Artist at Work
Banner

Gallery 15: Ensos

A traditional Zen circle, or "Enso," is replete with meaning and difficult to encompass in words. It is painted in just one brushstroke, from beginning to end with utmost mindfulness. The circle represents Samsara, the world of suffering, of birth and death. A traditional painting for the Zen monastery, Ensos are a way for the teacher to transmit their (enlightened) state of being to the student--this is the true power of Asian brushwork--it allows you to step into the inner world and spirit of the painter.