GAZEN – Mindfulness Through PaintingReconnect with yourself as you experience the warmth and natural fragrance of wood.Through GAZEN, you will discover Gansai, the traditional Japanese water-based pigments that have been used in Japanese painting for centuries. This unique experience offers a peaceful space for creativity and reflection, becoming a memorable chapter in your life’s journey.Gansai are made primarily from natural and mineral pigments and are mixed with water before use. Unlike Western oil painting, they contain no oil. Their excellent resistance to humidity makes them ideally suited to Japan’s warm, humid climate.For centuries, Gansai have been used in Buddhist paintings, folding screens, hanging scrolls, and other traditional works of art. One of their most important ingredients, gofun (powdered oyster shell), has also long been used to help preserve the wooden surfaces of shrines and temples. It has even served as the brilliant white undercoat beneath richly colored sculptures—much like the vibrant polychrome finishes that once adorned the statues of ancient Greece.When you first paint with Gansai, you may be surprised by their gentle, subdued colors. This is because the pigments are intended to be built up gradually through many delicate layers. With each application, subtle shifts in tone and depth quietly emerge.As you slow down and immerse yourself in this gentle process, you naturally become more present and reconnect with yourself. There are no rules or expectations—simply choose the colors that speak to you and enjoy the freedom of painting.