Andy Lee
PaperBrush Studios

About the art: These paintings were done in the traditional Cha’an Buddhist splash style which originated in China, circa 13th century B.C. Emperor Cha’an ruled during this era, making this period the Cha’an Dynasty. The Emperor was very strict and domineering. He permitted only specific styles of art and literature to permeate throughout his country. Anything not approved was illegal. Linework was very tight and the spoken/written word was extremely structured.

Because of these strict regulations, there because a backlash of artistic expression. Buddhist monks who lived during these times used bamboo brush, sumi ink and rice paper to “meditate” with. They would splash paint onto the paper and interpret the splashes and wild strokes further by adding a few lines here and there to create a recognizable image. The monks were not prosecuted because the paintings were deemed religious tools. Chinese splash painting was invented this way.

Eventually, Buddhist missionaries migrated to Japan. Cha’an Buddhism because Zen Buddhism. The splash art style also transcended geographical boundaries as well. The Japanese popularized this way of painting. It was officially an artform and not just a religious practice anymore.