Paintings
Creation
SundayJune06 2010
It's becoming more summery in Japan and with summer
comes the hordes of insects of which I spent half the
day combating. GET OUT OF MY HOUSE. Rainy season has
not started yet...
I did this painting on a nice heavy brown paper. Other than that I haven't much to say about it. The title is "Creation".
"Creation" 63 x 97 cm. (25 x 38 inches) Crayon, Sumi ink, Pastel, Acrylic and Gouache on Japanese Paper.
I did this painting on a nice heavy brown paper. Other than that I haven't much to say about it. The title is "Creation".
"Creation" 63 x 97 cm. (25 x 38 inches) Crayon, Sumi ink, Pastel, Acrylic and Gouache on Japanese Paper.
Twilight Zone
WednesdayMay12 2010
Just finished this painting titled "Twilight Zone -
He Walks Away". It is painted on a gold washi paper.
This paper was like painting on material. I
originally was going to title this just "He Walks
Away" but it reminded me so much of the old Twlight
Zone television show. I've also been listening to my
Amy Winehouse album "Back To Black" and in the song
"Tears Dry On Their Own" she sings; he walks
away, the sun goes down, he takes the day but I'm
gone. And in your way in this blue shade my tears dry
on their own. So we are history, your shadow covers
me, The sky above, a blaze that only lovers
see... I love her music and that also influenced
this image.
Twilight Zone - He Walks Away 63 x 91 cm. (25 x 36 inches) Sumi ink, Gouache, Acrylic and Oil Pastel on gold Washi.
Twilight Zone - He Walks Away 63 x 91 cm. (25 x 36 inches) Sumi ink, Gouache, Acrylic and Oil Pastel on gold Washi.
Peony opening
ThursdayMay06 2010
From the Peony I took a picture of in my garden I
painted this yesterday. I read that the Peony is
China's national flower. It is the symbol of good
fortune, high honor and the spring season... all good
things. As an erotic symbol it symbolizes the female
genitalia. When dew, representing semen, drops on a
peony flower it opens... REALLY! Well, that produced
all kinds of images in my head. I painted on an
orange colored washi paper I've had laying around the
house for years. When I was younger I hated the color
orange but I like it now, it's a powerful color to
work with. In the style of American modernists
Georgia O'Keefe and Arthur Dove who also used nature
as sexual symbolism, for me this symbolizes the
female life force.
Peony Opening 96 x 66 cm (38 x 26 inches) Sumi ink, Gouache and Acrylic on Orange Washi
Peony Opening 96 x 66 cm (38 x 26 inches) Sumi ink, Gouache and Acrylic on Orange Washi
Walking In Between Sunrise And Sunset
SundayMay02 2010
I finished a painting this morning titled "Walking In
Between Sunrise And Sunset". The title comes from the
song "Living In Twilight" by The Weepies. I listen to
their CD whenever I'm in my car, it reminds me of my
daughter.
This painting is about the time my daughter went to the US to go to high school. I returned to Japan because I wasn't sure she would like high school there and I thought I should take care of everything in Japan just in case she returned. Not long after I returned I became sick and was in a lot of pain. I was happy at times my daughter was not there to see me like that and I couldn't have done anything to take care of her (If you've ever been in pain all you can think about is getting rid it). I fought to recover my health by the time my daughter returned for her summer vacation. That summer my daughter's favorite album was The Weepies' which we listened to often in the car.
If you look closely there is a mother and child standing in the landscape. I did wonder when I was laying in bed if I would ever recover and be able to take walks or enjoy life again. The days passed by blending into each other, the sun would rise and set and slowly I recovered.
I think of this as my daughter and I walking in between two countries also, Japan and the US. I am currently in Japan and my daughter is going to university in the US now. I wish there was a way we could magically meet somewhere in between.
Walking In Between Sunrise And Sunset 97 x 66 cm. (38 x 26 inches) Sumi ink, Gouache, Acrylic, Crayon and Pastels on Indigo Washi
This painting is painted on an Indigo colored Japanese paper. This is a close up.
This painting is about the time my daughter went to the US to go to high school. I returned to Japan because I wasn't sure she would like high school there and I thought I should take care of everything in Japan just in case she returned. Not long after I returned I became sick and was in a lot of pain. I was happy at times my daughter was not there to see me like that and I couldn't have done anything to take care of her (If you've ever been in pain all you can think about is getting rid it). I fought to recover my health by the time my daughter returned for her summer vacation. That summer my daughter's favorite album was The Weepies' which we listened to often in the car.
If you look closely there is a mother and child standing in the landscape. I did wonder when I was laying in bed if I would ever recover and be able to take walks or enjoy life again. The days passed by blending into each other, the sun would rise and set and slowly I recovered.
I think of this as my daughter and I walking in between two countries also, Japan and the US. I am currently in Japan and my daughter is going to university in the US now. I wish there was a way we could magically meet somewhere in between.
Walking In Between Sunrise And Sunset 97 x 66 cm. (38 x 26 inches) Sumi ink, Gouache, Acrylic, Crayon and Pastels on Indigo Washi
This painting is painted on an Indigo colored Japanese paper. This is a close up.
Enlightenment
SaturdayMay01 2010
Yesterday I finished a new painting which was done on
an indigo colored Japanese paper. Indigo is an
important color in cotton fabric dyeing in Japan and
traditional folk arts which is where I got the idea
for this painting. It is a rather stylized
composition of a landscape. I was thinking of
moonlight reflected on water and also the rock
gardens I saw in Kyoto. I like to think it has a
Zennnnn feeling. Titled Enlightenment.
"Enlightenment" 92 x 63 cm. (36 x 25 inches) Sumi ink, Gouache, Acrylic and Pastels on Indigo Washi.
"Enlightenment" 92 x 63 cm. (36 x 25 inches) Sumi ink, Gouache, Acrylic and Pastels on Indigo Washi.
Snake Bite
ThursdayApril22 2010
Here's a painting just for fun I completed today.
I've been doing all of these painting with swirly
circular shapes and was thinking about where we find
this shape in nature. This is a coiled snake with
it's mouth open. Can you see it? I painted this on a
very light, transparent white Washi paper. I was
surprised that the paper took the paint quite well
and is much stronger than it looks. We sometimes get
very big snakes that come down from the mountains in
my neighborhood.
Snake Bite 66 x 96 cm. (26 x 38 inches) Sumi ink, Gouache, Acrylic and Pastels on Washi (Japanese paper).
Snake Bite 66 x 96 cm. (26 x 38 inches) Sumi ink, Gouache, Acrylic and Pastels on Washi (Japanese paper).
Moment Of Truth.
ThursdayApril22 2010
Landscape painting of Mt. Fuji completed today. Mt.
Fuji often has these saucer like clouds around the
summit. I've seen hundreds of Mt. Fuji paintings in
Japan, if fact there's a museum in a city at the base
of Mt. Fuji that is dedicated to art work of
Fuji-san. It's interesting to see each artist's
interpretation. It isn't important to be realistic,
Mt. Fuji is a powerful symbol. The title is Moment of
Truth because in the last week I had such a moment
which caused a bit of chaos but truth is power don't
you think?
Moment Of Truth 93 x 64 cm. (37 x 25 inches) Sumi ink, Gouache, Acrylic and Pastels on Washi (Japanese paper).
A few pictures I got off the internet to show you what I'm talking about.
Moment Of Truth 93 x 64 cm. (37 x 25 inches) Sumi ink, Gouache, Acrylic and Pastels on Washi (Japanese paper).
A few pictures I got off the internet to show you what I'm talking about.
Memory Pond
ThursdayApril22 2010
This is another version of the koi paintings I did at
the Vermont Studio Center. I start to feel hypnotized
when I'm looking at this.
Memory Pond 64 x 93 cm. (25 x 37 inches) Sumi ink, Gouache, Acrylic and Pastels on Washi (Japanese paper).
Memory Pond 64 x 93 cm. (25 x 37 inches) Sumi ink, Gouache, Acrylic and Pastels on Washi (Japanese paper).
Countess Olenska
FridayApril09 2010
This painting is a portrait of the fictional
character Countess Olenska from the novel "Age Of
Innocence". The figure in the background is me. It is
a self-portrait. I identify with the Countess, an
American who lived abroad and married a foreigner,
her attempts at returning to America, her marriage,
family and wanting to just find a place to fit in.
Countess Olenska and Me (Self-Portrait) 91 x 61 cm. (36 x 24 inches) Acrylic, Sumi ink, Gouache and Pastels on Washi (Japanese Paper).
Countess Olenska and Me (Self-Portrait) 91 x 61 cm. (36 x 24 inches) Acrylic, Sumi ink, Gouache and Pastels on Washi (Japanese Paper).
Earth Moving
SundayApril04 2010
I finished the last in a series of landscape
paintings on paper that I've been working on. I used
sumi ink, acrylic, gouache and pastels. To see them
in my painting gallery click HERE
"Earth Moving" 100 x 64 cm. ( 39x24 inches) Sumi ink, Acrylic, Gouache and Pastels on Japanese Paper.
"Earth Moving" 100 x 64 cm. ( 39x24 inches) Sumi ink, Acrylic, Gouache and Pastels on Japanese Paper.
Climax
TuesdayMarch30 2010
Finished another painting on Japanese handmade paper.
Because the paper is so beautiful I think of it as
another medium instead of just a base to paint on and
want it to show through in the painting. There are
actually many layers of paint on the paper which is
hard to see in a photo. I've also used metallic
paints so depending on the light and where you stand
the painting will change. Click here to see in my
painting gallery HERE.
"Climax" 62 x 100 cm. (24 x 39 inches) Sumi ink, Gouache, Acrylic and Pastels on Japanese Paper.
"Climax" 62 x 100 cm. (24 x 39 inches) Sumi ink, Gouache, Acrylic and Pastels on Japanese Paper.
Explosion
MondayMarch29 2010
"Explosion (Fuji)" 100 x 62 cm. (39 x 24 inches) Sumi ink, Gouache, Acrylic and Pastels on Japanese Paper.
Fireworks
MondayMarch29 2010
I finally started painting again. I'm doing a series
of paintings on handmade Japanese papers. The paper
is delicate so I'm painting simple compositions using
a variety of media. On this painting I used acrylic,
gouache, pastels and sumi ink. I'm starting with
landscapes. This is a sight I'm very familiar with
here... fireworks over mountains and water.
"Fireworks" 100 x 62 cm. (39 x 24 inches) Sumi ink, Gouache, Acrylic and Pastels on Japanese Paper.
"Fireworks" 100 x 62 cm. (39 x 24 inches) Sumi ink, Gouache, Acrylic and Pastels on Japanese Paper.
Vermont Studio Center
TuesdaySeptember29 2009
September was a glorious month for me spent in
Vermont at the Vermont Studio Center in Johnson,
Vermont.
This is the very first picture I took there on a moonlit night. This is the main building where we would have our meals together with over fifty other visual artist and writers.
This is more what is looked like during the day. A bridge next to the center was being rebuilt creating a big mess and a lot of noise during my stay unfortunately.
It must be quite nice without the construction noise. I thought Vermont was indeed very picturesque. The Vermont Center is located in the very small town of Johnson, Vermont
This is main street. You could walk anywhere in 5 minutes.
This has got to be one of the prettiest elementary schools I've ever seen in spite of the run down condition of the sign. I took this picture because in Iowa where I grew up the state motto is "A Great Place To Grow" what a coincidence!
Absolutely beautiful with the fall colors.
This is the house I lived in.
As you can see it's rather spartan with a combination of homemade and junk yard furniture. These houses were really old.
This was my studio.
This is my second studio. I worked on a series about the carp pond in pastels. I had never used pastels before.
Outside of my second studio named the Wolf Kahn studio.
I did manage to get out on a few hikes with friends to admire the view.
There was a river next to the center we enjoyed. The water was quite clear. Most of the time I was there we had beautiful weather with only a couple of rainy days.
About 30 minutes from the center was The Trapp Family Lodge where the Von Trapp family, made famous in The Sound Of Music, settled.
I had to see it. It's in a very beautiful area in the mountains. I would love to stay here in October when the fall colors are at their peak. I also managed to go to Montreal and saw a wonderful exhibit of a French Canadian artist none of us heard of before named Betty Goodwin. Her work really impressed me. She worked in every medium, it was amazing.
(Left) The Red Sea (Right) So Certain I Was, I Was A Horse
These are two huge works of hers done on paper.
I also managed a trip to Burlington, Vermont and took a ferry boat ride on the 6th largest lake in the USA, Lake Champlain. This was one of the most memorable days I had in Vermont.
I took many pictures of this beautiful lake and a movie. In the movie you'll see a sailboat lesson.
At The Vermont Studio Center. I decided to work outside of my comfort zone and try a new medium. I'm getting tired of oil on canvas. The reason I chose the subject of fish is because I didn't want to think so much about subject matter while I experimented with pastels. Water is also an interesting subject to me. It has movement, shadow, light, color, depth, it can be opaque or translucent. I would like to explore the subject of water more. To see my Koi series please go to my paintings page or click here > Koi series
This is the very first picture I took there on a moonlit night. This is the main building where we would have our meals together with over fifty other visual artist and writers.
This is more what is looked like during the day. A bridge next to the center was being rebuilt creating a big mess and a lot of noise during my stay unfortunately.
It must be quite nice without the construction noise. I thought Vermont was indeed very picturesque. The Vermont Center is located in the very small town of Johnson, Vermont
This is main street. You could walk anywhere in 5 minutes.
This has got to be one of the prettiest elementary schools I've ever seen in spite of the run down condition of the sign. I took this picture because in Iowa where I grew up the state motto is "A Great Place To Grow" what a coincidence!
Absolutely beautiful with the fall colors.
This is the house I lived in.
As you can see it's rather spartan with a combination of homemade and junk yard furniture. These houses were really old.
This was my studio.
This is my second studio. I worked on a series about the carp pond in pastels. I had never used pastels before.
Outside of my second studio named the Wolf Kahn studio.
I did manage to get out on a few hikes with friends to admire the view.
There was a river next to the center we enjoyed. The water was quite clear. Most of the time I was there we had beautiful weather with only a couple of rainy days.
About 30 minutes from the center was The Trapp Family Lodge where the Von Trapp family, made famous in The Sound Of Music, settled.
I had to see it. It's in a very beautiful area in the mountains. I would love to stay here in October when the fall colors are at their peak. I also managed to go to Montreal and saw a wonderful exhibit of a French Canadian artist none of us heard of before named Betty Goodwin. Her work really impressed me. She worked in every medium, it was amazing.
(Left) The Red Sea (Right) So Certain I Was, I Was A Horse
These are two huge works of hers done on paper.
I also managed a trip to Burlington, Vermont and took a ferry boat ride on the 6th largest lake in the USA, Lake Champlain. This was one of the most memorable days I had in Vermont.
I took many pictures of this beautiful lake and a movie. In the movie you'll see a sailboat lesson.
At The Vermont Studio Center. I decided to work outside of my comfort zone and try a new medium. I'm getting tired of oil on canvas. The reason I chose the subject of fish is because I didn't want to think so much about subject matter while I experimented with pastels. Water is also an interesting subject to me. It has movement, shadow, light, color, depth, it can be opaque or translucent. I would like to explore the subject of water more. To see my Koi series please go to my paintings page or click here > Koi series
A Walk In The Woods
FridayMay22 2009
I have finally finished my painting "A Walk In The
Woods" and it has changed quit a bit from the
original painting. It looks like a storybook now, I
thought the original looked like a Hallmark card. My
daughter and her boyfriend were the models.
A Walk In The Woods 2009 (i went for a walk in the woods i was hoping i would see you on the trail coming towards me)
A Walk In The Woods 2009 (i went for a walk in the woods i was hoping i would see you on the trail coming towards me)
Butterfly Wings
TuesdayMay05 2009
I have been working on colorizing my painting
"Butterfly Wings". If you compare it to the original
painting you can see I took out some of the writing.
I felt there was just too much going on down there.
The color is making them less gloomy... I think.
Butterfly Wings, Jacko VS. Madge 2009
The before "Butterfly Wings".
Butterfly Wings, Jacko VS. Madge 2009
The before "Butterfly Wings".
Angel Eyes
ThursdayApril23 2009
I decided to colorize my Pop Klub series after
careful consideration. This might be a good sign for
me. When I first moved to America I went through a
terrible period of culture shock because my life
style changed dramatically and now that my daughter
is almost eighteen years old and will graduate high
school, we will both be going through another change
as she declares her independence and I start to think
more about my own life. Angel Eyes is a portrait of a
young girl with striking blue eye.
Angel Eyes, Portrait Of A Young Girl 2009
Angel Eyes, Portrait Of A Young Girl 2009
P-klub
MondayFebruary09 2009
I have finished three new paintings influenced by
Japanese Purikura ( digital photobooth pictures ). I
decided to name this series P-klub meaning pop club.
They are influenced by Japanese and American pop
culture. Using only three colors in these paintings,
red, white and black, one of these colors is
predominate in each painting. In the first painting
titled "Angel Eyes" the dominate color is white.
White symbolizing purity, this is a portrait of
innocents.
Angel Eyes, 30 x 40 inches, Acrylic and oil on canvas. 2009
In The second painting titled " A Walk In The Woods" the dominate color is red. Red symbolizing love and passion. This is a portrait of two lovers.
A Walk In The Woods, 30 x 40 inches, Acrylic and oil on canvas. 2009
In the third painting black is the dominate color. Black symbolizes emptiness in this painting. It is a portrait of the dark side of pop culture. This painting is a comment on the over use of plastic surgery to attain perfection.
Butterfly Wings, 30 x 40 inches, Acrylic and oil on canvas. 2009
Angel Eyes, 30 x 40 inches, Acrylic and oil on canvas. 2009
In The second painting titled " A Walk In The Woods" the dominate color is red. Red symbolizing love and passion. This is a portrait of two lovers.
A Walk In The Woods, 30 x 40 inches, Acrylic and oil on canvas. 2009
In the third painting black is the dominate color. Black symbolizes emptiness in this painting. It is a portrait of the dark side of pop culture. This painting is a comment on the over use of plastic surgery to attain perfection.
Butterfly Wings, 30 x 40 inches, Acrylic and oil on canvas. 2009
We Are Best Friends
ThursdaySeptember11 2008
September 12th
I'm very happy today because on top of preparing for a long trip to America and getting all my documents together and going to doctors and so on I was able to finish another "purikura" painting ( for explanation click August 2008 in the left hand column) in a fairly short amount of time. I'm not sure when I will be painting again because I will not be able to take anything with me and will be very busy but hopefully soon.
Titled: We Are Best Friends
I'm very happy today because on top of preparing for a long trip to America and getting all my documents together and going to doctors and so on I was able to finish another "purikura" painting ( for explanation click August 2008 in the left hand column) in a fairly short amount of time. I'm not sure when I will be painting again because I will not be able to take anything with me and will be very busy but hopefully soon.
Titled: We Are Best Friends
Purikura
FridayAugust29 2008
August 29th
Purikura (print club)
I'm painting again and I have started to paint a series of paintings that will be influenced by Japanese pop culture. When my daughter meets her friends they always go to a digital picture sticker booth which is vastly superior to the old photo booths I would go to when I was young. The picture sticker booth was invented in Japan, these pictures are called "purikura" which is derived from the English words "print club". You have the ability to change the lighting, the backdrops, add your own writing or add special effects, this is all decided within a few minutes. My daughter always shows me her new purikura and I'm fascinated by these tiny pictures and the designs and colors that she and her friends make, what a wonderful memory of being young and hanging out with your friends.
This is my interpretation of purikura, it has a very flat, stylized background surrounding the figure with a message written into and part of the design in a innocent child-like manner. I have combined modern with traditional, which I often do, with the waves right out of a Japanese wood block print. This is just the first experiment hopefully they will improve. Titled "His Dream Is My Nightmare"
I love the beach but I have a fear of being in the ocean it's my nightmare. The ocean is deep dark water full of scary creatures that will eat you. When we went to Guam I was walking in water only up to my knees and screaming to get out. I may have permanently damaged my daughter too on this matter hopefully she will overcome her mother's fears and be a far more adventurous person than I am.
Purikura (print club)
I'm painting again and I have started to paint a series of paintings that will be influenced by Japanese pop culture. When my daughter meets her friends they always go to a digital picture sticker booth which is vastly superior to the old photo booths I would go to when I was young. The picture sticker booth was invented in Japan, these pictures are called "purikura" which is derived from the English words "print club". You have the ability to change the lighting, the backdrops, add your own writing or add special effects, this is all decided within a few minutes. My daughter always shows me her new purikura and I'm fascinated by these tiny pictures and the designs and colors that she and her friends make, what a wonderful memory of being young and hanging out with your friends.
This is my interpretation of purikura, it has a very flat, stylized background surrounding the figure with a message written into and part of the design in a innocent child-like manner. I have combined modern with traditional, which I often do, with the waves right out of a Japanese wood block print. This is just the first experiment hopefully they will improve. Titled "His Dream Is My Nightmare"
I love the beach but I have a fear of being in the ocean it's my nightmare. The ocean is deep dark water full of scary creatures that will eat you. When we went to Guam I was walking in water only up to my knees and screaming to get out. I may have permanently damaged my daughter too on this matter hopefully she will overcome her mother's fears and be a far more adventurous person than I am.
Portrait Of Mimi
FridayMay30 2008
May
30th
Daughter's Portrait
Finished a portrait of my daughter today. She became seventeen years old this month. Before my daughter started high school in America she wanted to put some pink strips of color in her hair. She could never do this and go to high school in Japan most schools have very strict rules, no dyed hair, no makeup, no jewelry etc... So I couldn't blame her for wanting to have a little fun. The schools in Japan can go too far like making a student with naturally brown hair dye it black or if the student has naturally wavy hair like my daughter they question her like she committed a crime because perms are against the rules. Conformity is the driving force behind these rules and I think it is stressful for the students sometimes. She likes her American high school better but she misses her Japanese friends.
In the background of this painting you can see a small picture of my daughter when she was seven years old. In Japan there is a special religious ceremony performed at the shrine for girls at this age. They usually wear either a kimono or a party dress. I wanted to compare the difference between the ages of seven and seventeen. Also in the background you can see my eyes and our dog Emma watching Millei grow up. The rose symbolizes my love for my daughter.
Daughter's Portrait
Finished a portrait of my daughter today. She became seventeen years old this month. Before my daughter started high school in America she wanted to put some pink strips of color in her hair. She could never do this and go to high school in Japan most schools have very strict rules, no dyed hair, no makeup, no jewelry etc... So I couldn't blame her for wanting to have a little fun. The schools in Japan can go too far like making a student with naturally brown hair dye it black or if the student has naturally wavy hair like my daughter they question her like she committed a crime because perms are against the rules. Conformity is the driving force behind these rules and I think it is stressful for the students sometimes. She likes her American high school better but she misses her Japanese friends.
In the background of this painting you can see a small picture of my daughter when she was seven years old. In Japan there is a special religious ceremony performed at the shrine for girls at this age. They usually wear either a kimono or a party dress. I wanted to compare the difference between the ages of seven and seventeen. Also in the background you can see my eyes and our dog Emma watching Millei grow up. The rose symbolizes my love for my daughter.
Air Of Loneliness
FridayMay23 2008
May
23rd
Air Of Loneliness
I will be changing domain hosts soon so my site may be disrupted for a day. I have also joined a new art gallery site : spraygraphic.com
I also finished the fourth painting in the "Lily Pond" series, the title of this painting is "Air Of Loneliness" . I was only planning to do four paintings in this series, it is inspired by the book "Snow Country" written by the first Japanese writer to win the Nobel Prize, Yasunari Kawabata who is believed to have committed suicide. "Snow Country" explores themes of loneliness and the possibility of love. To learn more go to my paintings-lily pond series page.
Air Of Loneliness
I will be changing domain hosts soon so my site may be disrupted for a day. I have also joined a new art gallery site : spraygraphic.com
I also finished the fourth painting in the "Lily Pond" series, the title of this painting is "Air Of Loneliness" . I was only planning to do four paintings in this series, it is inspired by the book "Snow Country" written by the first Japanese writer to win the Nobel Prize, Yasunari Kawabata who is believed to have committed suicide. "Snow Country" explores themes of loneliness and the possibility of love. To learn more go to my paintings-lily pond series page.
Self-Portrait
TuesdayMay13 2008
May
13th
Disheveled Middle Aged Woman
Another week, another painting. I finished a self-portrait, I haven't done a self-portrait since my college days and I haven't done a portrait of anyone for at least twelve years. The last portrait I painted was of my daughter when she was four years old. I added this painting to the end of my "Ten Masks" movie. I think it looks like me except maybe ten years younger. It's hard to paint all the wrinkles.
I'm wearing my bathrobe and pajamas because I've been wearing them so much do to health problems and I guess they are my favorite clothes. The mask I'm holding is the Noh mask for a disheveled middle aged woman.
Disheveled Middle Aged Woman
Another week, another painting. I finished a self-portrait, I haven't done a self-portrait since my college days and I haven't done a portrait of anyone for at least twelve years. The last portrait I painted was of my daughter when she was four years old. I added this painting to the end of my "Ten Masks" movie. I think it looks like me except maybe ten years younger. It's hard to paint all the wrinkles.
I'm wearing my bathrobe and pajamas because I've been wearing them so much do to health problems and I guess they are my favorite clothes. The mask I'm holding is the Noh mask for a disheveled middle aged woman.
Freshly Pealed
MondayMay05 2008
May
5th
Freshly Pealed
I surprise myself today by actually keeping to my plan to finish at least one painting a week. I finished the third painting in the "Lily Pond" series. The first two paintings were very stylized, influenced by an antique kimono design. What I like about this painting is that it has more of a feeling of real water and the reflection of clouds. My daughter likes the fishes' mouths.
Freshly Pealed
Freshly Pealed
I surprise myself today by actually keeping to my plan to finish at least one painting a week. I finished the third painting in the "Lily Pond" series. The first two paintings were very stylized, influenced by an antique kimono design. What I like about this painting is that it has more of a feeling of real water and the reflection of clouds. My daughter likes the fishes' mouths.
Freshly Pealed
Milky Way, Soft Happiness
WednesdayApril16 2008
I'm finally painting again after many health problems
caused by a prescription drug. I will never take a
drug without googling it again! I've been dealing
with one problem after another for the last seven
months and have to go to a pain clinic every week. I
think I finally finished this painting, it took me
months.
Milky Way
April 28th
Soft Happiness
Finished the second painting in the Lily Pond series in one week. It's my goal to finish one painting a week till my daughter returns for summer vacation in June. I have my doubts I will be able to do this but.. I'll give it a try. I am planning to do four paintings in this series.
Soft Happiness
Milky Way
April 28th
Soft Happiness
Finished the second painting in the Lily Pond series in one week. It's my goal to finish one painting a week till my daughter returns for summer vacation in June. I have my doubts I will be able to do this but.. I'll give it a try. I am planning to do four paintings in this series.
Soft Happiness
Ten Masks
FridayFebruary01 2008
in sunlight and shadows... in moonlight and candles... ten masks
Japanese artists would paint screens to be viewed in different lights.. in sunlight, in shadow, in moonlight and in candlelight. Or so I read in a magazine at the beauty parlor, you never know where the big ideas will come from. All of the mask paintings have the same basic composition, the mask and horizon line is positioned in the same place, the features of the face all measured to the same dimensions. The difference is light and shadow and how it can fall on a face and change the expression. I thought it would be challenging to use a mask to express feelings, hiding behind the mask... our true emotions.
I got the idea for the mask series many years ago. I painted the first mask painting maybe sixteen years ago. Then I had a baby and built a house, I did not paint during this busy time.And then a series of unfortunate events in my life left me feeling lost. I decided to have an exhibit, painting would be my therapy. I never forgot about the mask painting and decided to repaint it. It started with despair where many journeys of discovery begin, rock bottom. As I would finish one painting the next one would appear like a vision. I finished all ten paintings in an eight month period and had an exhibition. I completed other paintings but nothing has meant more to me.I recently dusted them off and decided to make a movie useing my new art tool, the computer, to give them a new life.
The "Mask" series is inspired by the Japanese Noh theater. Noh is a kind of symbolic drama, the actors perform while wearing masks. It's themes concentrate on human destiny rather than events. It is performed on a very simple stage, and it has developed into a highly stylized art.
Rather than explain the meaning of every symbol in the paintings, I like to hear how the viewers interprete them themselves.
I was very surprised when I had an exhibit that two television stations and a newspaper reporter showed up for interviews since I am a complete nobody. During my exhibit, people kept trying to touch my paintings to see if they were really flat...I kid you not! I even caught two middle aged women scratching one to see if it was a pastel, luckily not or it would of been damaged. It was strange, this behavior was most disappointing to me and I felt like I was on guard at a museum during the exhibit. I have been discouraged to have another exhibit since.
I did enter one painting (5 love) in a juried art exhibit at a big important museum in Tokyo and the judge wrote me a lovely note about making the roses more realistic. I did appreciate that he took the time to write me some words of encouragement, even though I felt he missed the point that my paintings are not about realism. Isn't it obvious? My painting was also returned deliberately defaced, in such a way that it could only of been deliberate. Someone put a red dot on the forehead like they do in India, a third eye. Someone's idea of a joke I suppose though I didn't find it very funny and I detest unprofessional behavior. After that I pretty much gave up on exhibits in Japan.
I did try to exhibit in America and thought it would be great to exhibit with a real mask artist. I asked a few and they politely turned me down. Too expensive without a sponsor and they were right , these things should not be entered into lightly and would anyone really show up to make it worth the effort? So I gave up on that too.
I use to have the whole collection hanging on the first floor of my house but Japanese children found them so scary that sometimes they would even burst into tears ( again I'm not kidding ) so I kind of gave up on that and they are now hanging in a secret location.
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The "Mask" series was inspired by the Japanese Noh Theater. To learn about Noh please try this site:
http://jguide.stanford.edu/site/noh_428.html