O-Bon Festival

Chanting 'The Lotus Chant"

O-Bon Spirit Festival

Portland Japanese Garden

I attended the O-Bon Festival at the Portland Japanese Garden last night. What a special occasion that was! So lovely! I found such peace and respect at a time when our world seems to need it the most.

O-Bon is a Buddhist memorial festival, which dates back more than 1300 years in Japan. Buddhist services are held at temples and homes throughout Japan to pray for one’s ancestors and particularly for those who have died within the past year. This serves as a reminder of the importance of family ties, as a gesture of respect for those who have gone before, and as an acknowledgment of the brevity and preciousness of life as a family.

We danced, we chanted, and we lit candles to float on the pond to help guide the spirits of our loved ones and Ancestors.

Music

Dancers and Musicians

Musicians

Everyone Dancing

Path to the Pond

Lighting the Candles and Floating them on the Pond

“O-Bon is a time to reflect on our immortality and remind ourselves that we are not alone, but that we are members of a vast and ancient society made up of both our forebears and of future generations.” – Garden Member

Casey Shannon Studio

Casey Shannon

Director of North America Branch ~ ICCPS

International Chinese Calligraphy and Ink Painting Society

国際中国書法国画家協会アメリカ支部：Ms. Casey Shannon　アメリカ現代水墨画家

  Casey Shannon Studio Art. 

Copyright ©  Casey Shannon Studio Art. All rights reserved

Casey Shannon Studio

凱西香儂齋

Sumi e North America Branch ICCPS 2017 - Video

This is the stunning new video of the members of the North America Branch of ICCPS - International Chinese Calligraphy and Ink Painting Society! Enjoy!

Casey Shannon

Director of North America Branch ~ ICCPS

International Chinese Calligraphy and Ink Painting Society

国際中国書法国画家協会アメリカ支部：Ms. Casey Shannon　アメリカ現代水墨画家

  Casey Shannon Studio Art.

Casey Shannon Studio

凱西香儂齋

Incense Ceremony

Incense

There is nothing like good incense!  Nothing makes me feel so instantly blissful, content, and at peace than the smell of incense. When I'm having a bad day or difficult time,  I light some incense and whatever troubles me fades away with each breath I take. The Japanese culture has taken the burning of incense to a whole other level - The Incense Ceremony. ( Koh-do )

Like the tea ceremony (called chanoyu (茶の湯) and flower arrangement ( called Ikebana) , Koh-do, or "incense ceremony," is an important tradition in Japan. Koh-do is always presented by licensed practitioners who have graduated from koh schools — either the Shino or Oie schools — that have have been preserving and conveying this tradition for over five centuries. Incense ceremony is traditionally carried out in the Koh room (as pictured), with a Master of Ceremonies and a small group of participants. Most incense ceremonies involve a game in which the participants attempt to guess the scent is being burned. There are hundreds of variations of these incense games.

While the formal Koh-do ceremony is steeped in protocol and tradition, the main idea is to have fun with fragrance and learn to "listen" to incense. Of course, one does not have to have an experienced, "trained nose" to enjoy and appreciate incense. Informal gatherings of people can meet to share different kinds of incense and create their own games.

A good source of additional information about the vivid history and culture of Japanese incense, including Koh-do incense ceremony, is The Book of Incense by Kiyoko Morita.

The Book of Incense

I have created some  Zen Digital Art as prints to sooth and relax. Have you ever watched smoke from incense curl up into the sky? Your senses are filled with relaxation as you smell and see the smoke spirit. Created by accomplished Carmel artist Casey Shannon.

Smoke Spirit 

by Casey Shannon

Casey Shannon

Director of North America Branch ~ ICCPS

International Chinese Calligraphy and Ink Painting Sociey

国際中国書法国画家協会アメリカ支部：Ms. Casey Shannon　アメリカ現代水墨画家

Copyright ©  Casey Shannon Studio Art. All rights reserved

Casey Shannon Studio

凱西香儂齋

Sumi-e North America Branch - ICCPS

North America Branch - ICCPS Logo

International Chinese Calligraphy and Ink Painting Society

Founded by Master Ransui Yakata in Tokyo, Japan. The sumi society has branches across the globe. Our mission and purpose is to spread the glory of the ancient art of sumi to every part of the world. Encouraging the understanding of this ancient art form and pushing limits into the modern world.

Branches of ICCPS include:

China

Japan

France

North America

Russia

Germany

Australia

The North America has members from The United States, Canada, Argentina, Holland, and Croatia. Please join us on our page on Facebook.

Below is an elegant and beautiful video of the North America Branch members for 2015. I hope you enjoy watching it. Turn your computer volume up for lovely music.

Casey Shannon Studio

ICCPS

Director of the North America Branch

国際中国書法国画家協会アメリカ支部：Ms. Casey Shannon　アメリカ現代水墨画家

Copyright ©  Casey Shannon Studio Art. All rights reserved.

Casey Shannon Studio

凱西香儂齋
 

Making of a Japanese Hanging Scroll

Asian Hanging Scrolls

Tokyo, Japan

Calligraphy and/or Sumi-e hanging scrolls are made from the thinnest of Xuan or Mulberry Paper. This type of paper is better known in the West as Rice Paper even though there is no rice in the paper. It is wet mounted and then put on silk brocade. This is an extremely tricky process and requires many steps and much skill. The process has been in existence for centuries in China and Japan.

Below is a lovely video showing the process.

Kakejiku - Making of a Japanese Hanging Scroll

 Enjoy!

Director North America Branch - ICCPS

International Chinese Calligraphy and Ink Painting Society

国際中国書法国画家協会アメリカ支部：Ms. Casey Shannon　アメリカ現代水墨画家

Copyright for this blog ©  Casey Shannon Studio Art. All rights reserved

Casey Shannon Studio

凱西香儂齋
 

 

2013 International China Exhibition

ICCPS

International Chinese Calligraphy and Ink Painting Society

2013 Exhibition in AnShan City, China

I am honored and thrilled to be a part of this exhibition in AnShan City, China. I will have two works on display here in October 2013. What a delight to display my works with outstanding calligraphy and sumi-e artists from around the world. The exhibit will be held in the city Public Center. The exhibit is under the direction of Master Painter, Ransui Yakata from Japan. Artists will be from Japan, China, USA, France, Germany, Canada, Holland, Croatia, and Russia.

The North American Branch of ICCPS has 11 confirmed participants:

Casey Shannon - USA

Marc Bauer-Maison - Canada

Tai Oi Yee - Canada

William Preston - USA

Kalpa MacLachlan - Holland

Martha Goedings - Holland

Rona Conti - USA

Alejandro Angio - USA

Alfred Krupa - Croatia

Meredith McPherson - USA

Patricia Larkin Green - USA
Patricia Ines Gomez - Argentina

Casey Shannon Studio

Director of North America Branch ~ ICCPS

国際中国書法国画家協会アメリカ支部：Ms. Casey Shannon　アメリカ現代水墨画家

Copyright © Casey Shannon Studio Art. All rights reserved

 

International Japan Sumi Exhibition ~ 2013

International Japan Sumi Exhibition 2013

Takanawa Public Center - Gallery 2

Tokyo, Japan

June 3 - 9, 2013

Ransui Yakata Art Institute

Special International Invited Artists

I am honored to be among the invited artists for this prestigious event.

My sumi-e scroll is on the right and it is called 'Journey of Flowers'.

Close-up of my scroll 'Journey of Flowers'.

View of exhibit showing 'Journey of Flowers'

Below are more photos of this wonderful event courtesy of Fujiko Ogisu.

I hope you have enjoyed your visit to the exhibit in Japan!

Casey Shannon Studio

Director of North America Branch

International Chinese Calligraphy and Ink Painting Society

国際中国書法国画家協会アメリカ支部：Ms. Casey Shannon　アメリカ現代水墨画家

Copyright ©  Casey Shannon Studio Art. All rights reserved