William Reed’s Calligraphy covers a range of styles from fine-line poetry to large-scale Zen Calligraphy. He has been influenced by his simultaneous study of Aikido and Iaido, pursuing a master of sword and letters. His books show how the brush is a mirror of the mind and a method of mindfulness. He frequently paints Zen themes and Haiku. He also explores the compatibility of Shodo with imagery in Haiga, as well as Samurai Calligraphy.
William Reed is a master calligrapher with over 50 years of experience in Shodo, Japanese Brush Calligraphy. He has a 10th-dan in Shodo and is Vice-Chairman of the Japan Calligraphy Education Association. He has won numerous awards in national competitions and exhibits regularly at galleries in Ginza.
He has been teaching Calligraphy and Kanji Culture for over ten years at the International College of Liberal Arts (iCLA) in Japan. Author of two books on Calligraphy: Shodo: The Art of Coordinating Mind, Body, and Brush (Japan Publications, 1989), and Song of the Brush Dance of the Ink (Morgan James Publishing, 2022).
Professor and Practitioner of Calligraphy & Budo, Liberal Artist, Renaissance Samurai
William Reed has done numerous Calligraphy commissions for Samurai documentaries and NHK programs in Japan, as well as two World Heritage Sites, Erinji Temple and Kawaguchiko Asama Shrine.
Public calligraphy performances include a collaboration on the stage of the Nikkei Hall with violinist Zohrab (Zoric) Tadevosyan from Spain. He has a regular column on Budo Japan called Sword is the Brush of the Mind, featuring videos and articles on Samurai Calligraphy. He is creating a Calligraphy Membership site called Song of the Brush.
William Reed About Calligraphy
Calligraphy can also be a performing art, compatible with both classical and jazz music. Although it is created in the moment, it leaves a lasting trace of the energy that can set the tone for a room or a conversation. It perfectly expresses the balance of changeless change, which lends it so well to themes from Zen and Haiku. It is equally elegant in a traditional temple or modern interior.
William Reed's statement explaining his artistic approach and vision is as follows: "I believe that Shodo offers the promise of perpetual youth and vitality. At first, the brush seems to have a mind of its own, but as you pay attention to the subtleties of the strokes and the qualities of the brush, ink, and paper, it truly begins to sing and dance. It is a form of visual jazz and brings together the five excellences of calligraphy, poetry, painting, tea, and martial arts. The lines of calligraphy are the lifelines of energy visible on and off of the paper."
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