Christmas tree

I went to Kyoto on business.  As soon as I arrived at the station, I recalled my young days.   I went to the university in Kyoto where I majored in English literature.  At that time, I wanted to be a writer or an artist.  But I was too immature to offer or present any works, or even came up with no ideas.  So one day I decided to be an interpreter to meet different people as far as possible to acquire knowlege, which I belived, would give me insights for artistic creation.

On this day, I was supposed to interpret about plant genetic resources, which sounds tough but the agriculture is the very first subject I worked on as an interpreter a long time ago.  Yet the more I'm into any art, the more I find difficult.   A week of cramming helped me little.   As a language specialist still I feel myself immature, which, I guess, shows in my paintings. 

Long Time No See

I've just come back to my blog page after a long silence.  I've kept busy moving out of the former flat to the current house in Himeji.  It's a 40 year-old house.

Yesterday, I joined the English class of my mentor for the first time in about 20 years.  The teaching material was a movie, Three Musketeers.

The encounter with him has totally changed my life.  I can communicate in English with ease.

My mentor, Ichay Ueda earned Master's degree in US and even taught English there.  He is also an aritist, a great composer.  One of his songs is titled Into the Light.

The link below is his song.

Unpublished Work

When I plan a solo show, I tend to paint a lot and choose those fit the best.  So there are so many paintings of mine never been shared to the public.  They are like neglected children.

A several years ago, I had no idea to share my works on Facebook or my website.    Brick and motor galleries or museums have been the only probable places to show my arts, which was what I had believed.  But now I've changed my policy; I paint and share at any opportunities available.

The painting below is titled, Skydiving, Acrylic and pastel on canvas, 13.5"x9.6", 2009

OnSugar Project

Marie Kazalia featured my works at OnSugar site.

Please refer to the link below.

http://artistmarketingresources.com/2014/06/19/limited-edition-prints-and-paintings-on-paper-our-first-onsugar-artists/

Two of my works, Heart Series are being featured at that site.  I can ship Giclee prints to customers.

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Move on

I'd been through one of the toughest time in my life; my mom's illness and death for the last 7 months.  My life had been full of sadness and depression.  But I believe that period was a gift for me; I was given the last time to share with my mom.  I learned to forgive her and myself and came to thank her from the bottom of my heart.

My mom didn't like me to be an artist in the beginning.  There had been conflicts between us sometime.  But looking back at my memories, she has been one of my good friends and teacher.  Her criticism has made me strong.  She influenced me a lot.

During the past 7 months, unexpectedly good things also happened.  I was interviewed through skype as an artist, selected to participate in the group show at the Ueno Royal Museum of Art, and featured in Bijutsutecho art magazine. 

My mom doesn't want me to cry for her anymore.  She wants me to move on.

The painting below is titled as, Heart 3, Acrylic and pastel on paper, 8.5"x11.5"

Bijututecho Art Magazine

I am so happy that one of my works has been introduced in Tokyo Art Navigation page of Bijutsutecho Art Magazine, 07,2014.

Site for a solo show

I've been wanting to have a solo show, however, I've not decided where I should have a show.  Also I have had several opportunities to have it, but because of family issue, my plan has been stalled.  A local gallery, galleries in Tokyo, or abroad?

An art consultant said, "There is no perfect show!"  I agree.  I should prioritize my needs, and consider budget including logistics.  Could  you give me any suggestions?  I'm open to any comments.

The picture below is the photo of one of my solo shows in the past

Heart: Memories

One month has passed since my mom was gone.  Our relations were not always good, but what I can remember are good memories.

I grew up in the suburb in Tokyo, and I used to play the small toy electric piano in the small house.  One day my mom bought me a very good piano and I started to have piano lessons.  She had save money for that.  I just can remember what she said, " I don't expect you to be a pianist, but I want to give you 'aesthetic sense'".  I didn't know that word, but now I understand that she wanted me to love art.

When I was four years old, my mom took me to her hometown, Himeji, her home is near the beach.  She took me to the beach.  That was the first time I saw the sea.  We gather shellfish, and my mom taught me their manes, picking them up one by one, spiral shell, pink-colored shell...  I saw a crab crawling on the sand.  I was too young to appreciate the beauty of nature, but what I saw was the natural uniqueness of creatures.

In March, two months before she passed away, we sowed seeds of a herb.  Now they have grown into vivid green leaves.  I put them into the soup of three of us, I and younger brothers.  

She had guided me where I am, to love art and nature.  The painting below is titled "Heart", it's about my memories of my mother.  Acrylic and pastel on paper, 8.5"x11.5"

The Ueno Royal Museum 2015

This is the photo of the art festival at O Museum, Shinagawa, Tokyo.  The rightmost one is mine.  I was selected to participate in the art festival at the Ueno Royal Museum in 2015.

Inspiration: Green Green Green

My mother passed away on May 6.  I had been taking care of her since last November and time has passed so quickly.  Now I miss her a lot.  

I thought that taking care of a parent was so tough, but I enjoyed spending time with her.  We celebrated New Year, her birthday, snowing, gardening, cherry blossom viewing, cooking, and so on.  I had not lived with her for so long so spending time with her was one of the precious memories of mine in my life.  

She had been strong and never cried, so I had been even encouraged and empowered by her.  I don't think I can be strong like her all the time.

She lived naturally and was gone peacefully just like cherry blossoms going.  But just like after cherry blossoms, there were a lot of greens around at the time she left.  As if she was telling us that she would be with us all the time.  I believe green is the symbol of life.  Even though she left from this planet, I choose to believe her spirit or life will be forever.

I painted the painting below, inspired by my beloved mom.  She was also an artist.  I dedicate this work to my mom.

Title: Green Green Green, Acrylic and pastel on paper, 13"x18", Kikuko Sakota, May 22, 2014.

Tokyo Art Navigation

I have been featured as this week's artist at Tokyo Art Navigation.

The below is the artist introduction by Editorial Department of Tokyo Art Navigation.  I translated it by myself.

We would like to introduce Kikuko Sakota this week.

Colors, colors, colors, rapid streams of colors, spreading all over the picture planes.  Her works are quite impressive with vivid colors such as rose pink, royal blue, lemon yellow and others.  The motives depicted with acrylics and pastels are not representative but the “color” itself in which the painter give her images and impressions.  Her style looks very attractive based on the strong painting method of abstract expressionism with feminine, rich, and delicate aesthetic sense. 
At the first glance her works were painted spontaneously and freely, however, overall, her works are carefully composed with the consideration to the color, form and brushstroke deployment resulting in lively vibration and harmony.  Viewers will receive positive powers from her paintings, surrounded by rhythm and harmony of colors.  Her works give us joy of looking at paintings and make us feel the basics of luxuriance of paintings.  We hope she will share with us the wonderful world of colors.  (Editorial Department, Tokyo Art Navigation)

The link of Tokyo Art Navigation is below.

https://www.facebook.com/TanCompe

Natural Magic

I'm enchanted by the changes of seasons.  After the cold winter, plants are growing, and flowers are blooming.  I'm amazed by the speed and strength of budding.

Even you live in the city, nature is everywhere.  Just take a moment, and take a glance, you can notice miracles of nature.  It's like a magic.

Title: Magician, Acrylic and pastel on paper, 13"x18"  Kikuko Sakota Art

Borders: Mail Art Exhibition

I am going to join a mail art exhibition : Borders, in Strasbourg, France.  I made works very casually.  The theme is given as "borders".  It all depends on how artists interpret it.

In the beginning, I tried to depict, "love and hate".  I just recalled the lyrics going, "there's a thin line between love and hate".  But this is not my thing.  I often give my thought to time and space. 

So I chose the title, "Past and Future".  I am often advised to live in this moment, because I tend to fret about the future.  If you worry too much about the future, you cannot enjoy "now".  If you just think too much, the present moment becomes meaningless "past."  I should learn to live in this moment.

I used watercolor, pencil and paper.

Cherry Trees

I took a walk along the river side.  There are a range of cherry trees at the both sides of the river.  Now cherry blossoms are in their full bloom.  It's spring.

The cherry blossoms live short and vulnerable to the rain. When they die, they don't die on the branches slowly but quickly thier flower petals leave from the branches.  So we try to capture its blooming while thier are in bloom before dying.

Also waiting for the blooming of  cherry blossoms gives us hope while we are cold winter season.  But we forget about them once flowers are gone.

I wonder how old this tree is.  Cherry trees definately live longer than us.  I wonder, if trees had sprits, whether they are wathing our human behaviors.

Group Show

I'm going to participate in an art festival at O Arg Museum in Tokyo from April 5 to April 9.

Hope you will join us.

Jazz and Painting

I like the spontaneity and ad lib of jazz.  They are unpredictable. 

The painting below is the one that I attempted to depict jazz music.  I tried to depict its spontaneity with the movement and directons of brushstrokes.

Installtions of Paintings And A 3D Work

I've just found a DVD featuring a group show 3 years ago, and I uploade in the link below.

https://kikukosakota.squarespace.com/new-gallery-3/2014/3/17/pou-group-show-2010

(This video focuses on my works in the latter half portion) 

It was the first experience to join the show to individually exhibit one's own works in the given spacious booth with high walls in the museum, 9m high, if my memory is right.  Also we had to put a 3 D work in place.

I was inspired by cards on the table so that I arranged paintings in 2 levels.  The flower petals of each work direct up and down and left and right.  Can you recognize it?

An object was made with cloths.  I sewed it and stuffed cottons in it.  It can work as a cushion.

Spring Song

During an interview, I was asked if I have something in mind, when I paint paintings.  Yes.

Occasionally, I paint spontaneously without any ideas, but in that case I often fail.  I can look into the picture plane to see what is required in its space.  But anyway , basically I try to clarify the image of painting in mind.

The painting below is titled Spring Song, 13"x18", Acrylic and pastel on canvas.

From the beginning, I decided to use wet yellow-green and pink with soft brushstroke to depict a quiet and delicate spring song. 

Skype Interview

Katie Adler invited me as an artist guest to her program over skype.

She was a great modelator so I could speak about myself very well. 

I thought I was the last person to be interviewed, but I realized there were a lot to share with audience. 

Thank you Katie and listeners.

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Art Show Proposal

Now I am racking my brain to write a proposal.  I looked into several blogs and I learned a little bit about how to write it.

Simply put, I need to convince gallery owners to show my art, so first I need to realize the significance of my works and what I can offer to my audience.  Also I look for how my art is different from others'.???

In its process, I describe the idea of my possible art show in general, and illustrate a few example works with images.  

When I finish it, on the following day, I will read it again.