Hello everyone.
How do you feel about your mother?
What kind of memory you have about her?
Why I Started Calligraphy
My mother has very beautiful handwriting.
When I was little, I saw her writing and I thought — wow, I want to write like that.
So I just start practicing. No teacher, no book. I just copy her handwriting every day. That's it. That's how I started.
My Friend Found a Calligraphy School
One day my friend found a calligraphy school near our area. He said, let's go together. So we went.
First it was pen calligraphy. Not brush, just pen. But I loved it and I practiced every day.
Little by little, my writing start to become my own style. Not just copying my mother anymore.
Now I Teach
Now I'm a calligraphy teacher.
When I told my mother about this, she was so happy.
And she gave me one advice.
"Please praise your students a lot."
That's all she said. Very simple. Very her.
I always remember this when I teach. Because people grow more when they feel encouraged.
Not when they feel pressure.
My Motto
I don't believe in 'try harder' or 'push through the pain.'
My motto is — become so into it that you forget you're even trying.
Not effort. More like... flow.
Not getting tired. More like getting energized.
When I practice calligraphy this way, something feel different. The brush moves different. It come from a different place inside.
This is what I want my students to feel too.
Passing It On
My mother's handwriting made me pick up a brush.
Now I teach others.
And I hope one day, one of my students will feel the same thing — and pass it to someone
else.
That's what calligraphy is for me. Not just beautiful writing. It's a connection. From person to person. Generation to generation.
This Mother's Day — think about what your mother gave you. Not a gift. But something inside you.
For me, it was her handwriting.
That changed everything.
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I'm Flash, a Japanese calligrapher in Los Angeles. I make hand-brushed sumi ink art with traditional Japanese materials. Come check my work at flashcalligraphy.com
