The brushwork in Chinese art sounds like a pretty cut-and-dry topic; at least to me what comes to mind is traditional ink scrolls or serene Buddhist paintings. There are so many more mediums and ways of creating that can incorporate the idea of brushwork. For example, the project I have made is a ceramic and ink piece. The outside of the main portion has a recreation of Tang dynasty poet Li Po’s “Going Up to Sun Terrace.” On the container are engraved flowers that are reminiscent of traditional peach blossom depictions.

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​On the top of the container are engraved and painted peach blossoms, a common motif in Bird and Flower painting. Although many other types of flowers have been popular throughout the Chinese art historical canon, the cultural meaning of peach blossoms is the most in line with what I am currently working towards with my own studio goals. Peach blossoms have commonly been associated with utopian society and peaceful life. On the main body of the container Li Po's calligraphy, “Going Up to Sun Terrace,” has been transcribed onto the body of the piece. Li’s calligraphy has themes of the fleeting beauty of life and personal freedom. Calligraphy and flower paintings are two prevalent aspects of brushwork in Chinese art, which is why I chose to incorporate them in my representation of brushwork in art. Additionally, I am using the associations and meanings of the motifs and calligraphy in a similar way to how they were used in dynastic China; this include associations of flowers, animals, or objects to attract certain aspects of life to the owner of the art piece.