Encounter Art
& hiljainen veisto

Japanese Encounter Art (deai no āto) has grown into a beautiful phenomenon that blends art, well-being, and community – the magic of human, unhurried moments that busy everyday life longs for as a counterbalance.

The roots of Encounter Art lie in Japanese aesthetics:
ma (間) – the space between things,
ichigo ichie (一期一会) – one moment, one encounter,
and wabi-sabi the quiet beauty of imperfection.

It is less about the finished work than about what happens in the moment of creation: presence, peace, and connection.

As a certified Encounter Art instructor, I have witnessed how powerful these simple, shared moments can be. In Encounter Art, the senses are deeply engaged – which is precisely where silent carving is at its best: you can feel and see the wood, and as you guide a sharp gouge along its smooth surface, you can also hear the meditative sound it releases.

Our minds wander – everyone’s, not only those with worries or restlessness. The hardest part is knowing how to stop the wandering. In silent carving, it requires no force or effort of will. It simply happens.

At first, you focus on a single movement. On the gouge in your hand. On its glide through the wood. On the wood’s quiet whisper as it yields. Soon you are entirely present – without effort, without thought.

Carving draws you into a silent current. Time disappears. The mind finds room to breathe.
Chips pile up. Stress melts away.
And what remains is a gentle silence – the kind you do not need to seek.