渋味 (shibumi) is a word which is a little difficult to translate directly. It’s more of a vibe than a meaning. My dictionary says: “austere elegance; elegant simplicity; subdued style; quiet taste; refinement”. It’s also the name of a Florence-based men’s fashion boutique, where this artwork is displayed. This was my very first commission. YouContinueContinue reading “渋味 (shibumi) “elegant simplicity””
Author Archives: Vicky
The Story of the Three Vinegar-Tasters
Three elderly gentlemen stood around a large bowl of vinegar. The first man dipped his finger in and brought it to his mouth. He made a face as if he had just sucked a lemon. “The vinegar is sour,” he pronounced. The second man dipped his finger in the vinegar, brought it to his mouth,ContinueContinue reading “The Story of the Three Vinegar-Tasters”
縁 (en) “destined (to be together)”
縁 (en) can refer to destiny in general, but it often has romantic connotations…. something like “star-crossed lovers”, destined to be together for all eternity. This work was a wedding gift.
紅花栄 (Benibana sakau) “Safflowers bloom”
Like many countries, Japan has 4 seasons. It also has 72 micro-seasons! Traditionally the Japanese year was divided into 72 seasons of roughly 5 days each. Each of these micro-seasons was named after the changes in the natural world that could be observed at the time, or the current agricultural activities. Next week (from MayContinueContinue reading “紅花栄 (Benibana sakau) “Safflowers bloom””
偶然 (gū-zen) “coincidence”
A calligraphy commission for a friend who very much believes in fate. If you would like to commission a unique Japanese calligraphy work, feel free to check out my Purchase a Work page to take a look at the options and prices.
Kanji: the building blocks of written Japanese
a recent commissioned work of 5 kanji characters The Japanese language uses multiple writing systems combined. The most well-known of these is kanji. These are logographic characters; each one is like a little picture which represents an object an or an idea. This article is a very basic introduction to kanji. Kanji originated in ancientContinueContinue reading “Kanji: the building blocks of written Japanese”
翔 “to soar” 🦅
A commission for a friend who enjoys gliding 🛬 If you know someone who would like a unique gift, feel free to contact me about commissioning a calligraphy artwork. You can find more details here: https://calligraphybyvicky.co.uk/commission-a-work/#custom
皐月 (sa-tsu-ki) “May” (archaic)
Like many countries, Japan uses a 12-month calendar. The names are very simple. January is 一月 (ichi-gatsu, literally “Month one”), February is 二月 (ni-gatsu, “Month two”), etc. However, before the Meiji Restoration (mid-1800s) it was common to use an older 12-month system. These months’ names referenced the weather and the seasons (similar to the FrenchContinueContinue reading “皐月 (sa-tsu-ki) “May” (archaic)”
楽 (raku) “fun”
A somewhat stylised work I did ages ago. I decided to post it now because in Japan it’s currently Golden Week – a period of consecutive holidays and, hopefully, fun 😊
痛みは避けられない… (pain is inevitable, but suffering depends on you!)
痛みは 避けられない でも苦しみは 自分次第だ！ Pain is inevitable but suffering depends on you! This Buddhist-inspired quote is by the famous Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami, from his book on how he uses Buddhist teachings to live a good life. It’s one of my housemate’s favourite phrases. This work was my birthday present to him a few yearsContinueContinue reading “痛みは避けられない… (pain is inevitable, but suffering depends on you!)”
