumi-e Society of America conference she attended in Mobile, Alabama. She encouraged everyone to become members of the national society. She announced the following national society events:

✦ 2016 - 2017: virtual exhibit of art on the internet

✦ mid-October 2016: workshop in Washington.

✦ July 2016: joint exhibit of sumi-e artists from Taipei and Japan in New York City

Members were given notecards to paint for the holiday exchange at the December meeting. Members should sign their names on the cards and place them in ziplock plastic bags.

New Business Joe Nicholas offered artist magazines to interested members. There will be a board meeting directly following the chapter meeting to discuss an extended proposal from Henry Li.

Announcements November 20, 2015 is the date for the national "Miniature Masterpieces" at the Charles H. Taylor Arts Center in Hampton, Virginia. Norene Spencer is teaching a sumi-e class at the Norfolk Botanical Garden. The meeting was adjourned at 2:33 p.m.. Refreshments and a lesson, "Asian Notecards," by Lee Gerry Wertheimer followed. Respectfully submitted, Mary Ann Matika, Secretary

Mary A

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A discussion about composition would not be complete without addressing the “seals” that we affix to our work. The “Pros” are in agreement that they are an important and integral part of a painting or calligraphy not only to identify the artist but also to enhance and balance the design of our artwork. Before addressing the use and placement of the seal, a few words about seals themselves might be helpful.

Seals fall into three basic categories: The first are name seals which might be a family name, given name, or painting name. It is usually in formal script on a square or regular-shaped stone. A second category includes seals bearing a word, phrase, or saying. These are known as xian zhang. They are usually done in freestyle on irregular -haped stones. Third, are the seals of collectors which are usually small.

Seals are carved in two styles: Yin, where the characters are incised in the stone; and Yang, where the characters stand out in relief. The surname is done in white with red background; the given name is done in red with a white background. It is usual for beginners to start off with four seals—one xian zhang (free) and three name seals (two medium, one small).

The red cinnabar paste that is used, if of good quality, will last hundreds of years. The paste is made of cinnabar, mineral oil, and silk (or soft

sheep hairs).

A discussion regarding placement of the seals is a bit difficult without illustrations; however, some information is pretty straightforward. Hopefully, you have taken the seal into account when composing your painting. If not, but you

are very happy with the design/balance of your painting, place your seal in an unobtrusive spot so as not to be a distraction. If your design is off-balance, your seal can be placed to correct the imbalance. It can also be used to stabilize a relatively floating design, encourage eye movement, and/or expand the viewer’s attention. It would be well worth your while to check out Joan Lok’s Chinese Brush Painting: Flowers and Cai Xiaoli’s Oriental Painting Course. Both books provide lots of illustrations/examples on the use and correct placement of seals.

Before closing, let me mention affixing your signature to your painting. In the words of my Korean teacher, “good calligraphy will never help a bad painting, but bad calligraphy will always ruin a good one.” So if your kanji is not good, just write your name or initials in English, or don’t sign it at all. Let your name seal suffice.

Dear Members,

Henry Li WorkshopG

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Update April 15 - 17, 2016 Our guest artist workshop with Henry Li has generated a lot of interest, and very soon I will be able to announce an exciting opportunity to those who are interested in attending his workshop. This information will appear by email after mid-December.

As a reminder, the workshop is currently full with twenty participants; however, there is a wait list. It is possible that events and participants will change, and you could indeed be attending the workshop. The fee for 2½ days is $165, which also includes lunch. It will be conducted at the beautiful site in the Penthouse at Westminster Canterbury. Contact Gail Goodman for more information, or send your check, made payable to “Blue Heron Chapter, SSA,” to her.

In the meantime, please take a moment to visit Henry Li’s website at Blue Heron Arts.com or dial into YouTube and watch him paint.

Keep checking your email for the new information that is coming out...this is very exciting for painting enthusiasts.

Workshop Subject Material Below is the list of finalized choices for subject material which will be taught by Henry Li. In a subsequent newsletter we will be publishing the exact schedule for these exciting subjects. Henry Li is a master of Chinese ink painting, and his creations appeal to many. These choices have been selected by the members who have sent their requests to Gail or those who notated their desires at the November General Meeting,

Blue Heron Landscapes/Ice Landscapes Poppies Bridge/Daylily Tulips

Fingerpainting Plexiglass monoprints

Crane Willow Trees Bird of Paradise/Palm Peony

Henry Li is the owner of Blue Heron Arts Co. in Los Angeles, CA. He was trained in the time-honored tradition of art, and began painting in 1974 under a master in his hometown in Nanjing. He majored in Archaeology when he arrived at University in 1977 and became a fellow of the Center for Oriental Painting and Calligraphy Study in 1983. Henry came to the U.S. in 1987 to study for his degree in ancient Chinese History at the University of Washington. He taught Chinese painting at the college from 1988-1995 while he was a graduate student there. Over the years, he continued to develop his amazing talents. He took a web design job in Colorado Springs and became a professional internet developer and by 1997 moved to Los Angeles and created several very popular online greeting card websites, one of which (card4you.com) went public in 1998. He has designed numerous e-commerce websites for various businesses.

After ten years of pixel painting, Henry returned to traditional ink-and-watercolor media. He has been painting on his website since 2007 and works tirelessly to make his painting videos look effortless, spontaneous, and joyful. Meanwhile, he has started to explore new materials and techniques that will give this centuries old art form a new life. In 2010 Henry became a full-time Chinese art teacher and supplier with thousands of fans and students all over the world. He is married to Victoria, who teaches Chinese Calligraphy. They have a daughter, Amy, who is a professional graphic designer.

Henry Li Bio

2pm-4pm Pretlow Library

next meeting

December

Blue Heron News

5941 McClure Road

Norfolk, VA 23502

December 1-January 31—Norfolk Botanical Garden Show, Baker Hall December—Art Exhibit: Miniature Masterpieces, at the Pretlow Library December 12—Workshop “Painting the English Rose,” Jill Valentine, Tea Luncheon at Yasuko Zucker's home, 10 am-1 pm December 20—Blue Heron Chapter Holiday Party/Card Exchange, Pretlow Library, 2-4 pm January 10 —Blue Heron Chapter, Pretlow Library, 2-4 pm February 6 —Visual Arts Center at Titustown: Saturday, Bonsai/Sumi-e Exhibit Opening/ Reception 10 am-1 pm March 13—Blue Heron Chapter, Pretlow Library, 2-4 pm April 15-17—Henry Li Workshop, Westminster Canterbury (see page 5) April 17 -Chapter Meeting and Demonstration, Westminster Canterbury 2-4 pm May 15—Blue Heron Chapter, Calendar Selection/Slate of Officers, Pretlow Library, 2-4 pm June 5 —End- of-the-Year Luncheon

This month’s meeting. We are busy this month. We will be engaging in holiday activities, including the annual holiday card exchange, as well as celebrating the season with the annual holiday party. As always, treats to share are encouraged, especially if they promote

holiday conviviality. While at the meeting, be sure to view the holiday card display in the lobby. It’s good to see the continuing quality of members’ work over the years.

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