Friday 23 November 2012

Exhibition Sumie

This was my first exhibition in Adelaide after returning from Switzerland in the late 1990's.

I held it in a little Indian dance studio in Tranmere.

It was lots of fun but as usual a lot of work.

Being an artist of a rare or foreign form or art is also linked to educating the public as to the art itself.

I was the only person in Adelaide exhibiting Sumi-E at the time.

Later I taught in the WEA Workers Education Association which went a long way in publicizing the artform.

I always got support from Arts SA and CARCLEW where I did a lot of school related activities including touring in schools and workshops.










Exhibition; Sumie ; "Serenity is not a Raging Bull"

This exhibition was held in my Grote st studio near Whitmore square in the 1990's.

We had a number of things going there including Aikido and healing classes and therapy.

The background beginning is one of the Balinese massage classes.

Some flower arrangements were kindly done by Marjorie Bromilow from Adelaide who was gracious enough to often help out through kindness.


This is the invitation from the exhibition.











Monday 8 October 2012

Sumie is Zen at play

Why Sumie is perfect play for children.



Preface;
Whilst I use children as a group I do know there will be exceptions and this is a generalization.


  • Children have an open an inquisitive mind.
  • Children are free spirited and this is encouraged in Zen while there is a disciplined framework that everyone has to work within too.
  • Children naturally want to blend with nature which is the source of sumie as observation.
  • Art is something that they feel they can do and are not usually inhibited.
  • They like things that they just do but don't always have to learn or be taught.
  • Sumie is an active physical as well as mental art (observation and brush skills) suitable for kids relaxation and attentiveness.  It has a good blend of the two.
  • Kids love to do something and show others and be proud of their achievements.



Here are some of the images children work on.




























Andre Sollier as a teacher



These are some wonderful paintings by Andre during my time as his student to share with you.

Weekly he would give me a painting to work on sometimes in silence and at other times while chatting to us.

Every moment was a magical time and we will always be indebted to him as a teacher and man 'of the literati'.




Sumie Paintings

Sumie Paintings for sale as Prints

Choose any painting and email me to order

Size A4 on photographic paper

Cost $30 each plus

Buy 2 or more prints for $25 each

Postage
 (postage $4 to Australia)




Saturday 6 October 2012

Wu Tai Chi

There are many different styles of Tai Chi and the Wu style was formed after the Yang style by a Northerner named Wu Quanyu (see Wu style Tai Chi bu Wang Peisheng P211)

In the 80's a teacher named Tibor from Poland taught in Carlton just off the main street Lygon in the first floor of a warehouse.  It was 1980 and this was the first form I studied. Needless to say I knew nothing about Tai Chi and how big it is how vast its philosophy or where it would take me.  I didnt know if Tibor was a good teacher or not but as you go you learn.

All I can say is he introduced me to Tai Chi and I learned as much as I could from him. That is to say, one can only learn as much as one is capable of at any given time, just hope that your teacher has a deep well if its your first form.

Looking back I probably did everything possibly I could wrong or shall we say, less than perfectly but nevertheless thank goodness there are no absolutes in Tai Chi so it does not matter.  We learn and grow as we mature and go along. Life teaches us in a meandering was.  As Chen Xio Wang said to our class once in Adelaide at a workshop, something to the effect of ..."sometimes we go off the path only to get on it later on in our practice, then go off again then get back on..."

Wu Form 108 movements

Wednesday 26 September 2012

Yoga Training

Training to be a yoga teacher is not necessarily a ticket of a real teacher.  Like tea they are all black but the taste varies greatly.

None of the great gurus in India ever did a Yoga certificate but they did train usually with a good Yoga Guru.  the master shisha relationship is as important as it is ancient.

I began my interest in Siddha Yoga with the Shaivite tradition of chanting and first met Muktananda in Gore st Collingwood back in the 1980's when he was on visit where I received shaktipath.

It was a life changing moment where I felt the power of prana awaken my body and mind.  I tell the full story in detail in a book I am writing on my Yoga travels in India over the years.  Being a martial artist I was aware or Yoga but more into the mental and music aspects before I studied Hatha yoga under Savitri Devi from S.A.I.Y.T. Previous to this I had been studying tabla which is a form of sound (Nada) yoga since 1980 and playing in Adelaide with various India musicians. Go to the tabla area of the blog to listen to some of my music friends.

In 1990 I was studying tabla with Nayan Gosh a well known tabla player in Bombay, son of the famous Nikil Gosh who trained under the  legendary Amidjan Thirakwa who was the maestro of tabla.

Then I spent a month in the Ganeshpuri ashram teaching tabla and studying yoga where Gurumaya chidvilasananda was the guru.  The most notable memory was visiting the local village and temple of Baba Nityananda who was Muktananda's teacher.

Shortly after this I met my true teacher Baba Virsah Singh who showed me the path to love.  This one event was the most precious time in my life and my spiritual karma was blessed.  I can say that without Baba and his blessing I would not be the preson I am today, nor would I have the outlook on life I have now.  To find your true guru is a blessing from heaven.  It took me from 1978 when I first went to India and numerous trips all about the country to 1990 to find him.

Yoga diploma from SAIYT

Wednesday 5 September 2012

Sumie Framed Prints 4 SALE


UNFRAMED ; FRAMED PRINTS

Prints 

A4 on Photographic paper $20 plus $5 post to Australia

How to order
Choose any picture on the site and email me and I will reply.

Click for slideshow of paintings





Framed Prints

$35 / Plus Post

Size Frame 25 x 30cm

How to order
Choose a picture on the blog and email the order form to me then I will get back to you 

Mob 0407734479
skype catchadragon
gmenzel@hotmail.com

Wholesale
prices for Prints

25% discount Minimum purchase $95

Paper types used ; 210GSM white / 150 GSM marble
100 GSM white textured (very soft and light feel)
100 GSM parchment (clear crisp soft and light)

How to order
Go to wildlotus-arts.blogspot.com.au
Copy and paste the order form into an email. Or Phone 0407734479 or Mail (ring for details)
I will send you a confirmation with the final package and postage cost in an invoice.
Payment options;

Pay into my bank account after I send you the invoice by email usually (or post)

Australia Post Cash on delivery 

Normal Mail
Unless requested all cards are sent ordinary mail. 

Registered Mail
You have the option to Register your post which is advised as it has a tracking code.
I will send you a copy of the receipt for the mail order to you by email once it is sent.

Paypal
After I have given you a final amount plus postage click this button and pay by Paypal



Bank Transfer to Gerard Menzel
BSB 944300 account 016 183 975

Postal order
or money order care
Gerard Menzel  Carisbrook GPO Carisbrook Vic Australia

Paypal
Full amount includes postage after confirmation email from Gerard ; gmenzel@hotmail.com













Returns and refunds
If you are not satisfied with the product just send them back within 7 days undamaged and I will refund your money less a handling fee of $10


Order Form

Booking details.

Contact:
Phone
Post address:
Email

Note;  postage costs will be added to the total
Email form to gmenzel @ hotmail.com  0407734479 Mob

       
No of Prints  
 Small  Frame  25x30cm brown/black
Image 
Cost:







































Grapevine





Camelia





wild horse





little red





Peaceful Japanese village




little wren



Green Dragon

Sunday 12 August 2012

Framed Sumie. How to mount paintings


Mounting oriental brush paintings is a time consuming job and needs a lot of practice to get it correct. Having said that even the best days have their less than perfect jobs.  This is due to the fragile nature of the rice paper and the fact that air bubbles can get under the or between the mounting card paper and the rice paper and are difficult to remove sometimes.  However there are some tricks to it.

Here is a demonstration of the basics of framing.

This is the traditional way to back a painting. I have always done mine like this.


Variations in papers and glue

The only variation I have used is in the backing papers.

Usually my teacher suggested watercolor paper which is thick and stiff.

Over the years I found that wallpaper backing paper was very useful and also because it had a mould resistant element in the glue, however nowadays it is not easy to find.

The other element is the glue which I usually mixed myself using wall paper glue found at a paint shop.  This has a mould inhibitor as well usually in it.

The other kind of glue you can use is the aerosol kind found in art shops.










This is a video of another style of framing called dry mounting using silicone backed paper.

This technique can be traced to this URL ; Blue Heron Arts  and here Blue Heron arts dry mounting rice paper





















Tuesday 7 August 2012

Tabla teachers, friends and music



Music is like a beautiful banquet. It brings people together to taste the heart of it.




Guruji Dasbandu Sharma

Below is my teacher Guruji Dasbandu Sharma from Jullander in Hariana state. He was a very accomplished all round musician who played on All India Radio regularly.  He had a school in Upper Dharamsala near the Khadi shop upstairs and it was a honour to learn from him.

He treated me as one of his own and daily after class we would eat especially made parathas or parontas (HP vernacular) chappaties with vegetables stuffed from his favorite chapatti wallah.  He was held in high esteem by the local community for his musical abilities even though he had a weakness with the dreaded drink later in his life.  He was a very passioinate man who one could feel music ooze out of him.

With him is a friend from Spain Jose who learnt sitar at the same time as I studied tabla.

After he gave me some new kaida to practice he often sat back on his sofa and seemingly fell asleep but as soon as I made an error in my practice he quickly arose and berated me gently.

Occasionally we ate at his home and he cooked parontas and each time he left some food for the birds as he said if one does that then good fortune would come. In 1980 I was there in the town for 6 months getting a grounding in tabla.









Below is my teacher and friend Madhu Sudanan from Madras who plays Tabla and South Indian drums.  Madhu played in the Sruti Layer percussion group Pandit K Iyer. He was a great teacher and real honest human being and made me a part of the family while I was in Madras.







This was my teacher in Melbourne Debu Battacharya 1985.  He had a group of young tabla heroes who were eager to soak up this musicians energy in Melbourne who loved everything oriental and Indian at the time.  Debu and the group Tabla Tarang had large plans at the time to conquer the world music scene as we all do when when we are young and silly.  The good thing about the group was getting to know the other students too. Back left is John Downes a famous cook / baker in the natural food scene and an author of food books.  Bottom right Simon is a Iyengar Yoga teacher in Melbourne now.








Below is Nazneen right side (at Flinders Uni music centre)a beautiful singer from Bangladesh.  She and I often played with the Bangla community in Adelaide and at other fold events.  She was a singer who sang light classical classic, gazals (love songs) and light classical music.


Rishikesh
I was studying in Rishikesh with a teacher named Dinesh and he was ready to wed his German lady. Well due to my handsome appearance I assume he asked me to be the best man at the show.
We arrived at this huge Hindu temple complex nea Hardwar which did weddings and were all ready at 7am in the morning to go through the elaborate ritual which lasts for hours when the monk arrived after some delay to say that they cant do the wedding ritual because the bride is not Hindu.

So in great indian style Disnesh knew of a brahman who had a little corner shop who basically sold biddies a local tobacco and washing powder. He agrred to do the wedding straight off for I supose half the price less the elaborate setting and away we went. About 6 hours later the deed was done.













Below is my good friend Dang Thao Nguyen.  Both Tao and I played with Dya Singh from time to time in the early days and Thao toured in Asia with Dya. Thao came to Australia after spending 2 years in prison in Vietnam for being a musician.  He was one of the leading popular and classical musicians in South Vietnam. So when I am with Thao we don't talk about communism for obvious reasons. Thao and I were in the Bamboo Ochre band and toured all over including to National folk festivals. He has such a warm heart and is able to entrance a crowd in seconds when he is on a guitar or Zither (Dang Trang) Apart from being a talented musician he has a masters in musicology from Adelaide uni.








Below is Kanhaialal Chaturveddi a Brahmin musician singer from Bombay with whom I had the great honour of playing with when I worked in Muscat teaching in 2006.  K has an amazing charm and feel for music and is a natural temple musician, full time.  He encouraged me and was very giving in his music and we became like brothers.  The only think thing he was slow in washing his dishes at the flat he shared with other Indians (just joking) cos his wife was away still in India.  We played daily in the temple sometime 3 times a day while he was there on and off with a strick routine as the diety  Krishna was open for viewing or Darshan.  There were throngs of people who came via the temple in Muscat and on special days there could be 5 of 10000 worshippers. K has the greatest of hearts and could charm the tusk off an elephant.

Oman would not have been the same without the Kanhaialal and the friends at the Krishna temple. They showed me the word warmth and welcome and I will never forget. One day I hope to meet him again in India or the Middle East, inshallah.

 click Krishna Temple to see a puja or ritual at the hall behind the main temple on youtube. Most weeks there were seminars and festivities associated with the Sth Indian Community there. It doubled as a community cultural centre. Here is the temple itself  inside.




This is a recording from a home music occasion where the Gujarati family paid homage to their diety and praised it for blessing them.  The final song was sung to lord Shiva I believe but stand corrected by the Mataji grandmother of the family and was particularly touching. Kanhaialal sung and played harmonium and I played tabla and a Gujarati played noll a temple drum.  the tabla is mostly not picked up due to the nol but it was a great time.




Below; Terragonwa Dreaming was a trio in Adelaide made up of Andresh an accomplished classical guitarist from Hungary and Phillip a Tasmanian indiginous musician on saxaphone and didgeridoo.
We played around town and did a lead up intro at the Adelaide art centre for Paco Pene.   We did a nice demo recording also after a grant from Arts SA. Below at Adelaide Arts Centre.







Into the ancient future mist







And of course we cant forget Dya Singh and family. Dya was well known in th Sikh community for his singing in the temple and branched out into the local scene via the SA Folk society as Keith Preston a guitarist/ bazouki player in the band was a leading organizer.  Dya has a beautiful gift for music and can mezmerize anyone around him but always have a second job if your working for him. Dya is a charming man whose full time job in Adelaide was as an accounts man.

The first time Womad was in SA they put the band on the bill but screwed up the timing so we did not get to play...shame would have looked great on my CV (tongue in cheek). I often remember going out to Belair in the fog in my BMW and practicing with Dya before a gig on the week end and well it, the music always had altered by Sunday and was a nightmare keeping up with "Da Man"

I took life far too seriously in my young days and learnt a great lesson here in that it doesn't matter what people think about you just follow your passion.

The really good thing being in the band was to play music with Cris Finnen a fantastic blues and roots guitarist who played for Mat Taylor and many other bands.  Cris is a thru and thru musician who lives and breathes it day and nite.

Picture of Dya Singh band at Goolwa SA folk festival























Akta Jahan is a Bengali classical singer and this is a link to a Adelaide Uni radio show we did one Saturday morning on a World music show. Rabindranath Tagore was a musician writer and poet who influenced the independence movement and Indian Nationalist wave in India as well as being a strong Bengali cultural advocate. Here Akta sings from his repatoir.

Akhtar Jahan Rahman website






















Sunday 5 August 2012

Bharat shastra

Click Bharat shastra to listen

see Wikipedia link on Music

length approx 5min.

The sage Bharata wrote a treatise on the arts.  Listen to why and how Indian music is framed.

Taken from an intro to a Rudra Veena recital by Ustad Assad Ali Khan ABC Radio Australia

Music is about a personal journey into the spiritual life also and joy.

For a brief summary watch this video




Maharaj on the BBC then ABC Encounter 1996

  mp3 Audio Click here : Baba Virsah Singh  to listen via soundcloud.com

file size 22 megabites length 25 min.

You can hear the BBC documentary on how the teachings and insights of Baba Virsah helped people transform their lives via farming and spiritual ideas.



The Farm in action powered by all the peoples love 


This recording was first mad by David Craig from the BBC in 1986 then replayed on ABC radio Encounter.

It is called "The Desert Shall Blossom!

It tells how one can farm using the intuition of love and later how people were helped and transformed by Baba Virsah Singh into transforming their minds with love as the heart.



For more on Baba and his life go to www.gobindsadan.org


The story says it all just sit back and listen.

Thursday 12 July 2012

Music CD Sales


Soundtrack East West fusion music

The Music on this video is by Dhang Thao and Bamboo Ochre band

If you would like a copy of the CD contact 61407734479 or email Gerard email gmenzel@hotmail.com

Cost $15 plus postage

Listen here and see Gerards paintings at the same time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9AYuEh4Hg0&feature=player_embedded


or go here on my blog to; Exhibitions 












Bamboo Ochre band  From Left;  David Hung Gerard Cathy Thao









CD Zither Nostalgia


Contents 14 tracks Plus booklet with beautiful explanation of songs and Vietnamese music.

Side 1                                                                               Side 2
Sound of Joy                                                                     Xang Xe
Evening Dew                                                                     Meditation
Soundless Path                                                                  Dang DanCung
Song of the starling                                                            Van Thien Cung
Flowing Water                                                                   Fond Remembrance
Longing                                                                             Binh Ban Van
Parting                                                                               Dreaming



Comments by teachers, students, the Press



Principals comments on Artist in schools success



It reads; 
The children benefited from seeing an artist at work and from working alongside him.
......"Gerard conducted a whole school music assembly and held the attention of students for an hour, playing and teaching students about music and other cultures.

The programe was indeed "a many splendid thing". It helped to break down the barriers of prejudice that is born of ignorance and fear as well as providing an enriching art experience." 




students say thank you



Birdwood PS Teacher Janine Lamey

It reads; "The children were totally involved in their painting. Most were able to experience new techniques and ways of using the brush and ink. All children gained a sense of satisfaction and achievement."

Seaview High S.A.

Greenoch Artist in schools

The Artist and students experience

Extract from above;

Parents were invited to join the sessions as a way of involving them in the new project, moulding a closer bond with the school processes, and bringing them closer to the needs of their children. .....it was a chance for the staff to exchange with the parents and develop a rapport.


Culture and learning is fun (S.A community Arts magazine)
Extract from the article above;

The students were able to learn about another cultureand broaden their horizens and break down any barriers towards another nation and its art forms.

Their work was a tribute to their(students) spirit and the fullness of their 'relentless search for Zen in their art.'

Sumie Exhibitions

Past Exhibitions By Gerard Menzel




Press review Adelaide Exhibition Golden Light studio







Exhibition Multicultural Arts Space Adelaide





Exhibition flyers and invitations 


Gerard Menzel Artist Profile



Gerard Menzel; Artist
                      

Gerard has been the student of the renowned Andre Sollier since 1985 one of the few western Sumie masters and author of books on Kyudo and Sumie. He has exhibited on numerous occasions and taught school children and adults at art society's and colleges. He has received grants from the NAVA, National Assoc. Visual Artists, and the SA Education dept CARCLEW,
History of the Artist
1985 Student of Andre Sollier Melb. C.A.E Sumie artist/author.
1987 Solo exhibitions in Wadenswil and Zurich Switzerland
1988 Solo Exhibition in the Shiatsu centre Adelaide


1989 Sumie the art of meditation, exhibition Indian Dance studio Adelaide
1990 Combined writers and artist exhibition M.A.C. space Adelaide
1991 Watermarks Exhibition M.A.C. space Adelaide and Kapunda Gallery

1992 The sound of the wind, Exhibition the Prospect Gallery Adelaide
1993 Sunya...Empty space, Exhibition at the Lotus Sumie Gallery Adelaide
1993 A Retrospective Sumie Adelaide lending Library
1994 Serenity is not a Raging bull exhibition Lotus studio " "
1995 Sumie and Haiku Lotus studio Lotus Studio Adelaide
1998 Sumie Meanderings Golden light studio Adelaide

2008 Radmac art centre Ballarat exhibition of works

Community Art , Awards and Grants
1988 school touring
NAVA award grant 1992 for exhibition installation
Artist in Schools grant 1994, and 1997 Carclew,
S.A Ed Dept. Touring Schools grant state of Play 1997
Workshop Australia Japan Assoc 1993 1995, member Australia Japan Assoc
Workhops given Asia education Foundation 1994 SA, 2000 Vic
Art Instructor Workers Education foundation  SA 1992-1997

From 2000  Gerard worked and traveled in China, Korea and Japan
2004 Dept Arts Vic Artist in Schools grant St Bernards College Essendon
2008 Vic arts Grant Sumie with Publishing Artist Ballarat Vic


Artist in schools touring
See wildlotus-arts.blogspot.com and go to school workshops for the full touring programe started in 1990  Gerard has toured hundreds of schools teaching Asian arts based programes in primary/secondary and higher education.  The focus of the workshops include oriental painting, Indian music, martial arts and Tai Chi, Yoga
Gerard is also a qualified yoga, tai chi and Aikido teacher.  He has toured with the Vietnamese musician Dang Tao extensively since 1992 including ABC radio performances, CD production with the band Bamboo Ochre a world music band.






                                 

1992 The sound of the wind, Exhibition


1992 The sound of the wind, Exhibition the Prospect Gallery Adelaide






Soundtrack East West fusion music

The Music on this video is by Dhang Thao and Bamboo Ochre band

If you would like a copy of the CD contact 61407734479 or email Gerard email gmenzel@hotmail.com

Cost $15 plus postage





Bamboo Ochre band  From Left;  David Hung Gerard Cathy Thao




CD Zither Nostalgia


Contents 14 tracks Plus booklet with beautiful explanation of songs and Vietnamese music.

Side 1                                                                               Side 2
Sound of Joy                                                                     Xang Xe
Evening Dew                                                                     Meditation
Soundless Path                                                                  Dang DanCung
Song of the starling                                                            Van Thien Cung
Flowing Water                                                                   Fond Remembrance
Longing                                                                             Binh Ban Van
Parting                                                                               Dreaming



























What is Sumie?

What is Sumie?










Ikebana displayed kindly at the exhibitionby Marjorie Bromilow Adelaide.

Sunday 24 June 2012

SALE; Sumie Cards


Sumi Cards for sale
Packs of 10 or more ;
                               small $25     ;         plus post + GST

                               large $37.50      ;    plus post + GST 

Individual cards
$3.20 small            $4.50 large

small envelope 23x10cm   @   $2.50 each plus GST

large half A4 21x15cm   @     $3.75 each plus GST


Wholesale
prices for cards

5% discount Minimum purchase $30

10% discount Minimum purchase $50

Paper types

210GSM white
150 GSM marble
100 GSM white textured (very soft and light feel)
100 GSM parchment (clear crisp soft and light)

How to order
Go to wildlotus-arts.blogspot.com.au
Copy and paste the order form into an email. Or Phone 0407734479 or Mail (ring for details)
I will send you a confirmation with the final package and postage cost in an invoice.
Payment options;

Pay into my bank account after I send you the invoice by email usually (or post)

Australia Post Cash on delivery 

Normal Mail
Unless requested all cards are sent ordinary mail. 

Registered Mail
You have the option to Register your post which is advised as it has a tracking code.
I will send you a copy of the receipt for the mail order to you by email once it is sent.



Returns and refunds
If you are not satisfied with the product just send them back within 7 days undamaged and I will refund your money less a handling fee of $10


Order Form

Booking details.

Contact:
Phone
Post address:
Email

Note;  postage costs will be added to the total
Email form to gmenzel @ hotmail.com  0407734479 Mob.

/          
No of cards   
Packs of 10   
Large
  Small          
Image 
Cost:
































































Large Cards

large half A4 21x15cm @ $4.50 each



Haiku style poetry

The Haiku poetry is a Zen literary form.
On each large card is a haiku style poem.
Usually it is 17syllable but it is best suited to Japanese.
 I have not stuck to this rule for this.

The form is characterized by minimalism and the observation of nature and the seasons.
It is a potent word picture on a "moment in time and place".




Leaping frog Haiku on rear side large card






Small cards


small envelope 23x10cm @ $3 each

small envelope 23x10cm @ $3 each


Large and Small Cards

Type; blank, expanding greeting card style




 mountainman small envelope 23x10cm @ $3 each



Haiku rear side large card



small village in mountain







dragon




Green dragon





large half A4
                                                                    Rear side Haiku










small size and large half A4




flute player











Haru's cherries with Haiku inset

Two blackbirds feasting
On his cherry tree...
Now Haru is angry!




Haru's cherries small size








Little fishing boats


Boats bobbing up and  down
Like floaters
The clunking of hulls






large half A4



small village in mountain








large half A4
                                         Silence and the distant snow
                                         Memories fade like flakes
                                         Melting Dawn

Postcard style
Details; Picture on the front and empty on the back 



Postcard type