Galleries have been closed and shows have been cancelled or delayed but many of us artists are still creating. Our materials and processes may be changing, yet we still create. I like to have a physical manifestation of myself around me. Creating artwork is a life affirming event for me and the pandemic has not changed that. Please enjoy what my friends and I have created with regards to our current thoughts and conditions.
Continue reading “The Screen and Beyond by Art Byte Critique”Amabie – Drawing on Yokai History in Japan
It’s the right time in history to draw your own version of Amabie (ヤマビエ) the three-legged mermaid/merman of Japanese folklore.
Continue reading “Amabie – Drawing on Yokai History in Japan”Visiting Vilhelm Hammershoi and Danish Painting of the 19th Century
A friend of mine from Hawai’i came to Japan to visit her family and we decided to check out the Vilhelm Hammershøi Exhibition at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum…
Continue reading “Visiting Vilhelm Hammershoi and Danish Painting of the 19th Century”Visiting Marc Chagall Museum
While in Nice, France I took the opportunity to visit the Marc Chagall Museum.
Continue reading “Visiting Marc Chagall Museum”My New ToolBox!
During my latest artist adventures with Janette Maxey, I found my new toolbox at an antique flea market in Ueno Park here in Tokyo. It’s just the right size in just the right color; purple! And it sparkles! I have been searching for ages for the just the right tool box. I’d find one in the right shape, but not a good quality. Or I’d find one in an ok shape, but more durable but still just not quite right for me.
It’s not an antique, probably not even vintage but that’s ok. My new-to-me toolbox is a formal kimono bag, most often paired with a matching set of shoes. For the cost of 1100yen, approximately US$10, it’s a hard-sided bag with a yellow fabric interior and a gold-handle.
What is in my artist toolbox?
From true antique tools to high tech accessories and custom made pieces I like to keep my eyes open when it comes to my tools. One of the most important lessons I learned from Sensei Yasasuge, my chyoukin and jewelry instructor, is to be wise with your tools. He had a single tool that was capable of doing multiple tasks. Through this practice I realized I don’t need a specialized tool for each task as much as I expected when working with metals.
There is plenty of room for both my metals and fiber tools; my collection of various tipped pliers, crochet hooks, embroidery scissors, an afghan hook, Japanese scissors, custom crochet hook, special lenses for macrophotography, tape measure, spools of wire, pens, embroidery hoop, needles and meishi. There’s still room for threads, too.
I’m excited to be using my new toolbox!
Artist Date in Ueno, Tokyo, Japan
January is one of the best months to be in Tokyo! The beautiful, clear days are more frequent with the sun offering a warmth that offsets the cold. For this art adventure I chose to visit, kenkyusei, a student oil painting exhibition at Geidai; Tokyu University of the Arts located in the Ueno area of the city.
All big adventures need a friend along so I asked my fellow artist, Janette Maxey, to join me. Meeting at Ueno Eki, we soon stumbled upon a random food festival with a wide variety of options from kaki fry (fried oyster) to ramen and just as many booths of beers and sake. We opted for the delicious green tea soba and Janette found an Iwakuni Coffee stand. Interesting how the most mundane of foods can be exceptionally delicious when standing outside in the cold?
It had been a while since either of us had been to Ueno area so we were happy to stop and look at various things that caught our eye such as this manhole cover over electric lines.
At the Oil Painting Exhibition I am glad I had a chance to see an additional two pieces created by Louise Rouse. Very subtle color choices, deep bold printing juxtaposed with soft stitching recreates letters from home that reflect the deep difficulties of family and aging through the most mundane of modern conveyances; an email.
The oil painting exhibition was very small but I’ve found several very unique pieces which made me smile or made me think. I enjoyed the purple splashes and what will pop out of the explosive part of the oil painting. Unfortunately the map provided to show who the artist is was very poorly done so I don’t know who the artist is.
We wandered around the beautiful grounds a bit and found a group of abandoned artworks behind the Sculptures building. This lonely octopus caught my eye.
Each winter I am always surprised at how richly everything still grows here even in the cold winters. Januaries in my childhood where about snow sports and ice fishing. The chill air here seems to add strength to even the smallest of blooms such as these pink and white cyclamen and helps develop the biggest poofs of petals in the peonies. As one set of flowers are at their peak, the camellias foreshadow their time is coming soon, too.
It was time to take our chilled selves and runny noses inside for more food; a beautiful plate of sushi highlighting my favorite unagi.
After a fun day of inspiration I was excited to get writing again so I chose to pay a bit extra for a Greensha seat on the JR line home. In a Greensha, there is a fold down tray to use to set my day onto paper.
Janette and I also stumbled upon a little antique flea shop in the park and had fun perusing the wares being sold. Sign up for my emails to be notified when I post the new tool box I bought from the market!
Thank you Janette for a fun day out!
New Year 2020 Intentions at Studio Deanna
It’s been a roller coaster couple of years with lows through muddy puddles and highs in the stratosphere. While I haven’t had much time to process these adventures I will be taking the time in 2020 to examine where I’ve been, what I’ve enjoyed, and how it all fits together in my artistic practice and the resulting sculptural outputs.
Literally getting lost in museums is now my superpower. Taking photos as much as possible along the way, including any signage posted will help me properly attribute the works which impressed me most. My posts will not be in any chronological order to my travels but in an order of how I have connected them with regards to my practice, my learning, or even simply a color scheme that has captured my curiosity.
My favorite colors in which to work are on sale with my favorite supplier and Pantone has announced Classic Blue for 2020 and I’m ready for it all.
Lets’s embrace the joy we find in 2020!