Beginning Sumi-e: Bamboo with Fumiyo Yoshikawa
July 8 – August 12, 2026 (6 weeks)
Time: Wednesdays, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Materials: Students provide their own materials
Tuition: $240 per student
What is Sumi-e?
Sumi-e is the traditional Japanese art of ink painting. Using black ink, water, and simple brushstrokes, artists capture the spirit and essence of a subject rather than every detail. Rooted in centuries of East Asian artistic tradition, sumi-e emphasizes observation, simplicity, balance, and mindful brushwork.
Beginning Sumi-e: Bamboo
Bamboo has been one of the most important subjects in sumi-e for centuries. Though simple in appearance, it contains many of the fundamental brush techniques used throughout Japanese ink painting. Through the study of bamboo, students learn how to create expressive lines, control ink and water, develop brush confidence, and capture movement and vitality with a few well-placed strokes.
Over six weeks, students will build a strong foundation in traditional sumi-e techniques while exploring leaves, stalks, joints, composition, and the graceful character of bamboo. The skills learned in this class can be applied to many other sumi-e subjects, making bamboo an ideal starting point for beginners as well as a valuable study for continuing artists.
No previous experience is necessary.
About the Instructor
Fumiyo Yoshikawa is a Kyoto-born artist specializing in sumi-e and Nihonga (traditional Japanese painting with natural mineral pigments). She has taught for more than 35 years in Japan and the United States and has exhibited her work internationally, including in Japan, the United States, and Guatemala. Trained in the Shijō-Maruyama tradition of Kyoto, she combines traditional techniques with contemporary artistic exploration.
