I was charmed by the energy of the upturned branches of this Atlas Cedar. I imagined the tree as a conductor waving batons in every direction to orchestras making the most beautiful music...

I was also thinking about an inspiring zoom talk given by Urasenke Tea Master Kimura Sokei hosted by Japan House London. The subject was cha no yu - sense of beauty - light and shadow. I loved the talk and have tried to add my visual voice with this piece.

I mixed the pigments (cadmium green, cobalt green deep, Cyprus raw umber) for this banner and painted with the softest handmade brush from Japan.

This banner is painted on handmade Mitsumata paper from Japan which is unbleached and has a beautiful organic colour. The paper allows for smooth flowing brushstrokes and has delicate edges along with the watermarks of the paper makers Su or frame. in the finishing process the paper has been uniformly smoothed and wrinkled in a way that makes the piece look antique.

The banner is suspended from a simple batten and clear thread which can be removed on request if an alternative method of display is desired.