SUMI and SHU
SUMI is the Japanese word for black ink.
SHU is the Japanese word for cinnabar ink.
I began the "SUMI and SHU" series in 2000 from my fascination with the inks and their intricate ties to the Japanese aesthetics and shamanic rituals around the world.
Viewers often connect with their own culture and heritage to the forms and the power of these two primal color combinations.
The series has evolved beyond my aesthetic interests to broader intuitive iconography in my exploration of universal translation.
Sumi and She print show, 2018, Playmountain East, San Fransisco, CA
To make ink from the stick, I continuously grind these against an ink stone that is part of my history.
This time-consuming but meditative process is an essential component as if the application has a personal ceremonial meaning to it.
A short film about the artist’s practice by Toddy Stewart, 2016