Opening Reception:
Saturday, June 3, 1-3 pm
Demonstration:
Saturday, June 17, 1-3 pm

The ancient oriental art of Sumi-e (translation- the Artist and ink – or the brush painter and black as the primary colour), consists of four basic elements: the rice paper, the painting brush, the ink stick, and the stone ink well. This exhibition also celebrates the four artists, who have a combined artist's life of over 140 years. Each of them has a different background and style, and are accomplished artists in their own right.
This is the first time members of the Sumi-e Society have exhibited together outside of their cultural communities in Toronto . It is a rare opportunity for these four artists, two Japanese, a Canadian and one Chinese. They are different, yet are similar in their pursuit of excellence in expressing themselves through art. Hopefully the exhibition will arouse the curiosity of the public, and provide a better understanding of oriental art. It is a break through exhibition in a rural setting (Lindsay).

The Artists

Moira Mudie: Moira started oriental painting in the early years in Hong Kong . She has worked with many masters, and apprenticed under Henry Woo, one of the most famous and international artists of Lingnang School in modern China . An exhibitor and dedicated teacher, she is the program director for the Sumi-e Artists of Canada. Her work varies from flowers, people and insects, to landscapes and experimental work.
Marie Ikeda: A long time sumi-e artist, and one of the founding members and past president of the Sumi-e Artists of Canada. Marie excels in Bamboo, flowers and landscapes. Her work always exudes a sense of tranquility.
Peter Ito: An established sumi-e painter. In addition to his many skills, he is a pioneer of Canadian landscapes using the sumi-e techniques. His paintings of mountains and water demand your attention and admiration.
Charles Leung: Trained as a western painter and photographer, Charles reclaimed his heritage and started learning and practicing oriental painting, calligraphy and philosophy in mid life. Charles studied under many great artists, including many of the masters from the distant past. He always looks for “break through” painting ideas that combine western and oriental cultures. Charles is an exhibitor and a teacher of oriental brush painting.

Sumi-e Background Information:

Traditionally, the oriental artist lived in isolation, partly due to language barriers, and the lack of understanding from other cultures.

The major forces in oriental brush painting are the Chinese and Japanese. Historically, they came from the same roots, both culturally and genetically thousands of years ago. Since they became individual countries, there were many periods of isolation and as a result, they each developed their own style. The Japanese have developed great techniques in wood cut, and stylized abstract painting such as the monumental work “The Great Wave” by Hokusai . It has influenced Western Art, including Picasso, Matisse and Van Gogh. The Chinese, on the other hand, with the introduction of western art, started a movement similar to western Impressionism. The artists abandoned the traditional way of learning, i.e. copying the old masters. The artists started to paint from Nature. They looked at insects, flowers, and incorporated the artist's emotions into the paintings. The movement is led by the famous Lingnang School . One of the exhibiting artists, Moira Mudie , is the fourth generation of the school, after Master Henry Woo.

Oriental calligraphy is the foundation of brush painting. The brush strokes in painting are developed according to calligraphy. The masterpieces of calligraphy, especially from the old masters, fetch top values in Art Auction Houses.

Japanese Ikebana: Ikebana flower arrangement has long tradition of bringing nature and man together. Each of the arrangements has three important elements: the heavens, water and man. The Ikebana International is a world organization and has branches in the major cities all around the world, including Toronto . We are privileged to have artists from the second largest school, Ohara School Ikebana , to provide arrangements for the exhibition. The master artist of work is by Ms. Lily Leung, of Toronto , and extremely respected artist in the Ikebana circuit.