Asian furniture - antique and modern furniture designs

I tend to think of the influence of Asian art on Western design as being a recent trend but in fact it has had a significant impact for over 150 years.

Katsushika Hokusai, South Wind, Clear Sky (1830-1833)
Photo: The British Museum

In the 1860's, Japan opened up to international trade, which provided Europe with greater access to the Ukiyo-e woodblock prints that were gaining popularity in France. The style of artists like Katsushika Hokusai was completely different from the realism found in traditional European painting at the time.

Mary Cassatt, Maternal Caress (1891)
Photo: The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Artists of the Impressionist and later movements emulated the clean lines and bold colours of the Japanese masters, as well as the scenes of everyday life and landscapes.

Vincent Van Gogh (after Eisen), La Courtisane (1887)
Photo: Hokusai

I visited Vietnam a couple of years ago, and I had no idea what incredibly beautiful pieces of artistry I would encounter there. I made so many memories in this beautiful country, but there are a couple of them that I live with. One of them is a lacquered wine bottle holder, and the other is an embroidered shoe bag that I take with me when I travel.

Embroidery and lacquer, it turns out, are two of the crafts that the Vietnamese excel in. The skills needed to create beautiful objects out of thread or tree sap are not learned in art schools, seminars, or workshops, but are ingrained in village culture. Different villages specialize in different crafts, and these crafts are passed on in unending streams that have been gushing forth for many hundreds of years.

And the world has gladly embraced these fruits of Vietnamese creativity. Anybody can partake of this bounty, whether with a budget of

Most people probably pour their drinks with barely a glance at the liquids they are imbibing. Some pay more attention and appreciate the scent, color and clarity of their beverage. A few are connoisseurs who observe the nuances not just of the flavors and aromas, but also of the hues and shades of their potables.

And there are a few who take the colors and translate them to varied visual delights, creating breathtaking works of art.

Though it's probably not the case, I imagine these artists enjoying their drinks as they paint their masterpieces, alternately sipping them and pouring some on their little pots and applying all that color and fragrance onto their works. Their studios must smell wonderful!

Caffeine High

Looking around the web, painting with coffee apparently isn't that unusual. Crafters usually make use of it to give artwork an aged look. Come to think of it, I remember soaking paper in coffee to make some old-looking letters -- probably for

Last week, I shared about the calm and serene state one can enter into while holding a Chinese brush, and doing calligraphy (see the post here). This week we'll have more of that, only this time we use the brush to make pictures. They're not really paintings, but drawings done in brush and ink.

There's something about using these materials that gives the drawings an Asian flair. Or maybe it's all in my head. But what's real to me is a certain clarity in the picture that emerges, despite the economy of stroke that does not give a lot of detail, just general suggestions of shapes and forms. This completeness amid stark simplicity makes me feel quiet and peaceful, not just while doing it, but also while looking at the finished product.

I found a couple of how-to videos on YouTube by this nice lady Nan Rae. The first one below is on making a Chinese orchid, and is quite simple. The second

http://youtu.be/icSwt4hUPTs

I have always been fascinated by Chinese brush calligraphy. I don't understand anything of what the characters mean, but I find the brush strokes in ink on paper profoundly beautiful in their starkness and simplicity. And my appreciation grew when I learned how passionate and disciplined calligraphers are about their craft, practicing it incessantly so that it permeates all aspects of their life.

The clip above from the movie "Hero" -- one of my favorite films ever --starring Jet Li, Tony Leung, Maggie Cheung, and Zang Ziyi. While it employs a whole lot of creative license, it reflects the dedication and intensity that these word artists have towards their work.

I decided to dip my toes into this gorgeous world and try my hand at Chinese brush calligraphy. Since I don't know anybody who's into this, I looked around YouTube for some virtual teachers who can help me out with some demos. And I found this one by a young woman which taught me the very

It's nearing the end of January and I am still trying to get over the effects of the gustatory excess of December! So it's been salads, salads, and salads -- or at least, that's the general idea. And there's a whole slew of really lovely and scrumptious salad ideas to try, among them Steamy Kitchen's Grilled Tofu Salad with Miso Dressing, and Rasa Malaysia's Shrimp and Pomelo Salad, both of which have that exotic Asian kick.

And to give a light, fresh, and delicious salad meal even more oomph, kick them up another notch with these incredibly stylish salad bowls and utensils. They'll give the eyes so much more to feast on.

Salad Bowl by Joseph Joseph via Charles and Marie

Image via The Kitchen Dresser

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