Group Show in NYC

I am pleased to announce that I will be exhibiting at the WAH Salon Club Art Show in Williamsburg Art Center, New York starting from the end of this month.
Two of my recent paintings will be showcased for sale.
Opening receptioon: Saturday, January 25, 4–6 pm.
Exhibition date: Saturday, January 25 – Sunday, February 23, 2014
If you are in the neighborhood, please stop by!

今月末からニューヨーク市ブルックリン地区にあるWAHセンターでグループ展に参加します。

近作2点の油彩画を出品予定。
お近くに来られたら是非お越し下さい。

http://www.wahcenter.net/exhibits/2014/wahsalon/

Cerry Blossoms #1
21"x21", oil on canas

Light in Summer #2
24"x24, oil on canvas

Restoration Workshop

Autumn has suddenly come and I started to take a restoration workshop; I found a crack in a painting that I finished just three years ago. Gee...
But my optimism took it a good opportunity to learn restoration/conservation skills which I have been interested in for a long time.


Although knowing that the restoration is not easy to learn and its skill is of the professionals which needs substantial time and effort, I decided to acquire the skill for my own sake at least to the degree to be able to fix minor problems which may happen within several years after finishing painting; I thought it is one of the painter's responsibilities.

There are just a few such workshops in Japan, but luckily, I found a very good one run by a professional restorer just 30 min. from my house.

In this class, rabbit skin glue is used for fixing the crack and strengthen the canvas around it.

rabbit skin glue (left) and ox skin glue (right)
ウサギの膠と牛の膠

Double boiler for dissolving rabbit skin glue. Keep it 40-60C
湯煎で兎膠を溶かす。40度から60度に保つ

Paint with the dissolved rabbit skin glue to penetrate into the cracked area.
溶かした兎膠をヒビの入った場所にしみ込ませる

Continued....(maybe)

秋が突然やってきました。
数年前に描いた作品に小さなひび割れを見つけてしまいました。。。
でも楽観的に考えると、長年興味を持っていた修復技術を学ぶ良いチャンスです。

もちろん修復は簡単に学べるモノではなく、相当な時間を要するプロの技術だと分かっているのですが、 自分のために学んでみたい。少なくとも自分の作品の軽微な問題を解決する技術を身につけたいと思いました。（完成後数年以内の問題はやはり作者の責任だと思うのです。）

そんな講座は日本では数少ないのですが、家からわずか30分の所に、修復の専門家が運営する教室を見つけました。

ここでは、ひび割れを固定し、周辺のキャンバスを強化するために兎膠を使用しています。

（続く。。。。かも）

Recent Paintings

Just finished two paintings.
I am really pleased with this polka-dot-like style (which I call "drop " series) , although it takes long time and effort to create one.

新作の油彩画を2点。
制作に時間がかかるものの、この水玉模様（私は「滴（しずく）」シリーズと呼んでいる）のスタイルはとても気に入っています。

Studio shot.
アトリエの様子です。

Organising Prints 版画の整理

Picked up bunch of  my prints from old studio run by my friend while in Osaka.
These are color etchings I created in my 30's; I was worried that they were yellowing or damaged in some way because they were stored for a long time, but surprisingly, they were in perfect condition ! No yellowing, No molds! I assume that it is thanks to the quality of paper I used for printing: BFK Rives!

Sent all of those to my home at Yokohama, then started to reorganize them scattered all over the studio. It was a substantial amount of work; Start with sorting out by images, count them (the number of edition, artist proof and other proofs such as color trial proof), check which ones were sold to whom, which ones remain at my hand or which ones to be sent to gallery, input all the information to my PC, and then finally repackage them carefully with blown paper after wrapped with non acid paper.
Took me for three days!

大阪に滞在中に、大学時代の友人が運営する昔のアトリエに寄って版画を取ってきました。
長いこと保管していたので、黄変したりどこか破損しているかと心配していましたが、驚いたことに黄変もカビも全く無く、完全な状態で残っていました！
使用した紙（BFK　Rives）が良かったのだと思います。

横浜の自宅に全部送って、それからアトリエの床に散らばる作品を整理しました。これがなりの労働。まず種類毎に分類し、枚数（エディションの数、アーティストプルーフの数、カラートライアルプルーフなどの数）を数えます。それから何番を誰に販売したか、何番が手元にあるか、また何番をギャラリーに送るかを確認し、全ての情報をパソコンに入力します。
そして無酸性の紙で包んだ後、最後に茶紙で再度包装します。
まる３日を費やした仕事でした。

Recent Paintings

Again, it has been over a month(!) since last update.
But, I was working through those days. Not lying (^^).
Here are my recent paintings for commission.

Flowering Tree #4 （花咲く木　４）
oil on canvas, 53cm x 53cm (21"x 21")

Flowering Tree #5 （花咲く木　５）
oil on canvas, 53cm x 53cm (21"x 21")

又々、前回の更新から1ヶ月も経ってしまいました。
でも仕事はしていたんですよ。ほんとです。
上記は最新作。ご注文の油彩画です。

Looking for a style

My new challenge of 2013 is to paint ripples of water.
This isn't a easy task, but as many artists have done it successfully, I will try it out anyway.

2013年の新しい挑戦は「水の紋」を描くことです。簡単では無いですが、多くのアーティストが描いているので、とにかくやってみようと思います。

work in progress
試作中です。

Water has been one of the most interesting painting theme for me, but have never painted so far. So this is my first time to paint water.
So far, it got off OK, but a bit too much of impressionistic taste and color.
Although I like impressionist paintings, I want to create my own style as I did when developing drop painting series.
Sometimes it takes a few years to develop a style, sometimes months. So please warmly watch the growth of this new theme of my painting　 :-)

絵画制作のテーマとして、水を描くことに長いこと興味がありましたが、これまで描いたことはありませんでした。今のところまあまあの滑り出しですが、 ちょっと印象主義っぽすぎるかも。
印象派は好きですが、滴（しずく）シリーズで作ったように、自分のスタイルを作り上げたいと思います。一つのスタイルを作るのに数年かかることもあれば数ヶ月のこともあります。
どうぞこの新テーマの行方を暖かく見守ってください（＾＾）

New Studio

It is over two months since I posted last blog here.
Spending most of my time for packing/ repacking for moving, finally settled in my new home and studio!

 I feel very happy with this new studio; It is much more spacious than the old one, very clean and neat, equipted with new air conditioner, and;

 has a big storage room!!!
Inspiring room for creating artwork, don't you think so?

２ヶ月ぶりのブログ更新です。引っ越しの準備やら整理に追われていましたが、ようやく新しい家に落ち着きました。
新居のアトリエは前よりずっと広くとても快適。新品のエアコン付きです（＾＾）
それから大きな倉庫もあります！
制作活動にはずみがつきそうなアトリエになりました。

New Paintings

New paintings.

Flowering Tree #2, oil on canvas, 16"x16"(41cmx41cm)

花咲く木 No.2、キャンバスに油彩、41cmｘ41cm

Flowering Tree #3, oil on canvas, 16"x16"(41cmx41cm)

花咲く木 No.3、キャンバスに油彩、41cmｘ41cm

I derived the image from light reflections in flowering trees.
By outfocusing the actual image of the trees, I try to depict invisible things existing between the object (trees, in this case) and me.

花の咲いている木に注ぐ光の反射を描きました。
対象となるモチーフ（木）のイメージをぼかして描くことによって、対象と私自身の間に存在する目に見えない何かを表現しました。

My show at Tokyo

I know I am toooo lazy to be a blogger, but I hope to be better in updating all of my digital diaries of this blog and FB.
Here are the photos in my solo show in Tokyo in Oct.

ようやく。。。個展の様子をアップデートしました。
最新作を含め約30点の展示です。
期間中いろいろな人に会えて、またいろいろとやる気になりました（＾＾）

Drop painting series

Drop paintings on right, Chrysanthemum paintings on left, and mini pastels on table

Chrysanthemum painting series

exhibited approx. 15 oil paintings and 15 pastels.

The gallery is in the 1st floor of this unique building.

New Small Work Finished

Been lazy to update my blog.
During that blank period, I was spending most of my time in my studio for painting, in my room for reconstructing my website, and in a gym in my neighbor for playing badminton.

Untitled, oil on painting, 13" x13"

A Small painting is finished. I derived the image from light reflections in trees.
By outfocusing the actual image of trees, I try to depict things existing between the object (trees, in this case) and me.

a week before completion

first day of painting (a month ago)

  I used gesso for the first time, since I usually apply foundation white for underpaintig. Although it seems to absorb more oil from overlayers, gesso makes me easier to even the grains of canvas.
Painting is always repetitive play and experiment for me. I had never satisfied 100% with my any work. Maybe I should say, the very next day after I felt pretty positive about a work and completed with signing, I start to feel something is still missing. Will someday be coming  in the future that my satisfaction will continue for long?
Anyway, it is so nice to play badminton for refreshing.

This work can be viewed at my show in Tokyo in Oct.　(To be announced soon.)

小品の新作です。1枚描くのに行ったり来たりであれこれ時間がかかります。
なかなか100％満足する作品はできませんが、一歩一歩前進していきたいものです。
制作の合間には趣味のバドミントンで気分転換しています。
※上記作品は10月の東京での個展で展示いたします。（詳細は後日）

Pencil Drawing - Yellow Lilies

Lily is one of my favorite motives. I like lilies because of its variety of sizes, shapes and colors.
The pencil drawing below was yellow lilies with dark brown spots.

detail

"Lilies" 16" x 12 1/4" (41cm x 31cm)

I used to buy a small bunch of flowers at flower shop; when I feel down, when I want to work with light medium, or when no creative ideas come up in my mind and I do not have good motif in my studio.They certainly filled my empty hands and mind with comfort.
Many artist of all ages and cultures have dealt with flowers, and there are zillions of styles.
These days I do not deal with flowers as my painting subject, but I want to restart working with them, hoping to depict them in the style that only I can do.

Pencil Drawing - Rose Bouquet

I found some of my old pencil drawings. I created them almost 10 years ago, but because of the high quality of the paper, and good storage condition (i.e. proper temperature and moisture, no sunshine), they are not faded at all. I am happy that they remain perfectly same as the time I created them.

"Rose Bouquet" 16" x 12 1/4

 

detail

When I made these sketches, I was very interested in gardening. I lived in a small apartment by myself ( I was not married at that time) and maybe wanted something  to take care of.
I grew many kinds of plants and flowers in my little balcony. I continued to plant many including  mini-roses, daisies, anemones, tulips, etc, until I could not find any place to hung my laundries!
I watered them everyday before going to work and talked(!) to them when I came home. (I heard that talking to plants make them grow faster. Is that true?)　When they grew up, I took some into my room and sketched them.  It is my fond memories.
This was originally a potted mini-rose; One of my friend gave me when I moved in the apartment. As some of you may know, mini-roses does not live long; It usually gets sick and dies within 2-3 years after being planted. But I grew them from cutting over and over, it lived for 8 years.
I do not grow any plants now, but hope to do someday. I want to grow Japanese wild flowers and English roses together.


Work is available on ETSY


..

Until the rain stops

When it rains, I feel low, but have peaceful state of mind at the same time.
When it rains, I feel like to be allowed to stay in my little nest without feeling guilty.
When it rains, it washes away everything; dirty air, dust, or dirt.
Rain makes me plunge in thought silently.

After The Rain, oil on canvas, 46cmx53cm(18"x21")

When the rain stops, I have to go out to the real world; The world full of refreshed realities. The world brought back from the silence is a bit scary for me, but filled with ray of hope.
Waterdrops from the past wink off reflecting the sunlight, waiting for the time to be transformed into a new life.

Struggling with Art - Painting Sakura

Painting is not always fun. In fact, in most of time, painting is all about experiment, struggle, and depression (and sometimes a little bit of delight).
At this time like this, I feel how I can ever recognize myself as an artist, or why I decided to become an artist in the first place.

In front of this canvas, I had a full of ideas for colors and concept.
My planned motif for this time was (is?) Sakura, cherry blossom.
This is common motif for Japanese artist since Japanese love cherry blossom in spring from long ago. I am not a exception and so I tried to depict Sakura. Actually this is my third try to paint it.
However, painting Sakura is not easy for me. I am not drawing it representative way; I want to grasp the air of spring by depicting Sakura petals dancing in the wind.

All the effort I put in so far was in vain. On the canvas, all the pink and pale blue and brown paints are just scattered without any harmony. They are just breaking out here and there and I have no control on them. There is nothing worth I can show you today.
So I left the studio earlier yesterday. I will leave the painting until I can see it calmly and realize what to do with it.

Starting New Painting

It is always fun to start working on new canvas.

I am going to make some of clouds/sky series paintings and this is one of them.
On a canvas underpainted with a few layers of white and orchre, I made brief outlines with white paints,

then, applied pale blue and gray.
So far, so good.
I have no idea what it will be at this point as usual. It may be like daytime sky or that of dusk.
I will just allow my brush as it goes, and use any color as I feel right.
After few layers, the painting usually start to set up a situation for itself.
Until that happens, I just have to repeat my image trial with some colors and compositions, and  wait and see.

New Year, New Born Babies

One of my first assignment in this year is signing up the new works.

These are my new born twins I created in the last minutes of last year.

From my studio window, I can see sky every day.
One thing particular about sky/clouds in Japan I realized is that it is often very neutral and subtle in color. It is almost never real blue sky like that of California which I dreamed of when I was a child. For better or worse, sky above my head never be like that. I assume that moderate and humid weather here affects many things in me; my pallet colors, my personal character, or way of thinking.

Sky was not my motif until recently. It was not just my interest.
But since I moved to the present studio with big window facing to south, I started to see the subtlety of colors of sky and realized that many natural factors  affects them. The color is changed by just a minor factor in a minutes. I appreciate that ephemeral life of colors.

Available on Etsy soon.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/pleiadesstudio

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On the Origin of Species

One day I imagined how life started on the earth.
The earth was covered by just a lot of ultra-micro stuff , like dust, water vapor, virus, gases, etc.
They were combined by accident, fall apart again, and maybe re-united. I do not know how long it took. But finally they generated some seeds which fall onto ground, and became the origin of life. Small white spots in green are symbol of radiance of tiny life.
Thinking of such, I created some works.

In The Beginning #1

In The Beginning #2

In The Beginning #9

 "In the Beginning" is a series of oil pastel paintings based on my imagination for birth of life.
It is consisted of 15 painting and  I put the thought into each of them.
They are 17.5cm x 17.5cm (7"x7") small, so I tried to stay simple composition to depict in each painting. Also, I used lots of green colors since I think they are source color of vitality. I hope that they will inspire viewers' imagination on life.

ETSY
http://www.etsy.com/shop/pleiadesstudio

Back to Studio

It is first day of studio work of this year.
I have finished two paintings at the end of last year, so I can start with new canvas.

It is always makes me happy to start working on new white canvas. It is full of possibilities and ideas.
I have complete freedom of color and composition in front of blank canvas.(Of course!)
Until I finish first layer, I even think I am genius!
However, this happy dream does not last long...
After several layers, I lose such freedom and become tense; I start realize something is wrong in the painting, maybe tone of the colors or composition, but I do not know what to do with it. Full of frustration continues weeks or months.  I start to feel fear if I could ever finish the canvas in front of me. Then I change, paint again, and think, and re-change, re-painting , and re-think.... fall into a bottomless swamp.....

However, experience tells me that I can get out of it soon or later, sometimes with good outcome in which case I feel bliss of being an artist, and sometimes with a sense of futility in which case I resent myself for bad job.
I always judge my work is good or not. This is bad behavior of mine.
One of my mentor artist said to me that artist should not be judgmental on her own work and it is not she who judges the quality of the painting, but others having different views on that paining like audience, critic, or history will establish the value of it. So artist should not worry about if the finished work looks good or bad to herself. Since I hear that, I became to get out of my stress earlier than before.　I think that is a good phrase.

Studio Cleaning

my studio storage space

My year end cleaning project is in the final stage. I had a little break for Christmas, so I have to catch up my project schedule. I have my studio at home where filled with all kinds of art supplies and junks and need to be organized for my new canvases. Yes, I　ordered with an art supplier for a stack of canvases and am expecting their coming in the  beginning of next year. So I got another space at home for storage.

second storage

I moved some of giant canvases to my studio storage and am going to add another shelf in this room so that I can keep a lots of small canvases here. This room is very well ventilated and suitable for wet canvases. Artist needs a lot of space and this always create headache, since I and my husband move home once in every several years. However it is always nice feeling to wait new canvases coming. It is like you are waiting for babies yet to be born.

 

Secret Ingredient 2

It is always a major topic of debate between oil painters that what the best recipe of the medium.
My recipe is here;
Stand oil - 2parts
Linseed oil -2parts
Poppy oil -5parts
Dammar vanish -1part
This is stock medium and you need to add 1 to 3 parts of turpentine to the stock when you paint.
My work has sometimes very light/pale colors, so I am very careful about yellowing and aging and therefore using larger amount of poppy oil.
I am interested in your recipe and how do you ended up with the ingredient.
Do you want to tell me that?