1. A Write-up (in a paragraph or two) introducing your calligraphy work.

2. Image of your calligraphy work.

Notes from Instructor:

-Please leave your NAME.

-Reminder: please submit a text entry on WebCampus stating "I have submitted my Final Showcase (Image+Write-up) to the "Padlet". 

-You are encouraged to view and appreciate your classmates' work:)  -Lin Li

The bamboo adds balance to the composition and symbolizes growth, flexibility, and resilience, reinforcing the message visually. The scroll’s small size and traditional design keep the piece simple and calming, like something you can hang somewhere and glance at for quiet motivation. Overall, it’s meant to be a gentle reminder to start, keep going, and trust that every step matters.

In my piece, I included a crane, cherry blossoms, and hydrangeas to represent the beauty and symbolism found in nature. The crane symbolizes longevity and prosperity, the cherry blossoms reflect the fleeting nature of life, and the hydrangeas represent abundance, love, and hope. Together, these symbols illustrate the journey of a meaningful life: one filled with hope and love, but also limited time and inevitable hardships. The obstacles we encounter in different chapters of life may not be easy to overcome, but the feeling of relief, strength, and accomplishment afterward makes the struggle worthwhile. This is the message that inspired my artistic direction.

I also chose a vertical calligraphy layout rather than horizontal because I feel it gives the piece a stronger visual presence. Vertical writing emphasizes the weight and impact of the words, almost like a pillar of strength. The combination of strictness in the characters and creativity in the imagery reflects the balance between discipline and expression that mirrors the duality of hard work and the beauty found within perseverance.

I made this as a Christmas present for my grandparents. It's relevant to them because they love calligraphy, as well as due to them owning a small bamboo plant. It already has a golden-painted snake statuette as its holder, so I figured taking the auspiciousness of the plant (and its holder) and tying it (literally and figuratively) to a scroll with this phrase would both be a good composition and pretty lucky! Plus, they're the sort of people who would appreciate the symbolism of it.

From the side, a whole range; from the end, a single peak:

Far, near, high, low, no two parts alike.

Why can’t I tell the true shape of Lu-shan?

Because I myself am in the mountain.

From all the work we went over during class, this poem stuck out to me. I favored the way it flowed and it sounded. I also like the idea that Su Shi was on top of the mountain peaks as he wrote this. This poem is about how perspective changes depending on where someone is located. Perhaps this could tie into people and how their opinions change depending on whose perspective they see. A persons opinion may change when they look at things from someone else’s shoes.

I decided to write this on a scroll to make it look like the ancient works we’ve seen in class. I also put 3 stamps on the corner because I wanted it to look more “expensive”. The stamps tie into the piece well with the red ink contrasting onto the golden paper. I did this piece in running script because I thought it would be more fun instead of writing standard script. I was worried that my running script wouldn’t be legible, but when I showed my mom, she could read it perfectly fine.

I carved the seal out of wood. It was a little more difficult than I anticipated, although I’m satisfied with my first attempt at seal carving.

Below the calligraphy, there is a motif of bamboo. In China, bamboo is a very symbolically rich motif and stands for things like tenacity and integrity, as well as moral resilience and immortality, because bamboo can withstand extreme conditions and always stays green. The motif below relates very well to what has been conveyed above.