The water’s surface
can boast perfection
when it is without disturbance,
but only when it is disrupted
can it invite the sun to dance.

I’m going to make two simple sumi-e paintings that I will hang together. One will show still water (a little boring, but the above poem [in japanese] will appear on this painting) and the other will show the water rippling from a koi sticking his nose at the top to nibble at something. Sunlight will be reflecting off the ripples. The bigger meaning to the paintings and poem is that we sometimes wish for our lives to be perfectly in order and undisturbed, but in reality it is the intrusion or disturbances of other people in our lives that make life beautiful and give it purpose.

Sumi-e has been fun, although I'm not quite getting the hang of it yet. Waterbased media and I don't mix, really. I'm enjoying the excursion and challenge, though, and it has whet my appetite for drawing again. Charcoal and pastel pencil are probably my comfort zones. I enjoy oil paints tremendously, but can't afford them and they require longer work sessions (because of clean up time and because I like to work on wet paint).

I got a great photo of Stephen the other day and can't wait to draw that. :)