IT’S only taken five or six decades but Chinese calligrapher Mike Li reckons he has just reached the peak of his career.
“To master the knowledge and skills it takes about 50 to 60 years of learning and practice,” said Frankston-based Mike.
“I was first taught by my father when I was five years old and have been practising ever since, so now is my best period.
“It is a very deep and very broad art form. The more you understand, the more you can create.”
The drawing and painting of Chinese characters is not just about written communication. “Every Chinese character is like a picture,” Mike said.
He admits he’s a “little bit famous” in China. One of his art works was chosen for display in the Great Wall Museum and he has been featured in Chinese calligraphy magazines and newspapers.
In 1995, he published a book of his work.
A member of the Chinese Calligraphy Association, he said millions of people around the world, although mainly in China, are avid enthusiasts and practitioners of this ancient art, which has been around for about 7000 years.
Mike has been teaching Chinese calligraphy in the Frankston area for a number of years through U3A.
He has also developed a very impressive collection of his own work and that of other master calligraphers, which is displayed in his home-based museum.
Some of the work on display is rare and valuable.
One of Mike’s students, Beverley Allen, said she loves Chinese calligraphy. “It puts you in a different space,” she said. “When you’re doing it, you’re oblivious to everything else.
“I create beautiful gifts using calligraphy for my grandchildren and others. I like to write things and Mike interprets.
“It’s so important to do things you feel passionate about, especially when you’ve got the time to do so.”
For more information about Mike’s calligraphy classes, or to visit his museum, email mikeli.tj@gmail.com
