Learn the art of etegami at a Galveston Art League workshop by: Mary Vinnedge

The Galveston Art League will introduce the art of etegami during a low-cost workshop in July. Primary instructor Lisa Jastram, a Houston-area artist, will coach participants in this intuitive, colorful folk art that consists of simple Sumi ink (dry ink) drawings that are paired with a few thoughtful words and watercolor. Originating in Japan, etegami is typically drawn on postcards or on washi paper to be used as postcards.
 
The workshop will be held from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 20, at the Galveston Art League, 2117A Postoffice St. in downtown Galveston. The cost is $50, with all materials provided. Registration is available at www.GalvestonArtLeague.com – click on “Workshops.” (Please call Galveston Art League workshop coordinator Susan Pinkerton at 832-752-3280 or email [email protected] if you have questions.)  
 
Lynn Cooper, also a Houston-area artist, will assist in leading the workshop. Cooper and Jastram will demonstrate that etegami is done with very little control over the paintbrush and is painted with concentration from the heart.  The thoughtful words that are added to the image can be contemplative, funny, congratulatory, healing, or just plain fun. The goal is to send the cards to touch people emotionally. The works are always signed. 
 
Jastram’s works have been displayed in London, Paris, Italy, and Japan. Her roots in Japan are deep ones: She is the daughter of a missionary whose family moved to Japan in 1960, when she was 4. Her main artistic pursuit has always been music. She is a professional entertainer who sings, plays guitar and piano, writes music, and is a ventriloquist as well. Jastram had already mastered origami and stained glass when she became smitten with etegami four years ago.  
 
Cooper is a multifaceted artist who is intrigued with the essence of the human story. She believes everyone has a story to tell and every object holds within it a bit of its past. Her mission is to inspire others to find and connect with the history inside themselves. Cooper began painting etegami when she was learning Japanese in preparation for a move to Japan. She lived in Tokyo for seven years. 
 
These artists’ etegami workshop is one of many low-cost classes offered throughout the year by the Galveston Art League. The nonprofit organization was established in 1914 with the mission of promoting appreciation for visual arts and arts education in Galveston County and beyond. The organization is staffed entirely by volunteers; there are no paid staffers. 
 
The Art League is supported by memberships and sponsorships (details: visit www.GalvestonArtLeague.com and click on “Join”), an annual gala, contributions, and the modest commissions it receives from sales of artwork at its downtown Galveston gallery.
 
The Galveston Art League changes its gallery exhibits every month. Nine months of the year, the exhibits are membership shows in which every piece is for sale. During the other months, the gallery exhibits works from its three juried shows per year. Visit www.GalvestonArtLeague.com to learn more about the league’s member and juried shows.
  

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