Reneé shares the ancient art of hand-scribed words through modern technology. With simplicity, elegance and joy, Reneé calligraphs nourishing words. Calligraphy or shodo, the way of writing beautifully, is an ancient art expressed in all languages.

After teaching Western alphabets for more than 10 years, Reneé developed her unique alphabet expressed through sumi brush, in the ancient spirit of sembro (the way of the line).

As she is a painter, the transition from steel pen to brush was a natural move. It took her three years to become one with the sumi brush, practicing for three years on newspapers. She grinds her own ink with an ink stick and water on a special stone.

Reneé is inspired by, and honors ancient Asian calligraphy, especially by the Japanese Kansai style of writing, which is executed rapidly and without lines. It is like walking a tightrope between control and freedom, mind focused as a straight arrow, from top of head through the brush, no hesitation which would blot the 300 year old rice paper she uses.

The signature on each piece is a hand-carved signature stamp, the chop or hanka, which expresses Atelier Reneé. Reneé uses both squares and a round chop set in the figure of Quan Yin, the goddess of mercy and compassion.