Classes
Classes are held at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre (JCCC) in the spring and fall. They run for 8 weeks. Students are divided into beginners, intermediate and advanced, generally starting as beginners and working over several years to advanced. Each week they study and work on a painting under a qualified sumi-e teacher. Subjects include flowers, trees, birds, insects, people and landscapes, similar to the subjects shown in sumi-e art.
Photos from workshops and shows demonstrates what you do in a workshop, which is similar to participating in a class.
Students can also attend workshops taught by prominent sumi-e artists and become members of the Sumi-e Artists of Canada during the time that they are attending classes and afterwards.
Cost: $70.00 plus JCCC membership. Art supplies are extra. Supplies consist of a brush, sumi-e stick, suzuri (inkstone) and paper. Art supplies are available at the JCCC.
To enroll for classes, contact the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre.
Seals
After completing all the classes, a student submits a final painting called a test piece to the instructor. This painting upon successful completion results in the award of a seal. The seal is given at a graduation ceremony in June. A seal is a unique saying in Japanese that identifies an artist. It is carved in stone and is imprinted on a completed work of art.
A student who receives a seal is given a free one year membership to the Sumi-e Artists of Canada.