I remember the first time I saw someone writing calligraphy on a scroll with ink. It was in the Korean drama “Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth”. This show focused on training young men in combat and scholarly topics. Though this is a Korean drama, they were writing traditional calligraphy, which was written in hanja, or the Korean word for classical Chinese characters. This show portrayed the scholarly hierarchy that we have talked about all semester in Brushwork of Chinese Art. When I heard we were able to choose a creative response I knew immediately that I wanted to work in the ink and scroll medium.  

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It was difficult trying to figure out which genre of brushwork I wanted to try. I knew I would not be able to create an intricate mountain scene that went from ceiling to floor, but I could still dabble in some flowers and bamboo. I also was interested in practicing calligraphy, however since I do not know Chinese and I do not want to write anything wrong, I planned on writing short poems in Korean. I have a Korean minor and have read a few poems given to me by my professors and I knew I could draw from this experience. I had a good start on my supplies from previous projects, so I started brainstorming. Prior to this I did not have a lot of experience working with this medium, however, during this class we got demonstrations from Truc Deegan This gave me the background I need to start on my journey.

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Brushwork art is unlike my main mediums, painting and drawing. In painting and drawing I can easily cover up mistakes, but brushwork makes me think more about every stroke I decide to make. It makes me slow down the process and get into a critical state of mind, planning out every stroke before finally committing. This experiment in brushwork has taught me knew ways to approach art and an enjoyment of a new medium of art.