LOOKING FOR MY CHI

Too tight, too cluttered, too complicated is how my watercolor paintings are looking. In an effort to loosen up and simplify--

I dug out my oriental watercolor brushes and my sumi ink. I know. I know. This kind of art takes a serious investment of effort, time, training and discipline. All of which I have very little or none. But I love the beauty of those fluid lines done so effortlessly.

Here is what I wish I could do. This is a masterpiece by Jean Kigel. With a minimum of effort and a maximum of skill she produces the power of a horse. “Ma dao cheng gong.” “Where there are horses, there is success.”

I would be pleased to just produce a bird and some leaves like this without wobbling. But noOo.

So I Amazoned a book by Yolanda Mayhall,

got an extra supply of that luscious ink and started on the most simple of simples: bamboo.

I have done this all before---badly. I know I am supposed to learn to focus my Chi. Think steady with the mind and fluid with the body so I can “produce a stream of wind at the tip of the brush.” Who am I kidding? My balance is so poor I can’t even stand on one foot in tree position. (Although I like to blame that lack of ability on chubby thighs.)

Still, I try and try to paint those effortless strokes. I hold the brushes vertical with that calligraphy grip. I try to move freely with my whole arm and follow through with that twist that makes the point on the leaves. My efforts end in disaster. I fold the failures into paper cranes. (DH calls them magpies.)

I understand if you make a thousand cranes your wish will come true.

This is gonna take a while. >:P