Japanese Ink Painting & Nature Connection Session 4: Painting on Natural Objects

In this workshop, we will explore the art of painting with Japanese ink on natural objects like stones, leaves, and twigs. Stepping away from traditional canvases, we’ll use the textures and forms of found materials to inspire our brushwork and create unique, nature-inspired art.

The session begins with a mindful walk through OmVed Gardens, where participants will gather their chosen objects, each offering its own shape, texture, and rhythm. After an introduction to Japanese ink painting techniques, participants will use brushes to paint directly on their collected materials. Whether it’s the smooth surface of a stone or the delicate veins of a leaf, each surface offers an opportunity for creative expression.

As we paint, we’ll reflect on themes of sustainability, biodiversity, and the beauty of the natural world, connected to the exhibition Into the Seeds of Time. We’ll discuss the planetary and human health benefits of beans, integrating the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into our creative process.

The session will conclude with herbal tea, inviting quiet reflection in OmVed’s peaceful surroundings. Participants will take home their hand-painted artworks, a mindfulness booklet, and new insights into the significance of beans in sustainable food systems.

For those attending all four sessions in the series, there will be additional layers of exploration, allowing for a deeper engagement with ink techniques, materials, and the evolving landscape.

Please dress comfortably, as ink may stain and the garden can be hot, chilly or muddy. Each session will have a maximum of 16 participants. Please note this course is for ages 18+ only please.

Key skills you’ll gain from the session:

• Master the use of Japanese ink brushes on natural surfaces, adapting techniques for different textures.

• Experiment with painting on non-traditional materials like leaves and stones, exploring how the surface influences the ink.

• Deepen your appreciation for nature as both a medium and inspiration, while enhancing your observational skills.

About the host:

Vivienne Schadinsky is a Swiss-born environmental artist based in London. Her work explores nature’s transformations in response to climate change through Japanese ink paintings, printmaking, sculpture, and filmmaking. Inspired by the 72 Japanese micro-seasons, she captures subtle shifts in ecosystems, integrating scientific and philosophical research on climate change, biodiversity, and sustainable food systems. Her long-term projects invite reflection on humanity’s relationship with nature.

Her work has been exhibited internationally, including at the National Art Center in Tokyo, the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway, and OmVed Gardens with Into The Seeds Of Time.

A passionate art educator, Vivienne develops sustainable art curricula and leads workshops that foster environmental consciousness and creativity. She integrates the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), using art as a tool for sustainability and social responsibility.

A self-taught sumi ink artist, she interprets traditional Japanese techniques with a personal approach. In 2023, the International Sumi Association in Tokyo invited her to join and exhibit at the National Art Center, where she has since received an award.

Vivienne’s work is regularly exhibited, commissioned, and shared through teaching.

www.vivienneschadinsky.com | @vivienneschadinsky

About OmVed Gardens:

OmVed Gardens is a garden, exhibition, events, and learning space in North London dedicated to exploring the connections between food, ecology and creativity for health and climate resilience. We are on a mission to inspire ecological awareness and action, and deepen our understanding of interconnectedness with the natural world.

As a registered Community Interest Company, all our activities prioritise social and ecological objectives. Whether collaborating with chefs, creatives, gardeners, or schools, OmVed Gardens is a hub for education, connection, and action. We aim to inspire individuals and communities to reimagine their role in building a healthier, more resilient world.

We work to increase biodiversity - of species, seeds, food systems, and participation, through regenerative gardening, seed saving, habitat creation, and ecological education. Our space serves as a living example of how urban areas can be transformed into thriving ecosystems that support both human and non-human communities.

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Subsidised Tickets: We have a few reserved tickets at a subsidised rate. If this workshop is not monetarily accessible, please write to us at events@omvedgardens.com to avail yourself of a subsidised ticket rate. Subject to availability.

Refund Policy:   These tickets are refundable up to 10 days before the start of the sessions on May 27th post which they will be non-refundable.