Chinese brush painting
Club president Pam Grosvenor, centre, with Maggie Cross, left, and Claudine Arbitre, a member of SI Royan, France, visiting as part of a weekend of celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of the twinning of Gosport and Royan.
Club members, several of whom are talented artists, are now much wiser about the intricacies of Chinese brush painting.
Maggie Cross, brought up in Hong Kong and a Mandarin speaker, enthralled her audience at the May speaker meeting as she talked about the origins of the art while producing a beautiful example of the style of painting. While she worked she talked about the history of the art and she also recalled childhood memories of riding water buffalo!
She explained that Chinese brush painting was unlike other painting styles as it involved rituals and symbolism.
She chose to paint a peony tree, the national symbol of China.
Painting is normally done on the flat above an absorbent blotting type of material but Mrs Cross, a former schoolteacher, worked upright on a flip chart, rather more difficult as the paints are quite watery.
She explained that preparation was an important feature of Chinese brush painting. “You have what are termed your four treasures; these are your brush, your ink stick made from soot, glue and water, an ink stone and the paper.”
The ink is ground on a stone with the stick and water is added. “This part of the preparation helps you to meditate and calm yourself so as to be focused on the task ahead,” she said.
When she had finished her painting Mrs Cross signed it in Chinese characters in the name, Golden Phoenix, that she was given as a child in Hong Kong, and added what could loosely be described as a seal, known as a chop.
Members were able to examine her array of brushes, paints, chops and other artefacts used in the art.