This is the Summer which in my mind – clear white and blue sky, sandy beaches and blue sea. It gives me a kind of peace and comfort feeling. I know that it is simple.
I would love to imagine that if I am going to turn into my golden years later, I would want my years there after just like the Summer like this. I can see the blue sky, I can see the clear seas and looking at the beautiful dawn peacefully sun rising and the beautiful sun set too.
This is my Summer.
There is homework which Teacher Mici gave to us last night during our 2nd class last night: What stage of your life currently is now? Is it Spring? Summer? Autumn? Or Winter?
We learned how to draw four seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter in Pastel Nagomi Art method. Last time we learned till autumn.
I personally think that I do not agree at all of the question that teacher gave, because in life there definitely we will bounce to go through some challenges and trials. I should not look at my life now as like season. Even though in Spring, or Summer, or Autumn, and even Winter, that is really up to me to look at life and how I want it to be?
At that moment, I was thinking of like… How my Spring would be? How is my Summer are like? How can I see hope in the Autumn that gloomy and moody? How can I see the sunlight in the midst of coldness in the Winter?
Even Spring too… under the clear blue sky… you will see some darkness under the clouds. That is how I want myself to treat my own life the way it is.
It is just like the dandelion. After the dandelion flower head dries out, the mature seeds that attached to the white, fluffy “parachutes” which easily detach from the seed head would glide by the strong wind, dispersing…
I feel that: that is the way how I want my Spring to be. I will still trying my very best and fly high even under the wind, and whatever that come along my way.
I took out the piece of pastel artwork which I did in the class days ago, and look at it again. Suddenly I felt that I was alone in the artwork… All these while, may be I am too self-centre or focus on myself but neglected the people that are around me.
It gave me an idea that I should paint another piece of artwork that 2 trees represent 2 persons. My heart feel that I need that too… It is really tired to walk alone and face all the challenges alone… Sometimes I just need a shoulder to lean on, even just sit beside, no conversation is enough…
I have to say that I really admire Issac’s when looking at his sketch book! It is so good that he has this talent of drawing and the sense of art!
Teacher Mici gave us homework last night. She asked us to paint what we can see after we meditated with our own painting last night. What we can see and what we would like to paint next?
I just have an idea of wanted to paint a tree that glows. I want to become that tree. I think of the tree of life which was in the Lehi’s dream in the Book of Mormon.
I want to become a tree that can glow in the dark. I want to become that person that will still try her best to become that light even in the darkness times of her life.
I want to become a glowing tree!
Today is the first class of Pastel Nagomi Art, Aunty Jasmine also attending the class. The class started a little bit late due to the bad weather and every way was jammed.
Teacher Mici gave a brief introduction of the Japanese Pastel Nagomi, in which one uses pastel powder and fingers to create gentle, transparent, warm and heart-touching art through simple yet unique ways of painting techniques. The kanji character of “Nagomi” is “和”, which means Harmony.
The therapeutic nature of this pastel art is able to create peace, harmony, and hope from the heart of the painter and also to the people who admire the pastel art.
The results are magical, where it is able to sooth emotions, calm down and relax the mind, reduce stress and depression, increase self-awareness and self-discovery through colours and symbols, enhance self-esteem and confidence, bring joy and harmony to the heart, at the same time stimulate aestheticism and inner sense of beauty.
To start the lesson, Teacher Mici taught us how to use pastel and draw or paint, by using knife and scrap out the pastel powder, and how using fingers to apply onto the paper. We have various kind of painting tools, such as a small cutting board, circle template, paper to cut for the shapes that we desire, rubber eraser, wet wipes tissues, cotton buds, facial cottons, etc..
Everything would have to place it in a proper and neat manner, so that the whole table would not be messy. It is quite common to me as the founder himself is a Japanese. Japanese are famous for their cleanliness and neatness of doing things.
We first paint the ground, then follow the sky, and the little heart in the sky, and finally the small tree which represented ourselves in the painting. It was considered fast in completing the drawing not less than 20 minutes, and it turns out pretty well and indeed I gained satisfaction in it!
Initially Pastel Nagomi Art was not my favourite but I guess after this class, I kind of like it. It indeed reminds me from my school days when I was in my art classes. I can feel that all of my artistic senses are starting to come back and flow into my blood.
This morning Alvin tried a recipe that he learned from internet and made us our breakfast to bring to office and eat. It is the mushroom cheesy baked bread.
Both Issac and Annabelle loves it so much!
