Zen in the Bay Brushes Away at the Asian Art Museum

On October 9, 2026, students from Lick-Wilmerding High School’s semester-long Zen in the Bay: A Holistic Exploration of Buddhist Meditation & Practice class took a trip to the Asian Art Museum to learn about East Asian art styles and practice traditional brush painting.

The visit was part of the Asian Art Museum’s onsite school tours, which offer educational experiences for student groups. The class participated in Brush Painting: Nature in Art, a tour for students in grades four through 12 that explores traditional ink paintings from China, Japan and Korea. Students examined the tools and techniques used to create the work and considered how they reflect relationships with nature before applying what they learned in a hands-on ink-painting activity.

“Art education is especially important for young people in neighborhoods like this [Civic Center],” Zen in the Bay teacher, Erin Merk, said. “By offering free art programs at the Asian Art Museum, youth have the opportunity to explore their creativity, express themselves and connect with the world around them.”

First, the students were guided by Florence Wong, who works at the museum, through the Japanese, Korean and Chinese exhibits. Through each one, Florence encouraged students to recognize the similarities and differences between painting styles. Students observed how artists got their inspiration for their designs, resourced materials to create colors and themes between different artworks.

Afterwards, when the students completed the exhibit, they engaged in creating art of their own! They were guided by Florence, who instructed them how to write different Chinese characters and paint things like bamboo shoots and pandas with brushes and ink. With some practice, students advanced to creating landscape-based art adorned with water falls, intricate trees, and tiered rocky mountains—the perfect souvenir to bring home from the day.

LWHS community members practice Zazan–seated meditation–in front of a Buddha sculpture at the Asian Art Museum.
*photo courtesy of* Erin Merk

For Zen in the Bay students, brush painting offered another way to explore the mindfulness practices central to their coursework. Alongside meditation, reflective writing and discussions of Buddhist philosophy, the art activity invited students to consider how slowing down and engaging with a creative process could shape their awareness of the world around them.

Logan Eade ’27 felt at peace while viewing the exhibit. “Visiting the Asian Art Museum reminded me that art, like Zen, teaches us to slow down, be present and appreciate the beauty in the moment,” Eade said.

Similarly, Gloria Cebrian ’27 felt inspired by the brush painting, particularly during the portion of the field trip where students got to create their own art. “Painting can become a form of zen and so can many other things if you put your full attention into the work that you’re doing. I think a lot of people think of mindfulness as having a blank mind, but really it’s about focusing your full attention on whatever you’re doing,” Cebrian said.

On the reflective train ride back to LWHS, the students were in a state of zen. Their field trip was more than an outing, and their art class was more than a lesson. The Asian Art Museum offered the eight person cohort a chance to put the principles of mindfulness they explored in their classroom into a practice of being present with their brushes, with the art, and with each other.