It is already the end of March in 2025, and I would like to look back at all the events and workshops in the WaranMizukuki-kai classrooms in 2024…
Kakizome exhibition
February is the annual Kakizome-Exhibition, with 10 exhibitors in 2024, including J-san, Su-san and T-ko-san.
All the works are beautiful, written with sincerity and hard work. I am very proud of them♪
This time, E.-san won the Tokyo Art Association Prize.
Sachiko-san received a nomination award.
L-san and
A–san received a special mention.
everyone are growing better and better
Workshop in Batsu
7 April was the 14th workshop at Batsu and the subject was ‘Spring’. There were some challenges for beginners, such as ‘right-stroke’, which is a bit difficult to do.
Every time I am amazed at the concentration of all the participants, and this time they were also extremely focused!
Everyone is really beautiful when they put in their best effort.
The smiles on their faces when they’ve done it all are the best!
I hope that the time spent concentrating on writing will remain in everyone’s memories, and hopefully they will come back again… I would be very happy!
Thank you to everyone who came and to Sachiko-san, as always…
Workshop in Michino-Eki 050
Sachiko-san from Batu introduced us to workshop at a Michi-No-eki (station at the road）
It was a gift from the volunteer organisers to those who volunteer to visit and communicate with the elderly and people living alone.
We thought the main consolation was ‘having fun’ rather than ‘learning calligraphy’.
In two hours, we wrote the Chinese characters for ‘Isshin’(= one heart ) and the own names of the each people.
I thought it was going to be noisy, as I wanted people to take it easy and have fun.
However, the silence during the time everyone concentrated on each stroke was so great that you could almost hear the sound of a scene.
The proud smiles of those who stamped of the Mizukuki-kai on the finished work are proud♪
We hope you enjoyed the fun of calligraphy as much as we did!
Thank you to the organisers, the participants and Sachiko-san♪
Lesson in Tuesday-night
Three of the workshop participants at this year’s Batus have requested to join the Mizukikikai class, and we will be holding a Tuesday evening session.
It is easy to encourage people to join at the same time so that they can learn from the same level of example.♪
We now have five classes: Tuesday mornings, evenings, Wednesday mornings, Friday afternoons and evenings.
In the beginning it was difficult to concentrate on a long day, but after a year or so I finally got used to this rhythm.
Now I give the lesson to a maximum of four students per class.
Depending on my progress in Dutch and your progress, I would like to eventually increase the number of students to five per class. (We can sit up to six people.)
Photographic edition of 2024.
This year, Li-chih-san’s and Ida-san’s work was on the photo edition in the ‘Kanji’ category!
This is the first time in 10 years that a photo has been published in the Kanji section.
We are happy to photo’s in kana and pencil-works , but we are especially happy to publish in kanji, which you have been learning for the longest time.
You did a great job!
At a first time of the private workshop
In December, as the year was drawing to a close, I received a workshop application for four people.
I was surprised to find out that the application was from Rotterdam, but was convinced that it was a surprise birthday present for my brothers and sisters who live in Assen and Groningen.
Looking back, it was my first personal workshop in a classroom, and everyone was serious, quietly writing away, and sometimes quietly laughing.
They were well behaved during tea time, and I sent them off thinking that they were very quiet siblings… but my husband told me that they were frolicking in the front garden.
I’m glad you enjoyed it…
Order of the works
Thankfully in ‘24 also I received orders for my work.
One was ‘氣’（Energy) . It was a gift for a loved one who needs to be cheered up.
The deadline for the order was short, but I did the best I could with the very polite and enthusiastic emails I received.
I was so focused on getting the work done and delivered by the deadline that I completely forgot to give them a paper explaining the work and advertising my website, which I still regret today. I have never wanted a manager as much as I did at that time. And I forgot to take a picture of him…
The order was to put it on a sticker for a sports car. The image was that the car would cut through the city like a bolt of lightning, so I took the sound of the Wind God (風神＝Fu-jin）and Thunder God（雷神=Rai jin）, and came up with ‘Wind Man(風人）, Thunder（雷）, speed（迅）’.
（恩返し＝On Gae Shi )‘Giving back’ to his wife as a token of his gratitude.
Farewell present to the karate class teacher ‘究道無限’ (To master something is infinite).
I’m relieved to hear that everyone was happy …
Each of the other events ( Participation in events at Facet, 10-year celebrations, art market in Fraeylemaborg, etc.)is a blog post in its own right.
2024 was another year of many new things, and each time I saw more new challenges. There is never a dull moment (laughs).
The classes have gradually grown in size and thanks to your support, all groups are now fully booked. Some have been with us since the beginning, others just started last month. They are all growing at their own pace, and the number of people who can write with a strong and spirited character is increasing. I am very proud and proud of them.
I wonder what awaits us in 2025…
As I watch everyone’s growth, I also straighten my own collar and engage in friendly competition. I will not forget what my teachers have taught me, and I will try new things.
And don’t forget to take a break…
ｂｙ Ｓｕｓａｎａ－ｓａｎ