Skip to content

Seal carving and blowing stone dust at the Japanese Garden at Cowden

Seal carving and blowing stone dust at the Japanese Garden at Cowden

On a blustery day with the March sun shining through the clouds into the garden and our cozy workspace, we enjoyed practicing Tenkoku 篆刻 seal carving to create our own stamps or inkan (more commonly known as hanko).

Seal carving and blowing stone dust at the Japanese Garden at Cowden
Seal carving and blowing stone dust at the Japanese Garden at Cowden

It is a captivating process and was wonderful to see everyone embracing it, from the design of their stamps on paper to the stone carving technique and the method of inking and pressing the stone onto Japanese paper.

Seal carving and blowing stone dust at the Japanese Garden at Cowden
Seal carving and blowing stone dust at the Japanese Garden at Cowden

We learned about the history of Japanese and Chinese stamp making and looked at varied examples and the ways of numerous of working with the tensho style of characters, and working with names or making natural designs.

Seal carving and blowing stone dust at the Japanese Garden at Cowden
Seal carving and blowing stone dust at the Japanese Garden at Cowden
Seal carving and blowing stone dust at the Japanese Garden at Cowden
Seal carving and blowing stone dust at the Japanese Garden at Cowden

In the quiet moments while everyone was working we could hear the echoes of the chipping sounds of the cutters on the stone and also of the participants enthusiastically blowing the dust off the face of their stones!

Seal carving and blowing stone dust at the Japanese Garden at Cowden
Seal carving and blowing stone dust at the Japanese Garden at Cowden
Seal carving and blowing stone dust at the Japanese Garden at Cowden
Seal carving and blowing stone dust at the Japanese Garden at Cowden
Seal carving and blowing stone dust at the Japanese Garden at Cowden
Seal carving and blowing stone dust at the Japanese Garden at Cowden
Seal carving and blowing stone dust at the Japanese Garden at Cowden
Seal carving and blowing stone dust at the Japanese Garden at Cowden
Seal carving and blowing stone dust at the Japanese Garden at Cowden
Seal carving and blowing stone dust at the Japanese Garden at Cowden
Seal carving and blowing stone dust at the Japanese Garden at Cowden

It was inspiring to be surrounded by the elemental trees and hills with all the textures and colours and breathing the fresh woodland air.

Seal carving and blowing stone dust at the Japanese Garden at Cowden
Seal carving and blowing stone dust at the Japanese Garden at Cowden
Seal carving and blowing stone dust at the Japanese Garden at Cowden
Seal carving and blowing stone dust at the Japanese Garden at Cowden

The Japanese Garden at Cowden
https://www.cowdengarden.com/

Tags: