Shizu Usami is a calligrapher and an expert in the cultural history of script.
Like many people, she has known sleepless nights, living through the busyness of everyday life.
When she finally emerged from those difficult days, a quiet realization came to her:
How did I make it this far?
She would close her eyes and imagine a sheet of pure white paper.
She would build it into a three-dimensional space, shaping it into a white room of her own design.
And there, unseen by anyone else, she would drop her anchor of the heart.
This practice of anchoring, of focus and release, grew out of her lifelong discipline in calligraphy.
Each sheet of paper is written only once. Each stroke is unrepeatableājust as each human life is lived only once. From this belief, she created the Brush and BeingĀ® Method,
so that the sharpened spirit of calligraphy and the cultural wisdom it carries
might become a source of strength, clarity, and renewal in the lives of others.
Her encounter with calligraphy began at the age of three, when her mother first guided her hand.
For 45 years, she has continued this path, one that felt like destiny, inseparable from her very nature.
She believes this:
āI chose calligraphy, and calligraphy also chose and guided me.
And she believes that art and culture always respond to those who seek them sincerely.
For Shizu Usami, calligraphy has never been only about writing. It is a way of being. A way of breathing. "to write is to breathe".
An experience with Brush and BeingĀ® will guide your life toward both focus and release.
Brush and BeingĀ® ā The Japanese Art of Focus
The Japanese tradition of ichigo-ichieāthe spirit of āonce in a lifetimeāā
runs at the very foundation of Japanās most accomplished figures active on the world stage.
And at the heart of this tradition lies calligraphy.
Across generations, calligraphy has quietly supported the depth of Japanese culture and spirit.
About: Shizu Usami
Shizu Usami is the founder of Brush and BeingĀ® and the originator of the Brush and BeingĀ® Method, which integrates Japanese calligraphy, script history, and cultural mindfulness.
In Japan, she has worked as a professional calligrapher for over 25 years, advancing both artistic expression and academic insight into the culture of writing. In the United States, she has been an active community volunteer for more than 10 years, introducing Japanese calligraphy and culture to diverse audiences. As a calligraphy expert, she also promotes awareness of the art, explains the origins of kanji, and supports Japanese language and cultural education.
Today, she is expanding her work through corporate collaborations, individual sessions, and a variety of creative projects. Looking ahead, she plans to establish a Cultural Wellness Studio further to develop her professional activities in the United States.
Her mission is to share calligraphy as both an art form and a mindful practice, building bridges across cultures and generations.
For a full biography and portfolio, please visit shizuusami.com.