Art and Yukata

The part-time art teacher won't be back next school year (beginning of April).

She's going to Tokyo to be a full-time art teacher at a junior high school. She invited me and another teacher to try traditional Japanese painting. They use ground up rocks, mud, clay, coral etc..and mix it together with a melted glue gum substance. They then paint with a brush (like watercolour) onto traditional Japanese paper (washi) which has been specially coated.

Being in the art room reminded me of Special Art classes back in high school. The smell of oil paints, acrylics, turps, clay, glaze...I miss art classes and painting. I would also have all these ideas in my head but somehow they never turned out on paper how I had wanted. haha but it's relaxing nonetheless.

We also made these paper weights using this sticky plastic glue substance and dyes. I think the fumes made us all a bit delirious.

For the last tea ceremony class of the school year, we cleaned the room, practised making and serving the tea and were taught how to wear yukatas (Japanese kimono worn in summer). I haven't been to class for a while and I forgot heaps about how to make the tea. Using the right hand instead of the left hand, crossing the tatami with my left foot and not my right, how to fold my fukusa..and my legs killed (not that they ever were used to the seiza sitting position in the first place). I now have my own red fukusa and sensu (fan).

I haven't bought a yukata yet (definately a must in Summer!) so my teacher lent me one of her daughter's. It was really fun and I can't wait to buy my own one - only problem will be having to choose what colour I want, and you have to wear it really tight just above the stomach so it's kind of hard to breathe. But compared to other things females go through to look good, this is a piece of cake.