TOTO - we're not in Kansas anymore

......we are in Japan,

 

...where the primary manufacturer of plumbing equipment is branded 'Toto'. 

Well, actually we are not in Japan anymore - we have been home a week now after a whirlwind 3 weeks of connecting with old friends, making new ones, seeing new sights and engaging in 2 full day community arts events which were a huge success and brought us to tears. More on that later, or go to Fiona's blog. The 'us' constituted myself, Christine Elcoate, Fiona Dempster, Barry Smith and Merv Jefferson, a talented local artist who has Sister City connections. The first 2 weeks were independent of Sister Cities, the last was based in Tatebayashi, the Sunshine Coast Council's Sister City in Japan, an hour N of Tokyo.

Where do I start? This past week has been crazy and I am all over the place on all levels, so I am enjoying a bit of 'time out' going through my photos and savouring the wonderful recent memories of Japan.

Maybe I'll start with the incredible sense of design that is throughout Japan, permeating things old, new, man made, created by nature [often with a bit of help from well practiced secateurs] and even in the worn and tattered remnants of days gone by. A wabi sabi lover's dream destination!!

1. Some of the contemporary man made elements as seen in the street [graphic design envy]...

 

2.  Designs focusing on natural materials...

3.  Mother Nature has her own Degree in Design...

4....and things decay in the most elegant of ways...

5.  Maybe the street maintenance crew are also educated with a sense of good design???...

6...and my dear friend Natsuko honours the life cycle of the dandelion as much as that of the azaelea...

7.  Lastly check out the latest 'inventions' helping to save the planet, make wrapping bunches of flowers easier and more beautiful, and encouraging women to have kids by putting baby holders in public toilets.

...yes, gotta hand it to the Japanese.

New Paintings - working to a theme

You'd think that working to a theme would make things easy - well - not for me. I seem to be hung up on painting TO the theme, TO the gallery, TO the audience, TO the prospect of selling, and on it goes. I really need to say 'NO' to themes from now on. I am never true to ME when I paint to a theme - my problem, I know, but I am a classic 'people pleaser'!!!
I have had a struggle with these 2 paintings - for a local show at the 'Tree Frog Gallery' - based on the theme of' 'Transparency'. I must have 'nearly finished' these canvases at least 4 times over the past 4 weeks. Last night, I scrubbed the paint back yet again and scribbled some painted marks over the textured background. OK, not great, and very predictable, but definitely the best of a bad bunch. Delivered to the lovely Heather a couple of hours late, but she is very forgiving.
Does anyone else have trouble with this issue????

'Outback'  

 

'Midlands'

 

The other work I have been stressing over is a major piece for a major juried Sunshine Coast exhibition [SCAP]. Very healthy prize money involved, but I would be thrilled just to be accepted to exhibit. This was also a slow process - I fiddled around with the background for ages, but once I was happy with it, then the energy flowed easily as I added each layer of major brush mark making. I like this piece - this is my true passion and this is where I want to head in the future.

My statement....

"I enjoy the Eastern tradition of meditative mark making for its own sake - each brush has its own characteristic and creates a different mark. In this painting, the combination of painted marks tells the story of movement and energy as if being blown around by the wind. Each painted brush stroke is dancing - alive and free - a simple and noble expression of just what it is".

"East Wind"

 

 

so....what's next?? feet up for a few hours then a dinner party [at Fiona and Barry's], the exhibition opening, a Mixed Media Madness workshop at the Rosebed St Gallery, popping up the 'Pop Up Gallery' in a new shop in town, a trip to Nth Qld [Ingham] to do another MMM workshop [all in a week], then getting back to planning the next trip to Japan in 4 weeks time.

Ahhhh - the life of an artist. 

SAKURA

Sakura means Cherry Blossom in Japanese.

The season starts about now in the southern areas and spreads north as the weather warms up.

The trees are pampered and protected throughout the winter.

and branches are trimmed and shaped.

I was lucky enough to see the blossoms emerging [and falling] when I was there 2 years ago. It is such a transient thing - one day the buds appear, then the blossoms come out and last just a few days.

I was in Ueno [the gallery and museum precinct] at the height of the Cherry Blossom viewing.

People have picnics in the parks to 'view the cherry blossoms' - business men, students, kids, mums, dads, grandparents, sitting on a rug on the concrete pathways with food, camera and sake.

I heard that homeless people [a new phenomena in Japan], make a bit of cash by minding a spot for someone for their picnic.

The strange thing is that cherry blossom trees are EVERYWHERE,

in city streets like the streets of upmarket Ginza,

beside the railway tracks,

in private homes,

and public gardens,

and crammed amongst conifers, maples and oaks on the mountainsides.

I found the juxtaposition of beautiful delicate blossoms and ugly heavy power lines a bit disconcerting,

..oops - too soon the green leaves come out and the petals start to fall,

creating a carpet of soft white/pink - like a late snowfall, then the rain turns them to glug. They get washed down the drains as more green leaves appear on the trees.

I was too late for the blossoms along the avenue to the Silver Temple in Kyoto.

There are various colours in the cherry blossom trees, but only the pale pink/white are

revered.

I found the whole 'cherry blossom viewing season' to be so quintessentially Japanese - the fleeting glimpse of exquisite beauty - all the more precious because it lasts for only a 'moment' - not like our Western need to grab, and hold forever everything we cherish and desire.

 

Blink and you will miss it.

 

 

May the blessings of the Sakura season bring hope and joy to all of Japan at this difficult time.

...posted with much love,

Noela...