Introduction to Chinese Brush Painting – week 1 of 4

Gall Threinen Chinese Brush painting at Arts in Hand Gallery, Spooner, WI

Gall Threinen Chinese Brush painting at Arts in Hand Gallery, Spooner, WI

Introduction to Chinese Brush Painting
Instructor:  Gail Threinen
Sundays, Noon to 3:00, August 7,14,21,28

$100 for the 4-week session (paid in advance, no refunds for absences)
Approximately $35 for supplies during the 4 weeks.
These are very specialized materials available thru instructor.
(I really suggest you do not buy these materials on your own, they are specific to my class, and I sell them at my cost)

To register, send an email to Gail at gail.threinen@gmail.com

Class Overview
If you are an absolute beginner in exploring art and would like to try using a brush, or if you are an expert in another form of art, you will have fun in this class. Gail uses the spontaneous style of  Chinese Brush Painting which is about personal expression rather than about accuracy or detail. It is about allowing the brush to flow, which is satisfying and expressive. Compared to western painting styles, Chinese brush painting is typically more free and dynamic. Backgrounds are usually omitted, with the balance between the object and white space being a particular artistic feature.
This workshop will cover the basic traditional Chinese brush techniques using the uniquely-shaped Chinese brush, ink, and pigments on rice (xuan) paper.  In Chinese art and culture, a flower is never merely a flower nor scenery merely a place; each has its legends, romantic stories, and symbolic spirituality.  Gail lived in China and then spent many years as a docent at the Minneapolis Museum of Art specializing in the China galleries and includes fun stories and insight into the subjects you will be painting. Those subjects will include florals, animals or insects and some simple landscapes.

Bio:  While living in Singapore and China, Gail fell in love with the Asian style of painting as well as Chinese Calligraphy.  She has been studying and practicing these arts now for 20 years and is well respected among her peers.  She enjoys teaching in person to share the fun of this art.  She is a member of the Sumi-e Society of America and the International Chinese Calligraphy And Ink Painting Society.  She has exhibited and won awards nationally as well as internationally.  She won Best In Show in the Sumi-e Society of America’s National Juried Exhibition in 2019.   Gail has been an Arts In Hand Gallery Member Artist since 2016 and her hand painted greeting cards are one of our customer favorites.

Supply List:
Since the materials used are so specialized, Gail will provide some supplies and some can be purchased in class as needed.

Please bring with you:
Three or four white porcelain dinner plates to use as a paint pallet. (Something from a second hand store is great)
A brush-washing water container like a pickle jar or such
A roll of paper towels
Two small paper weights or any 2 small objects to act as paper weights (small smooth rocks work well)
An apron since the ink and pigments used are very permanent