This is my second blog post for my In-Depth project. So far, I have had one meeting with my mentor and have learned some of the basics to Chinese Brush Painting. In the last blog post, I stated that I was doing some basic research and getting all my supplies ready. I have made a lot of progress throughout these weeks. Currently, I have learned how to hold a brush, how to grind an ink stone, and how to load paints on the brush correctly. Sadly, an issue has come up for my mentor so they weren’t able to complete the paperwork yet, hopefully they will be able to complete it soon.
How did your mentor gain their experience/expertise?
My mentor gained their expertise by taking art classes in university, later deciding that they wanted to teach others how to paint and create art. During this time, they got an interest into other styles of painting, including Chinese Brush Painting. Because of this, they decided to take classes about it, learning about it’s culture and learning new skills (since the methods are different than normal painting). They also helped paint many paintings for different events.
What were these experiences like for your mentor?
My mentor stated that they enjoyed the experience a lot, but it took a lot of their time and effort to become proficient in all of the different skills. They also said that it was also difficult for them to find a job as an artist, because there is a lot of competition in the art world and they would need to “stand out” from the others in order to be successful. Despite all the hardwork and stress, they said that they were proud every time their painting was showed to other people. “It feels really rewarding”, my mentor stated.
What wisdom have you gained from your mentor so far?
They have taught me time- and energy-saving techniques and a few tricks that the resources I have read doesn’t state. For example, instead of grinding the ink stone over and over again for different shades of ink, you can just grind it once, split the power into different cups, and add different amounts of water into each. Since my schedule is tight in general, I have found these tips extremely helpful.
What have you learned so far, in terms of facilitation strategies, that might contribute to your own development as a mentor?
I have learned that I have to ensure that the student fully understands the concept before moving on to the next topic. My mentor would constantly check my techniques and ask questions to ensure I understand everything. If I have any questions, my mentor would make sure that they answer my question with detail and then ask if I understand.
Thank you for reading my 2nd blog post! (some pictures are included below)
Claire~
My basic materials
How to hold a brush correctly