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“A Creative Approach to Chinese/Japanese Ink & Brush Painting” Workshop
Sumi Ink 2-day Workshop with Gary Heise
Sundays, April 21 & 28 | 9 AM–3 PM
Gary Heise gave a demo of some of his techniques at Imago on March 17. Watch the video above to get an idea about some of the techniques the workshop will cover.
Join Imago Gallery member artist Gary Heise for this brief introduction to traditional Chinese brush painting (Japanese sumi- e) which incorporates monoprint techniques as a springboard for creative landscape painting on rice paper. The workshop is open to all skill levels and takes place at Imago Gallery, 36 Market Street, in Warren, RI.
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Day 1: Demonstration of the practice and basics of traditional “sumi-e” brushwork. Handout reproductions from The Mustard Seed Garden Manual of Painting, originally published in 1679, will be provided as examples to study. Create your own landscape during the workshop and continue your practice at home using what you have learned, or copy one of the paintings from the handout.
Day 2: Continue practicing techniques and concepts from the previous week, with an emphasis on compositional aspects, plus the introduction of color. Participants will create colorful, abstract compositions in the morning, using crinkled paper and monoprint techniques. In the afternoon, these compositions will be used as the foundation for a contemporary approach to landscape painting.
There will be a short break for lunch on both days
Register for the $90 workshop in advance (where you may also order materials*) or stop by the gallery during regular hours to register in person.
An optional materials fee of $45 will cover three brushes, ink, and a set of Marie’s Chinese watercolors.
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Paper for the workshop will be provided to all students for no additional fee.
Feel free to bring your own brushes, watercolors and gouache; newspaper/newsprint, a watercolor palette or dish, and a couple of jars for clean water.
About Gary Heise
Shortly after graduating from the Rhode Island School of Design with a BFA in Painting, Heise studied Chinese brush painting with noted Taiwanese painter and printmaker Liao Shiou-Ping. Since that time, Gary has painted the American landscape using Chinese brush painting techniques and materials, integrating both Chinese and Western approaches to watercolor painting. Heise and his wife, Janelle, moved to Rhode Island in 2022. Prior to that he served as president and program director for the Asian Brush Artists Guild (est. 1989) associated with the Hammond Museum in North Salem, New York. View his work on Instagram @garyheisepainting.