Correct Rocks

In the Mustard Seed Garden Manual of Painting there are 90 ways to paint a rock.

| Wang An-Chieh, two examples of painting rocks, 1679 |

There are not many secret methods in the painting of rocks. I  may sum it up in a phrase: rocks must be alive.

Large and small rocks mingle and are related like the pieces on a chessboard. Small rocks near water are like children gathered around with arms outstretched toward the mother rock. On a mountain it is the large rock, the elder, that seems to reach out and gather the children about him. There is kinship among rocks.

All so lyrical.

Julia Ritson

One response to “Correct Rocks”

  1. Richard Duncan Avatar
    Richard Duncan

    This is so lovely, the quote is quite touching, as I often say “rocks are pretty much my favorite thing”.

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