October 30, 2011

Naming ones tools

   For a few years now I have been browsing Rikyu, a website dedicated to all aspects of antiquities for Chanoyu. In the wooden tool section I have realized that each tool has a dedicated name, carefully selected by the artisan. When I first started to look It never clued in that these beautifuly etched kanji were names.
  But now I am aware of them, thus I seek names for my chasaku (my best one as I have three) and chasen .
   Finding a name itself is difficult. Just as is finding a holder for it like this one on the side. Traditionally a tea master carves their own chasaku, I am not a tea master but I wish to use my artistic skills to create one just the same. Having this duality between Teasist and Artist makes it interesting. For some the idea of spending ones time carving a tool for tea is time better spent on learning. Though tea should be learned, in my view, through all methods. Learn about how a bowl is made, learn how zisha clay is used, learn how to pick the right leaf size, etc. All feeds into the study of the leaf. Just takes decades to learn, I am short over 5 years of missing experiences for the first decade of study. What will one learn in the next?
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October 25, 2011

にちにちこれこじつ

Nichi nichi kore ko jitsu – every day is a good day 
Stress finnaly settled in last week, even more so when I realized I had not done my tasteing for the week. After a weekend of relaxation I will get back into my tastings, but I think I will allow myself some wiggle room to post every two weeks if need be. I have found after my first tasteing I have lost the love to write about these teas this is why I need the ability to review when I feel it is right.
   And by following Aaron Fishers advice of focusing on one action at a time, I can enjoy my tea and then write about it there after. As for this little line I thought It was good to start my work day with Japanese quote to raise the spirit.
    If you have been over to my art blog you may have noticed I posted about a performance piece surrounding Chanoyu. This will happen in the spring, much planning and learning needs to happen before late March early April area (when I hope the Cherry Blossoms are open).  Keep an eye on both blogs as I may post about this event on either depending on the nature of the update. For those of you that have not visited my art blog the link is down below.
  The past little while I have been researching Chanoyu and hope to have enough to post about quite soon. It is getting close 11:30am now I should get ready for work.  Best of luck with your studies~
My art blog-Split/Gender
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October 23, 2011

Prepareing for Spring


 As most of you know by now I have been studying tea for quite some time now. With my full lessons (George Brown program and  Chanoyu lessons) I have come to the point where I want to invite my followers or anyone else for that matter to join me for a cup of tea (Or a few).
     By taking these Chanoyu lessons I hope to come up with a date(s) and time(s) I will serve tea to whom ever may wish for a cup. Whether this takes place at High Park at the peak of Cherry Bloosom Viewing or on the busy streets, I am still working out. The meanings behind each location and the tools I will use need much thought. Will I dress in Kimono, my usual attire or perhaps "change" to something else? Questions questions questions.  Much learning on my part as an artist as I have only done Performance art a few times. Once I wore my modern kimono down town to class (it was black with an IPod design on it) and the other was cosplaying as my ego for a large school project.
   Anyhow I just wanted to put that out there for people to look forward to.  On a side note I plan on sending out postcards for Christmas/New Years, if anyone wants to be on my mailing list before I get any of these printed feel free to e-mail me. Till latter~
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October 16, 2011

Ceremonial Matcha - Majesteas

                       Recently I have been starting each day with matcha. I set aside enough time to quietly prepare it in a meditative way. I quickly ran out of my matcha and went out to get a new one to try. This one is from Majesteas.  I noticed it in the shop about a week before I ran out. The kanji on it captured me as I sought to translate it, but failed.
      Getting it home I eagerly waited till the next morning (Friday) to enjoy the tea. Although it was not until Saturday evening I decided to write about this brew. Earlier I had visited a Man I had met over a year ago at Allen Gardens who I over heard taught Japanese Tea Ceremony. I contacted him and I enjoyed a ceremonially prepared cup of match with him. We discussed the utensils he used, the historical aspects of ちゃのゆ, and he began to teach me how to fold the ふくさ(fukusa).
       Starting in November I will begin learning 盆略手前 (bonryaku temae), tea prepared on a tray. It is quite different from how he served me which was 立礼 ( ryūrei) which he used a table like structure and I sat at my own table as a guest. As an artist I am eager to learn more about ceremonial styles as I can. Especially with my tea series taking over my usual women dominated work.                                                 
        Anyhow enough of my ramblings and back to this tea. When I opened the package inside the tin I was welcomed by a very vibrant green powder. I eagerly filled my kettle with spring water from Muskoka.  After letting it cool in my glass pitcher for a while I sifted the powder and whisked it. Vibrant green with  fine foam greeting me. I quickly drank it. It was like milk chocolate with 40% Dark mixed in. Very smooth on the tongue. I decided to accompany this with a mini sponge cake with apricot filling, they complimented each other very well. I can not wait to learn more about matcha preparation from my new sensei, and perhaps I can get my Japanese sensei to help me translate this tin some time. 

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October 15, 2011

Interview for Tea Muse

        A while back I was interviewed by Tiffany Picard for her article on Canada's Tea Culture. This all happened after Brett from Black Dragon Tea Bar, referred me to her.  I had a wonderful time answering Tiffany's questions as well as asking my own of Victoria, B.C.  The article represents Canada and its diverse tea culture beautifully. Again, I must thank both Tiffany and Brett for this opportunity to inform others on the happenings in the north.
      If you have not yet read the article you may read it here. It is late here for me, I am going to finish my cup of Phoenix Dan Cong and settle into bed. Good night all. This weeks tasting will be tomorrow night if things go as planed. Till then~
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October 14, 2011

New work

           Just a few more new works by me inspired by tea. I hope you all enjoy, more to come.
"Waiting" Charcoal an ink on paper.
"Gaiwan" Charcoal and ink on paper.

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October 13, 2011

Charcoal?

     I have been a little busy putting things together for some submission deadlines. Writing, documenting, editing etc. Although I was eager the other day to start and almost finish these works.  I am very pleased with the simplicity of them. This "Tea" series will continue for some time to come.
   On a side note I am also going to begin learning Japanese Tea Ceremony starting this Saturday. I am eager to learn "茶の湯” or Chanoyu. The long Zen Buddhist and cultural history interest me  so much it was a must to begin these lessons. There was a book I saw the same day as these pieces were made at Japanese Things (Harbord St, Toronto) which went over the history and context for it, this book will soon become part of my tea book collection.
  I also started two more elongated paintings but they are still being worked on. Building up the tea stain on it is a process I am still learning. These paitings have more colour but will not feature any Japanese writing.
    I have also begun to knit again, reteaching myself basics through a hat, arm warmers etc for the coming winter. Once these skills are back in place I will fully begin Hysteria II. As for the grid, I am working on cleaning my room so I will have space to work on it and other works at the same time. I found an easel near Queen street, so this will be put to good use (Sorry Matt, I'll help you set up my other one in the basement studio).
          Anyhow keep an eye out. A lot of interesting things are going on over the next while. Till next time~


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October 7, 2011

Tealish- new location




I visited the original location back in second year of University. It was quite cramped but, NOW there is plenty of room to breath. New tea wares to look at and try (I still need a matcha caddy/natsume).  Same colour scheme was kept and they just added rustic warm wood shelving on the wall adjacent to the tea wall. 
           To celebrate I treated myself to a Stone Ground Rooibos Soy Latte. It was quite creamy and I can not wait to try their other specialties. On the way out I discovered a regular from work visiting the shop as well ( this was prior to the Queen and Portland T- Cafe opening).
         The one tea I have from their previous location is their Walnut Ave Sencha. Very nutty and quite creamy. A good balance of unami and nuts. Give them a good look~


Monday - Saturday
10am - 7pm
Sunday
12pm - 5pm






Tealish
728 Queen St W.
Toronto, ON
Canada



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October 6, 2011

Xantou Mandarin White- Lauriam Tea House

 Lauriam Tea House is located in Bowmanville, around a hour and a half drive to about 2 hours by train east of Toronto. My mom introduced me to the shop when I was still in school and now it is a favorite hangout when I visit my family. Tea is served to you in a white tea pot along side delicate china cups. As I was introduced to Afternoon Tea through this tea ware before it has become quite nostalgic. This tea is a White Tea Puerh, which has absorbed the sweet mandarin qualities of its fermentation "container". The leaves are dense inside the dried fruit, I had to resort to using a pick from my tea tools to pick enough leaves out.  The wet leaves are quite young and very uniform in size, being not longer than an inch.  They smell subtly sweet, unlike the dry leaves which have more of a mandarin smell to them.
       The resulting tea is creamy and sweet. Coaxing out a salivating sensation. There is a sweet peach taste on the back of my tongue, which is the reason for me keeping such a tea close at hand. The liquor is a beautiful amber hue. I found it slowly dissipated in colour over the infusions I was able to coax out of the leaves. At this finial infusion only the salivating sensation remains and a dull sweetness with no characteristic I can pin point.
     I have bought this tea quite a few times over the last few years. Only pulling it out to get frustrated with the "container", something that I just have to learn more about over time.Much practice is needed for this storage method of Puerh.
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October 3, 2011

The Sage hut and Tao through tea

  I have been thinking over the last little bit on the ideas I can recall from "The Way of Tea" by Aaron Fisher . A very well written tea book on Tao and Tea. Again as I usually end my nights (and begin my mornings) I check out different tea related things. Tonight that was looking at The Leaf and following it to Wu De (Aaron Fisher)'s blog. In January I e-mailed him inquiring about his book and was invited to his school when I have the chance. This school now has a web page, The Sage Hut, it is compleately non profit and very inviteing. It seeks to teach others about Tea and the Tao or Cha Dao.
     I have met with many differnt types of people over the last few years, all with different opinons on the leaf.  "Meeting" Arron, through his book, I have come to a point where I am seeking more than just the leaf itself. This being Cha Dao. As it is quite late right now I feel putting this, need into words impossible. In short, I wish to begin to post about things I see in tea, not just reviews which do help my pallet in preparation for the George Brown program. This I hope will include Cha Xi (which is represented to an artful form my Stephane over at Tea Masters) , thoughts on tea ware I use (and even things that I use that may not be "ment" for tea), Cha Qi (Once I can understand it, so this is something to learn), etc. These posts will not be to push anyone in any way what so ever towards this method of seeing.  Tao is very interesting to me and I hope it will bring this Journey in the direction it feels I need to go. Perhaps I will find myself in Taiwan with Wu De.
       To sum it all up, keep an eye out for these posts. They may be included along side a tea "review" (more so a tasting) or on their own. All in all good night now, I have a final cup for the evening waiting for me.
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Milk Oolong - Tsaa

    I have been visiting Tsaa (pronounced Cha) since I discovered it apartment hunting. A very well lit cafe style makes it very welcomeing. Promoteing the consumption of glutten free and vegan treats, they also offer coffee, bubble tea, teaware, teas etc. They are very versitile and cary a vass aray of tea ware. From chawans for Japanese tea ceremony to yixings for gong fu ceremony right down to the tea pot I got to use with this weeks tea.
     I apologize that I only have one image as this review is from notes I have sitting around waiting to be posted. I ordered a whole pot of this tea for the afternoon. Hidden is a glass pitcher in which I was given he first infusion and the second was steeping in the pot.  The first sip was creamy and warmed my stomach thoroughly. The brew was very consistent. The second infusion had cooled a little by the time I was able to enjoy it (Japanese homework keeps me quite busy). It had a lighter taste and was sweeter than the tea while it was hot. 
     Drinking tea in this manner is quite relaxing although I felt as though I should have made more infusions with the leaves. Though by the time the second infusion was done I was itching to paint that afternoon. My tea art is a result of that. I perhaps will revisit this tea again sometime in the future and compare many Milk Oolongs together. I am still formulating notes so this may take some time and research on the process for Milk Oolongs themselves.
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