Water. Colour. Nature. Movement. Presence. Impermanence. Suminagashi speaks to me of the mysteries of life.
When I retired from self-employment as a silver artisan, my search for a more contemplative practice led me to Heather Midori Yamada who teaches painting as meditation in action. Heather works mostly on washi (Japanese papers.) Learning about washi led me to a video of someone teaching suminagashi. The process looks so simple, right away I got a pyrex casserole out of the cupboard, filled it with water, dipped my brush in black sumi (Japanese ink) and touched it to the surface of the water. Wow.
I especially love sharing what I'm learning. For live demos and workshops, /events
About the Artist
Susan Ellenton's imagery emerges from collaboration with water. Inspired by suminagashi, an ancient Japanese form of printmaking, her practise is both experimental and contemplative, exploring gesture and pause, intention and awe.
Her exploits include teaching at MISSA (Metchosin Summer School of the Arts), demonstrating curbside in Victoria's massively polular Moss Street Paint-In and giving intimate suminagashi presentations at Victoria's Nikkei Society 2025 Japanese Cultural Fair. At the 2026 SPAC (Saanich Penninsula Arts and Craft Society) show she received a Juror's Choice Award for her suminagashi.