REVISED DATES:
September 9, 16, 23, & 30, 2026
Wednesdays 1-3 PM, CST
Welcome to a new approach to thinking, moving, and creating.
This course will change the way you work.
Get out of your head and into the creative zone ~
Make BOLD and decisive marks ~
Add rich, varied, and expressive movements for a confident and personal mark-making style ~
- Four days of live, online instructional meetings with ample time for discussion. We share works on the simple, free, Padlet App.
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These live sessions are recorded for your review, or in case you must miss a class
- View numerous demonstrations on video and live.
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We meet on Zoom and between classes you work in your own space.
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Resources include additional readings, handouts, exercises, and artists' videos that extend and enrich learning.
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We begin with the traditional philosophy of Zen and its practice of Meditation and Calligraphy.
Relating these to Western art will inspire your contemporary art practice and prepare you to work abstractly in any media.
Did you know that the Abstract Expressionists were influenced by Asian artists?
And Eastern artists were inspired by this new American art?
Activities
- Make brushes from found materials
- Follow prompts, exercises, and review works to improve composition, balance, and line
- Build a lexicon of marks that you can draw from
- Do fun exercises to help get "out of your head" and learn to move in a centered and fluid way, using your whole body
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Learn ways to present works, including mounting them to a panel
Concepts
- Apply Eastern philosophy to contemporary expression
- Develop a new visual vocabulary
- Expand your vision of abstraction
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Work toward your own personal abstract expression in black or colored inks, with traditional and contemporary artists as inspiration
Benefits
- Generate scores of ideas for these and for other bodies of work
- Create numerous ink-on-paper pieces that can stand alone or be used for collage, or combined with other media such as encaustic and acrylic
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You will free up your moving and thinking and approach art-making in more decisive and confident ways
MAKE TOOLS
The brushes and unusual tools you
make and alter will
introduce you to new ways of working.
They create lines and patterns
that are unique.
They are an extension of your wrist, arm and whole body.
LISTEN
...to your inner voice.
Do what feels right.
Explore in the moment.
Through experience and practice, you will learn to "center", breathe, and trust your own judgment and your own innate sensibility
EDIT
Create a collection of works.
Build a lexicon of marks that
you can draw from.
Improve composition, balance, line,
value, and your vision with abstraction.
Chi, the life energy, makes the mark, not the brush.
Mark-making is a sensory and physical experience. Gestural energy is made visible by developing intuition, instinct and imagination.
This course is for you if you are an adventurous beginner, a skilled artist or designer, or an art or mindfulness enthusiast of any stripe.
"Your workshop has advanced my curiosity and productivity..." Arlene Piacquadio
A bold mark can pull a piece together!
PARTICIPANTS' WORK AND TESTIMONIALS
"Paula is an extremely generous in sharing her skills and techniques. Not only is her instruction superb, but she does an outstanding job of providing written material on how to do the processes taught and helpful resource guides. Her state of the art workshops are fun, educational and worth every penny!"
"Paula is an excellent teacher and gives the student hands on experience with the big brush and ink as well as centers them in finding their own sensibility in their drawings. She is font of technical information from making one’s own brushes, using the ink from washes to black and presentation possibilities from framing to hangings. Her sensitivity to not only student’s intentions but supports the magic of accidental mark marking that gives life and originality to the artist’s piece. She supports work that the student could well dismiss so she gives permission to enjoy one’s freedom and to respect intuition." Phyllis
" I thought the building blocks of lessons from beginning to final presentation of drawings and framing presentation was all of the same cloth and all pertinent."
"Thank you for your excellent workshop this past spring! You have opened up a whole new creative outlet for me!Looking forward to the next class!"
"I find it impossible to name my favorite lessons and break the integrity of the whole course. Every single aspect of it was fascinating, it was a very intensive with plenty of scope for further explorations and research. Wonderfully presented and the video demos very clear. Also, great book references." Crissea
"These are the skills, techniques, concepts I found most useful from this class: ‘No mind’ being an ideal state to act totally without the constraints of thought. The technique of holding the brush or mop, the approach to centering and with one sweep making contact with the brush to the surface and vocalising. Using the whole body to dance with the brush. Links to artists were very illuminating, especially Zachariah Reike and Lee Bae."
C. G.
"Zen, Big Brush and Expressive Ink Painting was such an exciting course, it was liberating to explore a dynamic relationship with ink and brush. A big brush and or mop encourages total physical interaction and commitment to action and rhythm, and that is very freeing and joyful."
C. G.
FAQ:
Q: Should I be in my studio for the live sessions? Will we be working then?
A: You will not work during the live Zoom meetings. The Live Zoom session is a time to review work from previous assignments, watch the videos of demos for the next assignment, and for Q&A.
Q: When will I have access to the class material? When does access end?
A: Upon registration, you may access the supply list in the Curriculum and begin ordering paper and brushes as needed. There are pre-class videos in the Curriculum that will help with this.
There are also brief videos in the curriculum that direct you to take a meditative walk and gather natural and found objects for making brushes to use for expressive mark-making. If you don't have time for the walk, it is not a problem. It can be done later.
Access to the recordings and course materials ends 90 days after the last class.
Q: Does this course require special equipment?
A: No special equipment is required. The primary materials needed are paper, brushes, an inexpensive cotton string mop, Indian ink, optional colored inks, and inexpensive and found materials to use to make tools/brushes. The recommended 4" brush costs about $65, and participants think it's a good value that they will continue to use. You likely have other brushes that you can use around the studio, house, or garage. Sticks and found materials make interesting marks too.
Q: Will we use encaustic? Do I need experience with encaustic?
A: We do not use encaustic in this course. However, most everything we create and experience here is applicable and usable with wax/encaustic works on paper or panels, acrylic, or house paints. My follow-up courses, Dipped and Saturated, Carbon Lab, and Zen and Encaustic Monotype Mark-making, will utilize encaustic and the material and conceptual results from this class.
Q: What is the format of the class? Is it live or recorded?
A. Both are part of the course. Most demos are recorded. These save time, and everyone has a good view! The weekly live sessions are for Q&A, sharing and discussing our work, and additional demos and videos as needed. Upon purchase, you will have access to the welcome videos, supplies, entertaining video assignments, and a detailed agenda for the course. New materials and videos are released each week.
The curriculum includes the Zoom and Padlet links. We will also email you the link and instructions before our first class meeting. These live sessions will also be recorded and made available (for three months!) so that you may review them without having to worry about taking notes or missing a class.
Q: I have more questions. How do I reach you?
A: You can email Paula at paularoland@yahoo.com