The Commission:

Earlier in 2017, I accepted a commission from my son, Sensei Joshua Copson, a 4th-degree black belt, to create a series of five paintings for his martial arts studio, The Blue Dragon Dojang.

The paintings embody the order in which his Oh Do Kwan students progress in their spiritual studies. The shapes are consistent with the five elements of the Gorintou – the Five Ring Pagoda.

He teaches the 5 elements in a circular pattern: Water, Earth, Void, Wind, Fire – with none being more powerful than any others but rather continually moving one into the other as they support the whole.

This is the painting for Wind.

Wind represents expansion, speed, and timing. With Wind we enter the realm of self-control and strategy, mental flexibility, and compassion. Here we develop speed of both our mind and body, and learn the all-important timing.

The crescent forms a cup ready to receive from the heavens and invokes receptivity, intuition, and awareness.

In the martial arts, to master wind is to always be one step ahead, and one move before, your opponent – to know the timing of the world.

 “You should know the strategy of your art, study the strategy of others, and understand the strategy of the land. Only then can victory be possible.”

~Sensei Joshua Copson

The originals in the Five Elements series are 30″ x 24″ mixed media on canvas paintings hanging in the Blue Dragon Dojang in Lovingston, Virginia. But you can buy reproductions in a variety of custom formats – including framed prints, posters, tote bags, phone cases and coffee mugs – from Fine Art America.