Brush and Ink - Introduction

Please note our Introduction to Brush and Ink workshops are on hold for 2025 - we look forward to seeing you again in 2026! In the meantime, our Meditation in Motion Brush and Ink workshops will continue through 2025, details here

Experience the beautiful contemplative practice of Japanese ink painting, Sumi-e, in these quarterly workshops with Meah and Jo. Beginners are welcome - no previous art or meditation experience is necessary.

You will learn how to use 'the four treasures' of sumi (ink stick), suzuri (ink stone), fude (brush) and paper (washi), beginning with the ritual of mixing the ink which is a preliminary form of meditation. We will also share different brush techniques as well as gentle movement and breath awareness to help you find peace of mind and get your creative energy flowing. All materials will be provided and you will leave with paintings that you can take home with you, although this art form is just as much about the state of mind you attain as you practice.

Pricing for these workshops is tiered - you are welcome to choose between $60, $70 or $80 according to your financial situation - and we also have two places available free of charge in each workshop. If you would like to attend but finances are a barrier, please reach out via email to Jo (jo@gardenofyoga.com.au) or Meah (travelartdance@gmail.com).

About Sumi-e
Sumi means ‘black ink’ and ‘e’ means painting in Japanese, but this art form actually has its origins in China and was introduced to Japan, via Korea 1500 years ago by Zen monks on pilgrimage.
The practice is imbued with Taoist and Zen philosophy, and is a traditional method of training your consciousness, transcending the ego and aligning with the rhythms of nature. Many people use this practice as a form of meditation, working towards a state of mind rather than focusing on the aesthetics of the artwork produced. As Andre Sollier explains: "The purpose of Sumi-e is not only to understand the unity of life but to experience it. To paint a tree or a flower by a few ink strokes is to realise it’s unity, to make it real. It is to realise one’s self, and to make that real"

Each workshop will focus on one of the "four gentlemen" (bamboo, plum blossom, orchid and chrysanthemum), traditional subjects for beginners to learn foundational mark making techniques. These traditional subjects are a way to learn Sumi-e brushstroke techniques, but also qualities of softness, precision, spontaneity, delicacy and strength. Within this practice we are perpetual beginners and return to these forms continually, learning something new every time.

About Jo and Meah

Jo and Meah have both been ink brush painting since they were 6 - a combined experience of over 70 years!!

They are delighted to offer this introductory workshop in the same studio space where they have learned from their own teacher Richard Liddicut, and where they still attend class together today.

Jo Stewart's creative approach adapts to each practitioner's individual needs, with a focus on body positivity, self compassion and inclusivity. She is excited to share the whole spectrum of yogic experience - from supportive and playful movement in the aerial hammock, to calm meditation in the quiet of a yin style practice. She discovered yoga while studying Visual Art at RMIT in 1998, and since then she has found that practicing meditation and yoga helps her enjoy living and creating to her full potential. She is the founder of Garden of Yoga, co host of The Flow Artists Podcast and is currently writing a book 'Eight Limbs of Aerial Yoga' for publication in 2025.

Meah Velik-Lord is the Artistic Director of Travel Art Dance Company, and has been teaching, choreographing and performing with the group since 2003. She runs the company's program of public classes and workshops for adults and children, with a particular focus on creativity in artistic expression and exploration. Meah holds a Diploma in Teaching Creative Dance from Mangala Studios of Yoga and Creative Dance, where she has been dancing herself since early childhood, a Diploma in Dance Movement Therapy from Dance Therapy NZ, and is a Veriditas-trained labyrinth facilitator.