Painting Materials

Is it important what materials you use to paint? Each one has a different feel, a different look, a different speed, a different strength.

I came to Japan as an oil painter over 30 years go. More to fact I had come to Japan as a given up oil painter. I didn’t bring paints or a sketchbook with me. But before long I was cobbling together a paint box from scraps of wood, buying local paints and going out to paint the landscape, crowded little houses and vegetable fields in the part of Nerima I had landed.

Soon I tiptoed into ink painting, slowly at first, but soon was all in. It was exciting to learn a new language, and it came more naturally to my hand, to my eye.as well.

For 30 years I have been an ink painter. But now and then I open that old box of oil paint.

This year I painted the same humble house down the hill, in oil, than later in ink.

Frames

Three frames this year, for three oil paintings. The ink paintings will be backed, trimmed and hung on the wall. I used to control the whole process; the frame and the scroll were part of the art. Japanese scrolls add the element of collage to the the work. The way Rouault used to paint on his frames inspired me as well.

This year I will make these three frames for the oils. I delegate the job of scroll or frame selection for the ink paintings to anyone who wants one enough to buy it.

Signing for the show

Mostly I paint with Japanese ink on Japanese paper. This year I also did two small oil paintings. I’m wondering if I should include them in the October exhibition. I signed them today just in case. It felt funny. I don’t sign ink paintings. Ink paintings get stamps of one kind or another. The bovine dragon painting is the biggest painting this year; it got the biggest stamps.

Looking back

I opened my computer this Saturday morning to do more on line teaching stuff. Before I started I ventured into a file of paintings. This was 2016, down the hill in Ameyoko. I never exhibited this one. The black and white version went on the wall that year.

Father's Day

What’s to be done with Father’s day?

I feel these days are foisted upon us. What dance are we supposed to do? Which memories do we choose to remember? Loudon Wainwright lll sung, “Having a father is the most dangerous game,” just the first half of the couplet.

I haven’t painted since April, been too mired in on-line educationing. Here is a five year old painting.

Middle Valley

Yanaka, the part Tokyo where I live is a temple town. The name, Yanaka, translates Middle Valley, though half of Yanaka is on a hill. This makes for many little roads leading down. The locals don’t much name the roads but they name every slope. This is from the top of SansakiZaka, Three Slopes Slope .