It gives me great pleasure to announce the details of Japanese Waka, Materiality and Movement in Heian Poetry and Kana Calligraphy, a Japanese 和歌 waka poetry and calligraphy project generously supported by the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation. Combined workshops and talks for adults as well as for young people will introduce the poetic themes of Heian period waka brushed in flowing kana scripts with traditional materials. Please see details below for the free event for adults in March at Glasgow’s peaceful and bright Woodside Library, organised by the Drawing & Painting Studio.
Japanese Waka, Materiality and Movement in Heian Poetry and Kana Calligraphy
Discovering the aesthetics, methods and materials of 和歌 Waka poetry brushed in 仮名 Kana calligraphy
Free event, no booking necessary but please note admission is on a first come first served basis.
Kindly supported by the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation.
Explore Japanese 和歌 waka poetry brushed in 仮名 kana calligraphy with the traditional materials and brushwork techniques used, in a friendly introductory event. Learn about the esteemed styles, techniques and history behind the flowing kana scripts and deep poetic themes of waka poetry. Get to know how modern calligraphers go about brushing ancient Japanese poems (such as Matsumoto Hōsui who brushed from the Kokin Wakashū in the 20th century).
Enjoy the delicate feel of paper made for kana calligraphy and the meditative action of grinding your sumi ink, learning how calligraphers write with kana brushes, as well as gaining insight into the choices of characters used, and layout of the poem, in the process of writing the poetry.
Workshop leader Blair Shōgen Thomson will guide you step by step, working with the materials and inspired by kana examples. Blair is closely involved with calligraphy groups and teachers in Japan and will discuss meeting calligraphers in Tokyo focussing on brushing waka poetry.
No previous experience is needed to take part, and all materials are provided. If you would like to find out more about our previous Japanese cultural events, please visit: https://drawingandpaintingstudio.com/tag/japanese-cultural-workshops
Saturday 14th March 2026, 11am-12.30pm,
Woodside Library, Glasgow
