We had a unique opportunity to learn calligraphy from a master Japanese teacher, Rihaku (Rie) Inoue who was visiting us from Nishinomiya, Japan.
In Rihaku’s opinion, “Sho” (Japanese calligraphy) is an art form brought into existence by a moment’s performance within a time period of one instant. In this way, it resembles our lives.
Japanese calligraphic art is commonly understood to be simply “writing”, but Rihaku believes it can be an art form that is equal or superior to other visual and performing arts. Even if the audience has no knowledge of Japanese characters, she wants this contemporary Japanese calligraphy to stimulate the senses of people across the world, without borders, and reach out to their souls. This is the reason that she attempts to use more three-dimensional, active expressions.
Rihaku (Rie) Inoue was born in Okayama Prefecture, Japan. She attended Konan Women’s University, in Kobe, and now resides in Nishinomiya, Japan. A calligraphy artist and consultant of the Japan Calligraphy Museum, and a calligraphy professor of the Japan Education Calligraphy Federation. She is also a member of the A.M.S.C (Art Maison Selecting Committee / Spain) and Paje de Los Suenos Foundation (Madrid, Spain). She uses various kinds of materials – not only ink, but also acryl, gold leaf, and silver leaf in her works. She develops traditional calligraphy into new style ‘’art calligraphy’’.
In the workshop we learned how to write our favorite word, translated into Japanese by Rihaku, who then guided us how to use a calligraphy brush and how to write beautiful original calligraphy. We had so much fun, we’re excited to practice more and use these techniques in our own creative meditation.
Learn more about Rihaku and her work over at i-rihaku.com