Heather Midori Yamada
Artist and Teacher of Contemplative Arts
Contemplative Art Workshop: Soft Transitions
Nature, time and space of impermanence in creation
November 1, 2025
Overview
Join us for a workshop bridging the seasons, watching the transitions, accepting outcomes. Short periods of guided silent meditation allow us to enter into the presence of the body, breathe and intentions in this all-level art session. Gestural brushwork and drawing, Japanese washi collage mix with watercolours, inks, chalk pastels.
Using the sturdy substate of Arches watercolour paper we will use wash, line and texture in spontaneous and new forms for our authentic exercises.
​​Date: Saturday November 1st, 2025
Time: 10 am. - 2 pm.
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Location
Heather’s Studio building
Main hall, Annex Building of St Matthais Church
600 Richmond Ave at Richardson St, Victoria, BC (map)
(large parking lot, airy hall)
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Information: hmidoriy@gmail.com
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Registration and Payment​
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Early bird pricing until October 20, 2025 – $95 + $45 for materials = $140
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After October 20 – $125 + $45 for materials = $170
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* payment in full by e-transfer upon registration ​​​​​
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To register: send an email to hmidoriy@gmail.com with name and workshop name
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To pay: Payment by e-transfer to hmidoriy@gmail.com
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​​CANCELLATION​
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IMPORTANT: Cancellation and refunds for workshop fees for emergency situations only please. Please note that I always return funds for legitimate reasons!
Materials
MATERIALS
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A. Students bring
1. art materials list:
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clean, white, plastic table cloth
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small spray bottle
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3-5 covered jars or containers for washes
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2-4 pieces of new aluminum foil
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toothbrush
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rags
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regular beige masking tape
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hb pencil
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notepad
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3-5 watercolour or acrylic tubes (not pans) primaries plus your favourites
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new Pritt dry glue stick
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newsprint: 6-8 sheets or pad ( blotter)
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brushes: one flat wash brush, one medium calligraphy style ( Japanese or Chinese-pre-soaked)
2. Other things to bring:
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substantial snack for tea break
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apron
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comfortable shoes
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IMPORTANT: one freshly cut small branch or flowering plant
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B. Provided
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Arches 140 lb watercolour paper.
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Japanese sumi ink
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metallic acrylics, specialty acrylics
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Japanese washi papers
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gel medium
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pastels
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graphite sticks
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watercolour crayons
C. For Purchase-
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some calligraphy brushes
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flat wash brush
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Japanese sumi ink
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INSTRUCTOR
Heather Midori Yamada
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Heather Midori Yamada has been a working artist since her university days. Combined five year studies at York U and graduating from Western, Heather concentrated on drawing, painting and printmaking. Over ten years at Toronto’s collective Open Studio Printmaking Heather discovered Japanese washi papers in chine collé, collograph-marouflage and monotypes.
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Heather’s further explorations led to direct painting, dyeing, texturizing onto various Japanese washis including working on 7 meter long shoji papers. Hot bees wax applications as resists, layered acrylic washes, and Japanese sumi are among the various ways Heather expresses transitoriness, ebb and flow mirrowed in nature.
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This mixed media approach is inspired by Heather’s contemplative practices of meditation, hatha yoga and ikebana, Japanese floral arrangement.
