the way of haiga
I try to bring a sense of contemplation into my work. Moments of stillness are important in our very busy lives and my path is to practice the way of art and haiku poetry. The masters of these eastern and western contemplative arts are very much an influence for me and I thank all those that have gone before. I’m continually learning from their body of work.
I consider myself a student of the Zen arts, which have fascinated me from an early age. I enjoy the distilled conciseness of haiku, the exploration of art and mixed media, and sometimes I like to combine the two, as in the ancient tradition of haiga.
Humankind has been making picture marks as a form of writing since early times. In eastern art, poetry and inspirational writings are often accompanied with beautiful flowing brushwork that compliments the words. I often work in this way; sometimes the pictorial elements of my images are poems as well, following a narrative theme. I am excited by the opportunity to be able to push the boundaries of creativity through modern digital techniques, using many forms of media simultaneously and changing directions quickly.
I love painting and I enjoy watercolour and ink. By scanning and photographing these paintings I can build up many layers in Photoshop, including a lot of texture which I’m always collecting. I then work on the blending modes of layers to bring out colour and light. It always begins with an idea and I try to go in many directions and I work fairly quickly. My love of photography allows me to record different moments and use parts of images to create another expression.
Basho was once asked what it is that we create. He replied: the scent of a particular human life. When I create, it’s from the sum of all the experiences and the explorations I have made in my life so far. My main themes are life and death, and the wonder of being a part of the universe, not separate from it.
– Ron C Moss
Haiga from the Mindfulness in Monochrome series, the Return to Stillness series,and The Journey Home series.
View these portfolios and more, at haigaonline.com
Images © copyright Ron C Moss
Sources:
The Haiku Foundation
Redbubble
Haigaonline
the awakened eye 