Sumi-e Course (8 sessions)
Foundations and Beyond
Aug-Dec 2026
What is Sumi-e?
Sumi-e is a traditional East Asian ink wash painting that originated in China and later spread to Korea and Japan. The term Sumi-e comes from Japanese, where Sumi means black ink, and E means painting.
Using black ink on Washi paper or silk, Sumi-e captures the spirit or essence of a subject rather than detailed realism. With deliberate brushstrokes and varying ink tones, it emphasizes simplicity, spontaneity, and a meditative approach rooted in Zen philosophy.
This eight-session Sumi-e course offers a calm and focused introduction to traditional East Asian ink painting. Rooted in slowness, presence, and careful observation, the course invites participants to deepen their relationship with brush, ink, water, and rice paper. It is open to both beginners and those with prior experience.
We begin with the Four Noble Ones—bamboo, orchid, chrysanthemum, and plum blossom—learning their symbolic meanings and essential brush techniques. Rather than aiming for repetition of form, each session explores variation and sensitivity, allowing repetition to become a way of seeing, feeling, and refining one’s practice.
In later sessions, the course expands to birds, flowers, and landscapes, and concludes with a personal final work based on each participant’s chosen motif. You will also learn how to write your name with Japanese calligraphy.
Taught in a very small group (2-4 persons), the course offers close individual guidance and a quiet space for focused practice and reflection.
About the lessons
Practical
information
Wednesday morning
(4 seats available)
Aug 19
Sep 2, 16, 30
Oct 7
Nov 4, 18
Dec 2
Saturday morning
(3 seats available)
Aug 15, 29
Sep 12, 26
Oct 10. 24, 31
Nov 14, 28
Dec 12
*As the course is held in a small group, the starting date can be adjusted if all participants agree.
Biweekly sessions: Aug-Dec 2026
Schedule: Starting from mid August and end in December
Wednesdays, 10:00–12:00
Saturdays, 10:00-12:00
Fee: Early bird till 25 June: €280 / Regular fee: €320
Materials & Tools:
Materials are not included in the course fee. Participants are welcome to bring their own Sumi-e tools, such as brushes, Washi (Japanese paper), liquid ink or an ink stick, an ink stone and water colour paint. A recommended tool list will be shared before the course begins. For those who prefer to come without carrying materials or who are new to Sumi-e, basic tools can be borrowed throughout the course for a one-time fee of €40, payable at the first class. This allows you to work comfortably while gradually deciding which materials you may wish to purchase later.
Location: Leidseplein 49, Haarlem
Language: English, Dutch, or Japanese
Instructor: Soonhwa Kang
About Soonhwa
Soonhwa Kang is a visual artist working primarily with ink, ceramics, and installation. She studied at the Kunstacademie, where she was searching for her materials and artistic voice — until the day she attended a Sumi-e workshop led by an Italian Zen monk. That encounter changed everything.
She went on to study Sumi-e under Yuka Kako, a certified teacher of the International Sumi-e Association, and the practice has deeply shaped her life and work ever since — not as a tradition she reproduces, but as one she carries into her contemporary art practice. Her work lives at the intersection of East Asian ink painting philosophy and heritage, and contemporary expression, across ink, ceramics, and installation.
When people began asking her to share this practice, she hesitated to call herself a teacher — but felt a genuine desire to pass on something beautiful. Not just techniques, but the posture, rhythm, breathing, and the rich history behind East Asian ink painting. She regularly exhibits her work across several cities in the Netherlands and hosts workshops in diverse settings, including concept stores and the University of Amsterdam.
www.soonhwakang.com
Words from Participants
"It was a special experience for me. When you took my hand and we painted together, I felt how much tension there was in my body. I am longing to use the attitude you showed us in Sumi-e painting. And I am grateful! Thank you so much for your warmth, kindness, and your expertise!"
— Marjan Jaspers, Visual Artist, Haarlem
"Super leuk workshop, alle ruimte om te oefenen, veel geleerd. Super leuk, gezellige, geduldige, professionele, kundige lerares. Ik geef zeker vervolg aan"
— M. H
"Mooie authentieke materialen.Van goede penselen tot je eigen inkt maken en prachtig rijstpapier om op te schilderen"
— M. L
1 day workshop
Sumi-e sessions can also be experienced privately or in a small/large group. The same content is offered with flexible scheduling, tailored to your availability.
For companies, team building sessions are also available — a unique and mindful creative experience for your team. Small groups of 2–8 can be hosted at my studio, while larger groups of up to 10 people can be accommodated at your location. Pricing is €60 per person. For on-location sessions, travel costs may apply — feel free to get in touch for a custom quote.