Everytime I travel to Taiwan I feel like I make a new and exciting discovery. Whether it is a delicious bowl of beef noodle soup, ( 牛肉面, Niúròu miàn) or a store that specializes in nothing but handmade calligraphy brushes, each trip brings something different and deepens my appreciation for Taiwan's people, culture and cities.
My love of beautiful handmade/natural treasures and the fact that I am a practicing artist make handmade calligraphy brushes especially appealing. This trip, I found a small store tucked away in an unlikely place, between shops selling car parts and piping, that sells nothing but Sumi Ink, Ink Stones and Handmade Calligraphy Brushes. All of the brushes are made using real ox horn fittings, bamboo handles, and natural hair bristles. I think they are beautiful, and could hardly wait to get home to try them out. I incorporated painting with ink into my work sometime ago and look forward to using these beautiful brushes to see where they can take me on my creative journey.
Happily, I was able to acquire a number of these beautiful brushes and I have added them to my store, making them available to you.
The featured image was taken by Kristina "Kitty" Oppegard (a happy Calligraphy Brush Customer).
