Progress by Day Walk by Night

These characters were submitted for monthly progress with Yoshimi's calligraphy society. She really liked this phrase. It means that we can improve little by little a day at a time.

Sometime's in life we feel that we may be very frustrated with our own lives. Perhaps our plans or expectations have not come to fruition. It should always be recounted the little steps that were taken to accomplish the obstacles in front of us are the greatest journey.

This was written in a semi-cursive, gyousho style. I selected this cloth because it matched the symbolism of the charcters Sun 日 and Moon 月 The characters on the bottom have been separated, but written together as such 進歩 it reads Shinpo or progress.

We should always wish upon a star once in a while and then walk in the day to get accomplished our tasks.

This beautiful Maru Hyougu stlyle scroll is for sale and it is accented with black plastic Jikusaki and Gold Kakehimo.

Many Gods and Many Voices

This is a custom yatsugiri scroll order. It was commissioned with an Art Blue cloth frame, a white background large flower pattern ichimonji, black jikusaki and a dark green kakehimo.

The phrase written in the scroll is taken from the T.S. Eliot poem titled, "The Dry Salvages", which is the third poem of the Four Quartets. The poetry section referenced is 'Many gods and many voices'. We translated the meaning as 多の神多の声 (ooku no kami, ooku no koe). As following a traditional method of Japanese Calligraphy, only the Kanji have been used and the possessive particles No have been omitted.

This is in a Semi-cursive writing style called Gyousho. This piece was written by shihan Ryugyoku Yamada. This scroll measures about 4.75 feet long and 11" wide.

For questions on having an original scroll created specifically for you, contact sales@customjapanesecalligraphy.com.

Two-Step (Nidan Hyougu) Buddha Scroll

This Scroll is Sold.

This is a Two-Step Scroll called a 二段表具 Nidan Hyougu. Ni stands for the number two and Dan stands for step or process. This style is accomplished by setting a 中廻 Chumawashi around the work along with the additional Ten and Chi. It differs from the Sandan or Three Step scroll style in that there is no Ichimonji attached to the work.

This is a scroll that depicts a symbol of the Buddha, or 仏様 Hotokesama. It was created by Ben Strawn, an artist in Salida, Colorado. The artist painted on a strip of canvas. I put the Hada Urauchi (first layer of paper) on the cloth Silk 中廻 Chumawashi, which is the green cloth in the scroll. The Ten & Chi were requested to be an earth tone color. I had never tried to use corduroy fabric in a scroll before, and it actually turned out to be quite complementary with the heaviness of the canvas which with the work is placed. The work is complemented with black lacquered wood Jikusaki and the red color in the Kakehimo blends simply with the red of the corduroy cloth.

For inquiries in having us create your own custom scroll contact us at sales@customjapanesecalligraphy.com

Chinese Ukai

This scroll is no longer available for sale.

This is a photograph purchased from King Wu, a professional photographer in the state of Washington.

This is a picture of a traditional Ukai (Japanese) word. Ukai is the term for trained Cormorants that the fisherman ties a string around the bird's neck and then the bird will dive for live fish. Due to the string, the bird can not swallow the fish. When the cormorant arises from the water, the fisherman takes the fish alive.

This is still practiced in Japan as well in the city of Gifu on the Nagara River, but primarily as a tourist attraction.

I used the blue silk cloth because it provided a good imagery of water. There was no Jikusaki put on this scroll, to focus on the photography.