Going to Deep North

I took wedding anniversary trip to Tohoku (north eastern Japan) with my husband.
I think that Tohoku is world of mistery for those who was born in western Japan.
It really was wonder land for me!

結婚記念日に夫と東北へ旅行しました。
私のような西日本出身の人間にとって東北は魅惑の地です！

a museum in snow
Aomori Museum of Art
雪の中の美術館ｰ青森県立美術館

"Aomoriken" by Yoshitomo Nara
奈良美智さんの「あおもりけん」

This whole travel was by train, which made this trip very exciting.
We especially enjoyed Gono Line which runs along the coastal line of Aomori through Akita to feel that we were on roller coaster.

今回の旅行は全部鉄道で移動。とっても楽しかったです。
特に青森から秋田の海岸沿いを走る五能線。
まるでジェットコースターのようでした。

runs very close to the beach
海岸沿いを走ります

view from the window of tthe train
列車からの眺め

Too close to water!
水面に近すぎる！

Tuna's filleting event
マグロの解体ショー

performance of Tsugaru Jamisen
津軽三味線演奏

Filing Tax Return 確定申告の季節

In Japan, it is time for annual tax return.
Some people may think that artists never keep books and record, but we do.
Actually being an artist is just self employed business, so we do all administrative duties that every sole proprietorship should do.

Help!

I have already done with inventories; canvas, brushes, paints, frames, works in progress, etc.
However I am very slow learning accounting and writing all these documents gives me headache every year　:-( .
A plus B minus C should be... No, it shouldn't be... Oh, I hate it.


確定申告の季節になりました。
芸術家は帳簿付けなどしないと思っておられる方もおられますが、絵描きと言っても仕事なので、自営業者のすべき事務作業は全部することになります。
既に棚卸は終了-(キャンバス、筆、絵の具、額縁、仕掛品などです)
でも私は会計の物覚えが悪いので、こうした書類を書くと毎年頭痛がします。(´＿｀｡)
A＋Ｂ－Ｃは。。。。いや、そんなはずはない。。
ああ、めんどくさい。

Snowy Day

The heaviest snowfall in the last 7 years in Tokyo metropolitan area!

Half melted snow before noon
昼前に雪が溶けてきました

I was locked in yesterday (which actually became good excuse to spend a lazy day, though...), but need to go to my gallery today for delivering commissioned work.
So I got into my closet and found my old snow boots I bought for ski 10 years ago! 

Long time no see.

How nice! :-))) It is very comfortable to walk on icy streets holding a big package of paiting under my arm.
My little idea. Do you know that a piece of bubble wrap placing in the shoes keeps your feet very warm? Nobody will know that you are standing on a packing material, but it really works on a cold day. Just try!

首都圏が7年ぶりの大雪になりました。
昨日は一日中家に閉じ込められたのですが（←怠けるための言い訳。。。）、今日は作品を画廊さんに持っていくため外に出なくてはなりません。
それで押し入れの中を探して取りだしたのが、10年前スキー用に買ったスノーブーツ！
絵の箱を抱えて雪道を歩くのにとても快適でした。
これは小さなアイデアなのですが、梱包用のプチプチシートを靴の底に敷くと暖かいのをご存知ですか？寒いに日は良いですよ。試してください（＾＾）


 

Relaxing time with "Les Misérables"

Finally ( i should say so?), bought a whole series of "Les Misérables" ! (Japanese version, no doubt )(^ ^)
I also bought a expository book entitled "106 stories of Les Misérable"by Shigeru Kashima；It has a lots of beautiful illustrations by wood engraving, so makes me much easier to understand the whole story as well as the social landscape and religeous views of France at that time. 
Probably　I would not read through without this text. Wonderful book!

inside of expository book

As with many foreign literature, "Les Misérables" start with long introductionary part which sometimes seems nothing to do with the main story; I am now reading the life of a catholic priest who later helped the main character Jean Valjean, although his name has not even been mentioned yet.
Still far to go, but I am planning to read all of them during holiday season.

In addition, I will go to the movie "Les Misérables" with my husband tomorrow. Already reserved the best seats in the theather. Sounds too much? Maybe, but this is my fad in this winter.


ついに。。というか、「レ・ミゼラブル」全巻を買いました！(もちろん日本語版です＾＾）
ついでに鹿島茂氏の解説本「レ・ミゼラブル　百六景」も。
こちらは木口木版の挿絵が沢山載っていてとてもきれいです。当時のフランスの社会情勢や宗教観が説明されているので、物語がより分かりやすくなります。
この本が無かったら私は多分完読できないでしょうね。
大抵の海外文学がそうであるように、「レ・ミゼラブル」も導入部分が長い！今読んでいるのは、あらすじには殆ど関係無いような神父の生涯の箇所で、主役のジャン・バルジャンを助けることになるのですが、まだジャン･バルジャンの名前さえ出てきません。
まだまだ先は長いですが、年末年始の お休みの間に読むつもりです。

明日は夫と映画の「レ・ミゼラブル」に行く予定。既に席を予約しました！
ちょっとやり過ぎ？でもこれがこの冬のマイブームです。

New Surroundings

It had been my happy routine for a long time to enjoy a nap after lunch.
It is now but a dream of the past since I moved here; Backyard of my new house is facing to the playground of a junior high school, and therefore, my naptime came to be disturbed by the chimes which ring every fourty minutes to announce the start/end of the classes. Ummmm..

The chimes, however, is useful for me, too; It tells me when to start working and when to take break. It regulates my studio hours.
I also love to hear the students chanting "Fight, Fight" or "Go for it" etc. while PE class or club activities in the playground. Sometimes their practice starts as early as  eight in the morning; It makes me realize that is also the time me to start working or housekeeping (sometimes)  leaving PC.
Although some artists hate to be tied down to clock, I like this way of working a little more than a little which my new environment affords me.  At least, it prevent me to become lazy.
Sorry for my poor English, as always.(^^)

ランチの後の昼寝は私の長年の幸せな習慣でした（＾＾）
しかしこちらに越してからというもの、それは過去の夢になりつつあります。というのも、新居の裏が中学の校庭に面していて、授業の開始や終了を知らせるチャイムが４０分ごとに聞こえて、昼寝の時間が邪魔されるからです。
でも、チャイムというのは便利なもので、いつ作業を始めるか、いつ休憩するかを知らせてもくれるので、アトリエでの時間が規則正しくなります。
それに私は校庭から聞こえる体育の時間やクラブ活動の掛け声を聞くのが大好きなのです。中学生の練習は早いときは朝８時から始まるので、それに併せてわたしもパソコンから離れてアトリエ作業やらを始めます。
アーティストの中には時間に縛られるのが嫌いな人もいますが、私はこういう仕事の仕方が嫌いではありません。少なくとも怠けないようにしてくれますから。

Getting Into High Summer

Still working on two paintings day-by-day basis.
Rainy season has ended and we should prepare for high summer.

Added pale blue and green.
I hope to present air of early summer sunlight.
Need to be painted in layers after layers.

Chrysanthemum #4
Still thinking about background colors.

My body is getting used to studio life without air conditioner.
I am happy that I can save power and bill at the same time.
Oh, but it is really hot! Saying "it's hot" makes me feel hotter!
The only problem to turn on air conditioner is that worsen my poor blood circulation.
However I still like hot summer like summer.
This is the season that we can appreciate the breath of air.
Plus it is the time for fire works, lantern festival, and among all, water melon(+beer after studio hours).
Let's enjoy!

暑いですね。いよいよ本格的な夏の始まりです。
２つの作品を交互に制作中。絵を描くのは意外に暑いので、汗だくになります。
でもクーラー病になりやすいのでこのほうが体にいいのかもしれないと諦めてキャンバスに向かっています。暑いですが夏は好きな季節です。
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New Canvases On Easel

Finishing three shows in a row in Osaka, I came back to my studio and started to prepare for new paintings for another one person show in Oct.

This is the first stage of the painting, in which I hope to depict early summer sunlight.
Painting in monochrome is like making a map to get clues for light values.  

Another chrysanthemum painting. I already have a blueprint of the finished work, but it usually does not end up as I see in my mind.

It is very hot and humid in Japan in this time of the year, as usual.
In addition, Japanese government is appealing for people to save electricity throughout the nation since we may be running out of power in midsummer this year due to the series of accidents of nuclear power plant in Fukushima, which has not been blown over yet.
Therefore, as many Japanese do, no wonder that I volunteer to refrain from using air conditioner in my studio and at home as long as I can.    
In order to develop my physical strength not to suffer heat stroke, I went to badminton practice this morning and played for 2 and a half hours, then ended up with awful muscle aches here and there.

大阪での一連の展覧会も終了し、次に向けての制作を少しずつ進めています。
1つ目の写真は「天の滴」シリーズの予定、２つ目の写真は今年から始めた菊の作品の予定です。
日本全体が節電モードなので、私もできるだけクーラーをつけないで頑張っています。
とにかく体力を。。。と思い、バドミントンの練習に行っていますが、この暑さでは熱中症になりそうな勢い。。今日は練習試合が多く、体中が筋肉痛です。とほほ。
.
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fearless artist

I wonder if there is any artist who does not feel fear when painting or sculpting.
Art making forces artists to face him/herself. Artists show the way how they see the life and the world through their works. It is not easy task not only in technically, but mentally.
I think it is impossible that whole process until a painting is finished is full of joy.  Same as in life, some ( I will say, most, in my case ) part of creating process is continuity of challenging, regretting, or depressing. 
Nevertheless, in front of work in process, artist have to find the way to get through, make it work.
Nothing in art making process can be done automatically; Artist are required to think, choose and execute. I think it is the best as much as worst part of art making.

In Japanese, there is a quote to be successful, "Un, Don, Kon".
Un means luck, Don means obtuseness, and Kon means persistence. No one will disagree that  luck and persistence are requisite factors for success, but how about obtuseness?
Here Don can be interpreted as a character to be foolishly honest and to devote oneself to one's responsibility and it also suggests that such nature can not be acquired by those who are too smart or too sensitive as always care about the situation around them.
Do you think that you are Don ?
Me? I am trying to be more Don and Kon, hoping to get more Un!

I bought it!

"The Rose of Versailles" is one of the most famous classic manga in Japan.
Japan Post Service has published commemorative stamp sheet featuring the manga.

As one of a big fan who was crazy about reading the comic when schoolgirl , I could not leave post office without buying a sheet.

top right: Oscar, down right: Marie Antoinette

Oscar,  who is actually a woman, was raised as a man by her father who expected a boy and succeeding his will, she had devoted herself to bodyguard Marie Antoinette, a queen of France.
But Oscar, witnessing misery of poor citizens, gradually cooperates and fights with them against the king and queen and arrogant aristocracy. Oscar, Antoinette, and their lovers are swallowed by the wave of French Revolution.....

This comic was created by Riyoko Ikeda in 1970's and made big boom in Japan. Many girls felt in love with Oscar and I was not a exception. After coming from school, I used to copy the portraits of every character and painted them with water color. Then I started to create my original manga stories. I regret that I lost all papers on which I draw them. Probably they were the first break which lead me to becoming to artist.

郵便局で「ベルばら」の記念切手を売っていたので、ついつい買ってしまいました。
子供の頃、熱狂的にむさぼり読んだ覚えがあります。
読むだけでは飽きたらず、オスカルやアントワネットの絵をマネして描いたりしました。
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quote for artist

While still struggling with painting chrysanthemum (I am about to forget the spelling of "chrysanthemum" due to long absence from writing!), I am reading art related books.

Here is quote of the day.

"The first few brushstrokes to the blank canvas satisfy the requirements of many possible paintings, while the last few fit only that painting - they could go nowhere else."  -David Bayles & Ted Orland. Art&Fear

Major quake and tsunami hit Japan- March 11, 2011

The highest level of earthquake struck Japan and big tsunami (tidal wave) crushed ashore in northeast coasts of the country. Nowhere in Japan is earthquake-free, but this one is the most severe quake in our history, not only in terms of its magnitude level of 8.9, but in terms of broad scope of the damaged area, of which nobody still do not know exactly.




Since yesterday, all media incl. TV, radio, internet news or even twitter are devoting enormous time and space into this disaster. I still cannot believe what is happening in front of us. I live in southeast part of Japan Island where fortunately was not directly hit by the quake, but am a bit confused and disquieted by all the news which release videos of the towns and towns ruined by tsunami and report the updates of the number of missing or dead people by every ten minutes.
Japan had massive M 7.3 earthquake in Kobe (The Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake) back in 1995 caused 5,600 deaths. Damages caused by the quake and tsunami this time will transcend that of Kobe and expand to the whole country including to the impact on our economy.
Same as in Kobe quake, the feeling of fear and confusion of people happens only after half day later from the event because nobody knows what happened or how big the damage was right after the quake, unless they live in the area directly attacked by it. Overnight into this morning, followed by a number of aftershocks, we still do not know whole picture of the damage. I heard that some coastal area of Russia, Taiwan, and Hawaii were also hit by tsunami. It will take several more days or weeks until we know the whole damages brought by the quake and tsunami.
All we know now is that whole country will need to help the suffered area and people, but contradictorily, we do not know what to do NOW. We just keep our eyes on what happens (and I hope that people who live outside of Japan or other damaged country will also do so), praying that as many people as possible will be saved from this terrible disaster. 

Troubles - It is part of artist's life

Came back from short trip to Tokyo. Before I went to airport to home, I stopped by an art supply store to buy some glassine papers. I bought  40 sheets (1016mm x 762mm, which is appx. 40"x 30")and they were so heavy! I knew that papers are generally heavy, but I did not expect that heavy because glassine  is very thin paper. I had shoulder bag and suitcase, both full of my clothes and portfolio of my work, etc., so I struggled with holding all of them and finally got to the airport. Then I got stopped at security check at the gate by an inspection officer who was suspicious about the long tube protected by thick covering paper and plastic bag. (although it actually included just papers..)  
I regretted that I should have bought the papers online.. should not have saved shipping cost.

Badminton Life

My enthusiasm for badminton has been growing up day by day.
Have I ever put myself into any sporting activities this much? Never!
As in my studio name "Pleiades" which is named after that I am taurus, my pattern of behavior and temperament is very much like that of cow; slow, stubborn and love to nap. 　
There are many local teams in my local city, from semi-professional level to kids' class.
Many teenagers also belong to their school team, where we hope turn out some national players for the Olympics.  My team is one of women's clubs of moderate performance.  Most of us are married women having domestic duties and job (and kids) in our both hands and enjoy exercising and of course a lot of chatting between our busy days.

We practice once a week in a gymnasium. I love this tiny gym, but actually the condition of it is awful... As you can see from the photo, it is only protected by one layer of wall and glass, and therefore conditions inside are directly influenced by the weather of the day. When it is sunny, it is like a oven, and if it is snow, the inside is cold like a fridge.  No curtain, no air conditioner. We had no choice because we did not have enough members and cannot afford a bigger space...
However, we are getting new members (actually I am one of the newbees) and our coach announced that she fill find another partner team to share the cost and space of the bigger gym ( with shower and locker rooms, air conditioner and curtains, for sure!) so that we can move out from here.
If it happens, we can play much more comfortably. I will pray for our play.

Oyster Day

Released from all the chores (including filing of tax return), I and my husband went to out for oyster for Saturday brunch. We live in a local city close to the sea, so there are many oyster bars where serve fresh oysters only between January and March. My husband made some research on the oyster bars while I was hardly pressed with those miscellaneous stuff. Oysters are my favorite winter food. I used to enjoy oyster festival when I lived in Oyster Bay in NY.

The oyster bar he chose was more like a cabin than a fancy restaurant. But people are waiting in line. Seems like to run by fishermen.

Inside of the restaurant is not very sophisticated but filled with people enjoying food and good smell of fresh oysters barbecued on each of their table.

oysters in shell and skewered devil fish (left)

Guests are supposed to grill oysters and other seafood on the wire net by themselves. They are given gloves, opening knife, and tongs (and even garbage bucket ) for barbecuing. This is very entertaining and fun to look at the oysters are opening.

yummy!

fried oyster with tartar sauce

Eating good food is always fun. I think having meals, wherever you live, whatever you eat, or whomever you are with, is the most important part of life. We eat to live. So I want to enjoy everyday meals as much as I can. Well...maybe you think this is just a excuse not to feel guilty to be a foodie. Yes maybe. Thinking such, I and my husband dropped by a pastry shop for dessert on the way back to home.   

Busy Days

All the deadline of my work, shows, and sending/packaging are coming at the same time.
Plus regular meeting of local community is also scheduled next week.
Help! Too busy! Business is really "busyness".
I am going to a movie "The Social Network" with my husband, taking time between the busy schedule.
It is snowing outside.

Stay Gold - elementary school reunion

I was gone to my hometown, Osaka, for a few days.
There are many galleries and museums in Osaka, and I wanted to visit some of them. But the biggest purpose of the trip was to participate in elementary school reunion for the first time in 35 years.

 

24 out of 44 who were in the same class for 2 years at the age of 11 to 12 got together for the reunion, plus our class teacher.
She (Ms.M) was very famous as the most strict teacher in our school and we were very scared (!) when it was announced that we were going to belong to her class. Indeed, she was very strict teacher. But, moreover, she is one of the best teacher I have ever met. I think all of my classmates will agree on that; While she was very strict on our behavior and always encouraged us to study hard (very hard!) by giving a lot of homework, she loved us more than anything. On sunny day, she often brought us to the riverside close to our school to play softball, throwing up the classwork (without getting permission of the school principal.)

In a small pub close to our school, we could not stop talking about our old memories. We felt like we are still 12-year old kids.
Everybody remembered very small details of the happenings in the class;  Who was the most mischievous boy and got it by Ms.M,  or who was the first love of whom, or what was the best school lunch, etc...
Each of us had good time and bad time in the past 30-something years. We grew up and became capable to look back the past objectively and look forward to the future with a hope which we still cannot see.  One of the classmate said, "If I can go back to the best time in my whole life, I will definitely want to go back to the boy when I was playing with you guys." I think most of us thought the same way. It was the golden age for us. We know we can't go back to that time, but also felt very certain that our reunion this time is the start of our new golden age which will last until we die.

Friendship in childhood is jewel; never loses its brightness. At the end, I especially want to thank a few of my friends, who planned this reunion a half year ago, and spent so much time and energy to find old friends (most of us left the hometown for a long time ago). It is quite something to do. We could not regain this friendship and have a opportunity to build new bond without their tremendous effort and quiet dedication.

Influenza - How to prevent a flu

The flu is going around throughout Japan.
We have type A, type B, and a new type. I do not know which one I got last week. My badminton mates were discussing (while practicing..) about how to prevent the flu.
It is commonly known that people over 60 do not get the flu because they are immune to the flue today, but according to a teammate, people who used to drink "Dassi Funnyu" also have less risk to catch the flu. "Dasshi Funnyu" can be literally translated as skim milk or fat-free milk, but in fact it is something that tastes much worse than those. Dasshi Funnyu, skim milk,  were brought to Japan after WWII by U.S. Government as a part of aid supply and they were provided to children as school lunch. We should appreciate the kindness of Americans, but... it seems that they did not care about its taste as much as its nutrition value..... So Dasshi Fyunnyu is regarded as synonym for slop food (sorry!) in old days. Anyway, it is considered that Dasshi Fyunnyu was supplied at Japanese schools mainly in 50's and 60's. Again, thanks to American, now it is said, whether it is just a rumor, Japanese who took the food in childhood may have less risk to catch the flu!
However, the best way is to prevent the flu is still washing hands and gargle throat.

I think Japanese is the people who like gargle most.　We gargle frequently, saying we might have a cold or the flu, or we have hay fever, or we feel dry throat. We gargle everywhere; in the bathroom at office, school, department store, or airport. Solt water gargle is the most common, but green tea is also used for gargling because it contains catechin which kills germs. Diluted iodin solution is popular, too. One of the amazing way to rinse out your throat perfectly is gargling from nose! You suck in the gargle water from nose and spit out from mouth. I tried once when I had very bad sore throat from the flu. I forgot the pain in my throat due to the  terrible feeling in my nose.
* But you may want to try (^_^) since it worked!

Japanese love Hawaii

My aunt called me last night. She has the sweetest personality; She tends to get hot in anything, so whenever she finds something new in which she becomes interested, she gives me a call to make me find more information on that. (She knows that I am good at googling.) It is a kind of fun to predict what comes next. She already quited a fan of Korean actor, then she started ( or I should say I started on behalf of her) a blog for networking with her younger friends and it has not been updated for 2 years. Then her interest had been focused on painting, which made her take three painting classes a week, but the passion of painting has ended when she had a group show with her classmates last summer. She always loves and enjoys her life too much to remember her age.
That aunt said that she will go to Hawaii with her husband and want me to find a good hotel and entertainments. It is nothing to make a small research on Hawaii, moreover, it is a pleasure for me doing that, because I love Hawaii.

quilt on progress

I went to Hawaii only twice. Since the first time I went there for honeymoon, I felt in love with the island. Blue sky, blue water, nice breeze, nice food, nice people...As most Japanese become so after the first trip to Hawaii, my life had been filled with Hawaiian stuff since then. Between busy painting and housekeeping routine, I went to Hawaiian quilting class and made pillows, blankets, or bags all with Hawaiian flower and animal designs. I still love time to sew the quilt while watching Hawaiian video.

I am trying not to write too long, however,...
I think that there are some points that why Japanese love Hawaii more than any other foreign lands; beautiful sea, good food, safety, good shopping place.... but most importantly, Hawaii is the the only part of the America where we can communicate in Japanese. In many places in Hawaii, we can communicate in our language and surprisingly we can even use Japanese Yen in many shops!
In 60's to 70's, it reminds me of a very popular TV quiz show on sunday night, in which the champion was awarded a trip to Hawaii.  Hawaii had been a Mecca for Japanese at the time when overseas traveling was not affordable.
Today, many Japanese can enjoy going overseas, wherever on the globe, but our communication in foreign language (i.e. English!) is still limited. So foreign land like Hawaii where we can enjoy exotic atmosphere without any worries about language, is just a paradise for us Japanese.
Hawaii is the best hybrid of Japan and the U.S.

 

Tomorrow is another day.

had bad flu and stayed in bed for whole three days, struggling with fever and chill.
My husband got speeding ticket on the way back from hospital.
Two light bulbs in our living room died at the same day.

Stiff shoulder

I have an appointment with massage therapy today.
This is a monthly treat for me. I have been suffered from discomfort in my shoulder and neck.

It is truly "pain in the neck"!

Since a couple of years, my shoulders often got stiff, so I have tried many things, such as massage, chiropractic, acupuncture, and yoga. Playing badminton is also to ease my shoulders.
After many trials, I came up the idea that I have to limit myself from using computer (in order to avoid to watch screen for a long time), and I have to get relaxed not only physically, but mentally; What I mean is that most of shoulder stiffness or bad blood circulation, at least in my case,  are caused by STRESS.
For years, I had too much to do, too much to concern, (sounds like a too modern women?)  and it seemed to me that all of them had deadline to be cleaned up. However, after I got serious headache from my shoulder and neck, I gave up the idea of "I must do this by that time".  I tried to do everything very slowly and not to worry about the time-line. Then I found that most things that I thought I must to do within a time-line were actually not needed to be done by that time. Hard pressure from time or responsibility were actually created by me. After I realize it, my shoulder stiffness is getting better, being relieved from tense.
Most Japanese are very strict on punctuality, and I know it made Japan to be productive efficient country, but probably we can be less productive. It may make us more creative.
Oops, I must run. It is appointment time with massage therapist. Appointment with someone is one of the exception that we have to be punctual.