Last weekend I met some old friends in Koenji. I had painted the walls of that place 25 years ago. Seeing the painting was like seeing an old friend. My friends, the wall, and I have all grown a little wabi-sabi over the years. The isakaya is called, Typhoon
In America I sent greeting cards to arrive before the holidays. Japanese send New Year Greeting postcards, to arrive in the new year. This year I have had trouble deciding on a painting for my card. Here are two I almost chose.
My October was uniquely cohesive this year. But as every year after an exhibition I try to find my way, not follow the same direction. Today I played with gofun, a Japanese white pigment, and painted the garden behind the national museum. You can see Uguisudani peeking behind the trees
It was a fine sunny Sunday on the street for the 50th anniversary festival to celebrate the street being open for children to play on Sundays. I got to meet new people and show folks what I do when I go back to my studio.
Tomorrow, November 6th there will be a celebration of Isome, the little street that has opened for children to play every Sunday for 50 years. I will join the event with a small table selling my small book, from my exhibition.
The streets featured in paintings in the book are highlighted pink. There are 8 of them on the map, and you can find Isome in the center of them.
Visitors to the exhibition asked, how do I start the charcoal in the hibachi,
I make a fire in the shichilin outside and throw the charcoal on the fire.
You will notice that every house no mater how small, if it was built before the Showa Era has a separate door for the kitchen. This was to go out to start the fire, and to bring that fire back inside for cooking. My little studio nagaya has one.
