“Willows are green; flowers are red”.

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I have always thought this phrase depicts the springtime sceneries.

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However, I found out it was categorized under Zen words for the month of August in a site.

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I tried a new approach for this work that one of my fellow students at the calligraphy school I go to taught me.

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Explanation of this method would be:

first; soak the brush in water plentifully,

second; put a little ink at the end of the brush,

then; try to write with this brush very swiftly.

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Although I am sure it is an interesting way of using brushes in calligraphy, I think I have to practice a lot more to be able to create fine works.

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Those involving things spiritual often talk about the Lions Gate, which according to them connects this world and the universe and is open for these two weeks.

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Then I found an interesting text that says the Lion in this case is not the animal but the Sphinx.

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Inspired by this theory, I wrote the Chinese phrase for the “Sphinx”.

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This is my version of “Scarlet by the Rolling Stones”.

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Now, looking back on my life so far, I am certain I have been pretty happy all my life.

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To begin with, only the presence of this band in my life was such a fortunate happening.  It brought in so much worthiness into my life.

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This is another copying practice I did from one of the models my first calligraphy teacher wrote for me decades ago.

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Some of the kana letters or Japanese phonogramic letters are obsolete at present.

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“Waves from your minds that once began moving will spread for eternity.”

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This means “cool air begins to blow”, which is a segmentalized phrase for around the first week of August according to the ancient seasonal, solar terms.

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However, I am certain that no one will agree to this.  These days it is unbearably hot and humid here in Kyoto.

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I only wish it will come true soon.  I think this doubtfulness toward the term made me write twice.  I just hoped to express refreshing coolness.  I am not sure I was successful at that, though.

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This year’s very, tediously long rainy season finally ended.

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Then…the sunshine is too strong and glaring … and I found this haiku on the internet.

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However, what is more important here is this tanzaku (thin strip of paper for calligraphy) holder was a delightful birthday present from my good old friend from high school days.

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During the rainy season/

Through patch of blue sky/

Sunset glow was seen but soon disappeared/

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Translation and calligraphy by Chio

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I am happy to announce that I was allowed to participate in this amusing event.

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As I wrote before, I submitted two paper fans to be displayed there.

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The event will take place at the art gallery Hakuhou-doh in Okazaki, Kyoto.

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The exhibition will start on August 4^th and end on August 28, with a break from 13^ththrough 17^th and the shop holiday is Monday.

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Happy encounters at the marché

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Today was the third and last day of the marché and this time was my third participation in it,which was a greatly fruitful experience for me.

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Firstly, I met a sumié or ink-brush painting artist and had a really meaningful talk.

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And another oil painting artist who I met here at the marché venue sometime ago through a mysterious, inexplicable coincidence kindly gave me a profound and thought-provoking advice about how I should pursue my calligraphy in the days ahead.

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Now, I perfectly understand that it is up to me how I could embody his advice and improve the quality of my calligraphy.

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Now, looking back on the three days of the marché, I renewed my sense of gratitude toward the owner of the gallery for letting me participate in this meaningful event.

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Today was the second day of the art marché for the month of August.

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One last day, tomorrow, August 2^nd is left.

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The venue the art gallery Hakuhou-doh is located right in the central part of the cultural district of Kyoto, that is, Okazaki district where you will find the Heian Jingu Shrine and many museums of various genres quite near it.

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You will enjoy, I am certain, seeing not only the different fields of art displayed at one place but the beautiful cultural district of my hometown if you only come to this marché.

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