June 20 – June 27
What is hidden under the name Zen – Art is actually the technique of traditional Japanese painting SUMI-E. It is a painting technique that uses sumi – a special black ink and specially shaped brushes to create monochrome compositions.
The workshops are performed within 2 hours, and are divided into an introductory part, demonstration exercises in maneuvering with a brush and ink, and final work on the selected medium. During the workshops throughout the week, we will use various techniques and media such as rice paper, bamboo paper, paper plates for sumi-e painting, fans, lanterns and sunshades.
All workshops are adapted to beginners and people without any artistic experience, in order to enable everyone, regardless of their artistic knowledge, to easily immerse themselves in the world of Japanese art and experience a touch of culture from far away. It is also important to emphasize that all techniques and themes are simple in their execution, precisely because they are meditative, relaxing and very introspective. The emphasis here is not on the aesthetics of the final product, but on the process by which that product is created.
About the host
Irena Srok was born in Rijeka, who, in addition to her family life and as a mother of a four-year-old girl, establishes her connection with the world through various forms of artistic creativity. This passion for countless forms of artistic expression that has been simmering within her all her life led her to release her personal ideas from the inside out and found the Duende Association. Since then, the association has served as a foundation for encouraging creativity and artistic creation, both within herself and in the wider community.
“Color and form are my inner language with which I reveal myself to the world. It is the food of my soul, the guiding star through which I live, learn and breathe. “
About the association
The association was founded in 2019 with its headquarters in Rijeka, at Kružna ulica 8/3. In addition to Irena as president, the founding pillar is also the vice-president, Mr. Ivica Pađen, who is actually largely responsible for the existence of everything that has come from the association. And it is precisely he who is responsible for recognizing Irena’s potential and consistently taking on the role of providing positive encouragement and selfless support.
Since its establishment, the association has organized over a hundred art workshops for both children and adults. They were created thematically, among which the most common were natural motifs that followed annual cycles, there were introspective process workshops, intuitive painting, speaking emotions through color, free themes, and Zen art workshops – traditional Japanese painting with black ink. The association was also the initiator and participant in several humanitarian actions related to the most vulnerable social groups – sick children (Kantrida Children’s Hospital, humanitarian action “Happy walls”) and elderly and disabled people (Luana Home for the Elderly and Disabled, humanitarian action “Golden Years”). The association’s members regularly participate in art events in the Rijeka area (Mandrać, Art Mollo Longo, Ex Tempore Kostrena, Zamet, Pul Kaštela Trsat).
