Jasmine Lau: Kapok House Sumi-e

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Jasmine Lau: Kapok House Sumi-e

Hi, I’m Jasmine, an Altrincham-based sumi-e artist and art psychotherapist. Join the bloom!

I teach traditional sumi-e (Japanese ink painting) workshops and create contemporary works exploring nature, stillness, and therapeutic mark-making. I'm a UK-based, botanically inspired artist who paints the small still moments where nature meets ink and colour.

26/08/2026

On the last day of my Hong Kong trip, I visited Wesley Tongson’s exhibition at Asia Society Hong Kong Center.
It was a rainy day, but the weather made the stone buildings and hillside plants look even more beautiful and full of atmosphere.
Wesley Tongson’s work was incredibly inspiring and made me rethink what Chinese ink painting can be.
I left feeling refreshed and inspired to look at ink, Hong Kong and tradition in new ways.

07/08/2026

Day 1 of my four in-person lessons for the Instructor Course at 国際墨画会 in Tokyo

Thank you teacher Chie Iwakiri, today we went back to the basics and revisited the Four Gentlemen. Even though I’ve painted them for many years, I still learnt so much by going through them again. It’s amazing how much there is to discover in the small details of brush movement and ink.

A good reminder that learning never really stops.

A big thank you to the staff for taking me to a hidden gem for lunch today too! It was such a lovely local spot and something I definitely wouldn’t have found on my own.

01/08/2026

So grateful to Tempoo-san 内村天風 for carving these beautiful hanko for me.

I’ve always admired Tempoo-san’s work! Full of the spirit of Japanese craftsmanship and aesthetic.

I can’t wait to collect them in Japan next month and use them on my own work. It feels very special.

ありがとうございます💕

28/07/2026

It was lovely to meet you all at the art fair, and thank you for joining my demonstration!
My work is now on display at Altrincham Grammar School for Girls as part of the ASA Summer Art Fair.

20/07/2026

It still feels amazing to have the opportunity to take part in The Lowry’s networking and skill share event with artists and creative organisations from across Greater Manchester.

Since we only had five minutes to introduce our practices in the skill sharing session, so I chose to begin with sumi-e.

Instead of inviting people to paint, I invited participants to grind ink sticks while I talked about who I am and what I do. It felt like a meaningful way for people to experience something that sits at the heart of my practice and of course, let the ink do its magic.

Looking back, I realised I spent most of the time talking about my art practice and not enough about why I started The Holding Palette CIC and the community work I’m building through The Inkstone. Maybe that’s just part of learning how to introduce myself when my practice lives in quite a few different places.

By the end of the session, obviously I needed to clean the ink stones, so rather than washing the ink away, I brushed all of the ink that everyone had ground onto a sheet of rice paper. It wasn’t planned as an artwork, but when it dried, I found myself unexpectedly drawn to it.

Still, I’m grateful for all the conversations today. Thank you to The Lowry for such a thoughtful event. I left with new connections, new conversations, and a few new questions about how I tell the story of my practice.

19/07/2026

[Monthly Sumi-e Workshop: Traditional Japanese ink painting in Altrincham]

On Saturday 1st August, we’ll be painting lotus leaves and flowers. Lotus is a beautiful summer subject often associated with elegance, purity, resilience, and quiet strength in East Asian art.

In this workshop, we’ll explore traditional Japanese ink painting through simple brush techniques, ink tones, and the graceful forms of lotus leaves and blooms. No previous experience is needed! The session is suitable for beginners as well as those who would like to slow down and spend time with brush, ink, and paper.

Date: Saturday 1 August 2026
Time: 2:00–4:30pm
Fee: £40
All materials included, with a complimentary matcha refreshment.

Location:
A4 Studios, 30 Grosvenor Road, Altrincham, WA14 1LE

Only 8 spaces are available! Use the following link to book or message me to find out more.

https://classbento.co.uk/w/8b67

08/07/2026

Rose study. I’m not sure roses are my favourite subject to paint perhaps because they feel quite geometric and structured in a way I don’t naturally connect with. I’m trying to find a way to break that structure while still keeping the essence and form of a rose. Not quite there yet.

30/06/2026

Getting ready to deliver 🌸❤️

29/06/2026

The photo was taken when it’s in the wet mounting process. It is a bit deceptive because everything always looks a little richer when it’s wet, so I’m curious to see how it settles once dry.

One of the things I love about ink painting is that it asks you to let go of control. A brushstroke can never be repeated exactly, and some of the most interesting passages happen when the ink decides to do its own thing.

-e

Address

30 Grosvenor Road
Altrincham
WA141LE

Website

http://www.kapokhouse.co.uk/

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