Getting Paid

I took on two commission works this summer. Both are for birthday gifts. One is a tiger in color pencils.

The other is a sunflower in watercolor.

Getting paid to do art is a good feeling. I feel valued.

Fritillaria 貝母

I put down some Bei Mu 貝母 fritillaria last fall. I couldn't find the commonly used medicinal varieties: 川貝母 Fritillaria cirrohosa or 浙貝母 Fritillaria thunbergii. I just put down the common garden center variety Fritillaria meleagris, sometimes called Checkered Lily. They've emerged just a little bit after the daffodils. I'm continuing my efforts on realistic botanical drawings.

Preparatory sketch then copy to a a watercolor pad.

After coloring and calligraphy.

The Meaning Behind Peaceful Water

The meanings behind our name and logo came up in conversations a couple of times. I would like to offer some explanations.

When we first brainstormed for a business name, we thought that we would like the name to have something to do with water. The Buffalo area has a lot of connections with water, being situated on the Great Lakes, at close proximity to Niagara Falls, as well as historically developed around the construction of the Erie Canal. Finally we choose the name “Peaceful Water” in English and “止水” in Chinese. We then designed the logo around the Chinese characters.

"止水" can also be translated as “still water” or “calm water”, and is meant to evoke a commonly used phrase “心如止水” or “heart resembles peaceful water”. There are two slightly different meanings associated with the phrase.

First is that a heart at peace can reflect clearly and without distortion. This meaning came from the philosopher 莊周 Zhuag Zhou in 3rd Century BC：

"人莫鑑於流水，而鑑於止水，唯止能止眾止。"

People cannot see their reflections in running water, but they can see their reflections in still water. Only through stillness in yourself can you bring the multitudes to a point of stillness.

Second meaning is that a heart at peace can remain undisturbed in a face of turmoil and challenges. This meaning came from the poet 白居易 Bai Juyi's eulogy for his friend, written in the 9th Century AD:

浩浩世途，是非同軌；齒牙相軋，波瀾四起。

公獨何人，心如止水；風雨如晦，雞鳴不已。"

On the grand path of this world, the right and the wrong ran on the same track; Conflicting like teeth grinding against each other, like waves crashing from all sides.

How could you alone, sir, have your heart remained still like peaceful water; When the wind and rain obscured the light, when the flock croaked incessantly?

Calligraphy - Cultivation of Character

We haven't been keeping up with the blog for a while.  I think it's good time to start it up again.

Earlier this year, I started to practice calligraphy again.  As a child in Taiwan, I had gone through the obligatory writing class, but never liked it.  I was known in my class and to my family for my ugly handwriting.  I'm surprised by how much I enjoy practicing calligraphy now.  There are infinite intricacies and variations in something so simple and formal.  It's like brewing beer strictly adhere to the Reinheitsgebot.  

I started to see calligraphy in many things.  Watching the Winter Olympic, I saw Virtue and Moir's ice dancing as moving ink strokes.  I saw in snowboarding the tip and edges of a brush.  When I practice Taiqiquan, I notice the similarity to the posture of the writer and the expression of the characters.  It's a black on white universe, where freedom exists in structure and everything is full of meaning.  

I find that in North America, calligraphy, whether the Chinese style done with a brush, or the Western style done with a nib, is considered as an art.  Often only people with artistic interests or inclination will approach it.  However, traditionally Chinese calligraphy was considered more as a cultivation of one's character.  Even though both painting and writing were done with the same style of brush on the same kind of paper with the same type ink, ancient calligraphers were rarely painters.  Instead, they were usually scholars, ministers, writers, even generals.  

I wonder if there are many people in North America who are intrigued by Chinese calligraphy but never bother trying it because they don't consider themselves artistic?  If anyone's interested in brush writing, we have a Chinese Calligraphy Study Group, every Monday night 7:45-8:45, at Peaceful Water Health & Fitness Lobby.  I am trying an approach so that no knowledge of the Chinese language is necessary.  However, it's inevitable anyone who write will eventually learn some Chinese.  For more info, please email: zoe@peacefulwaterhealth.com