Nan Rae demonstration of Chinese brush technique

Nan Rae’s deep knowledge of Chinese Brush painting technique and her witty personality made her presentation come to life. She follows an old Chinese saying, “From heart to arm, to hand, to brush, to paper.” This saying reflects the trueness, freedom and spontaneity that come from brush painting. She encouraged us that we do not have to be talented but just be willing to enjoy the journey.


Nan Rae explained several aspects of the history and differences between Western and Eastern paintings, including for example the very 

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thorough study of the subject in preparation for painting.  Although there are many rules to keep in mind, Chinese brush painting is about the spirit and self-expression.  To maintain spontaneity, you do not do a sketch first and you do not make corrections. It is important to leave 1/3 of the paper white to let the mind wander. “Flying White,” is when you leave a little bit of white revealed in the stroke. “Bone Stroke,” is the little nodule at the end of each stroke. “Me Dot” is an ambiguous dot for shape for a leaf and “Moss Dot” is the dot texture on a tree. Also, it is customary to never paint in patterns of fours. The faster you paint, the lesser the chance is of bleeding. If your brush is dry you can paint slower. There are many different types of strokes but it is important to hold the brush closes to the hairs for best control and to practice “pressure – release, pressure – release” in your strokes


Nan Rae’s graceful and carefree brush strokes danced effortlessly on the paper as she gave demonstrations of bamboo, cherry blossoms, a landscape and a peony flower. Working with ink and watercolor, each of her strokes was flawless, had a purpose and was never overworked.  Her free spirited paintings genuinely reflect her welcoming and kind personality