Inspired by Southeast Asia, Bob Masla explores watercolor, Sumi-e, and Notan studies that reveal the strength of values, brushwork, and design.
By Bob Masla
My wife and I took a trip to Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia in 2017. There, I spent three days cruising on Bai Tu Long Bay, (often called the “Bay of a Thousand Islands”). I spent almost the whole time at the edge of the small converted “junk,” sketching and taking photos, being blown away by the living Sumi-e brush paintings constantly unfolding before my eyes.
Though one need not travel past ones’ front door for inspiration and learning, I have always advocated travel as the best and fastest method for growth, both artistic and personal. This is the reason I created my studio/retreat center in Mexico, Casa de los Artistas and offer a European Painting Tour once a year as well.
The reason I paint the series in tonal studies (using Payne’s Grey, some black, and the white of the paper) goes back to my early fascination and study of watercolor and the incredible inspiration of this region. I have been seriously painting in watercolor since my early teens, but my first formal training was when I was an undergrad studying painting at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. I had the good fortune of studying watercolor with the Japanese master painter Kaji Aso.
Kaji insisted I take a year of calligraphy before working in color. Understanding brush control and expression, the power of “Notan” – using only black and white, and of course placement and composition. Though different, this complemented my earlier traditional training in oils, where values are the structure for creating harmony, atmosphere, and depth. I had created my first plein air oil with my mentor, Alton Tobey when I was about 12, and after studying with Kaji, I was excited to experiment with Sumi-e brush and rice paper en plein air. I soon realized why this is not a common practice – it is a challenge.
You can see an example of this from 1976 below:
On March 11, 2026, I will be demonstrating some of the methods I use with these materials and more on Art School Live, and on the Demo Stage at the 2026 Plein Air Convention & Expo (PACE). This is my fourth consecutive year teaching at PACE, a wonderful experience of collective artistic energies of talented colleagues and new friends.
