these days i do my best work on rocks and tee shirts.
Mt. Aso, a caldera /
I was in Mt. Aso last week and met some very interesting people and learned a new word, "caldera," not to be confused with a volcanic crater. Mt. Aso's caldera measures 25 km. north to south. The whole city is inside it. You look up and see the giant rim everywhere you go. as Wikipedia tells us caldera are know to host rich mineral deposits, and Mt. Aso certainly does. They dig it up with bulldozers, a wonderful yellow ore, a pigment, and a vitamin supplement. It looks like Raw Sienna from Italy, and if you roast it it becomes a strong iron red color. Japanese call the color "bengara." They gave me some to play with, raw and roasted.
There are great hot springs, great water, and remarkably sophisticated food. I have eaten a lot of hot spring hotel food. It always looks great, but does not always taste that way, not always fresh. The meals I had in Mt. Aso were remarkably good.
And a final discovery, on my way out of town I stopped at a little stationary store, wonderful place, bought some ink for my pen. The guy suggested a bamboo pen. I didn't laugh in his face, but come on. I have been whittling bamboo pens before he was born. But then I bought one, 600 yen, what the heck. It is great, ten times better than I have ever made. It was made from the bamboo they used to use for the samurai's arrow shafts. Never doubt a Japanese crafts person.
I received an email: 阿蘇の松谷文華堂でアルカイック工房のBAMBOO PEN をお買い上げくださいましてありがとうございました。
今後ともよろしくお願いします。
it recommends for now buying the pens from Aso, Matsutani, Bunhana-do. It is the fine little shop where found them.
BunHana Do
Chasing the devils /
February 3rd, the point half way between the solstice and the equinox. In America they wait a ground hog to show itself, in Europe it used to be bears. In Japan people throw soy beans at other people wearing devil masks, to chase out the bad luck, pull in the good.
Every year I am left at the last minute with a little thin paper mask, free at the grocery if you buy the beans.This year Iwanted to be ready, start early. This weekend I began working on a mask.I decided to make a really horrible scary devil.I have made masks before.I blew up a balloon head sized and began my paper mâché.I followed my own design, changing as I went along.I had a scary mask inside me.I could certainly make a devil.
Today I started to put on the paint.And it was pretty obvious that I was making a clown rather than a devil.
I went to the Internet, searching, "oni mask". Boy they were good.They scared the bejesus out of me.The best were based on noh masks of a woman scorned.Scary as hell. Probably I should have started with an Internet search, but I wanted to make my own devil. It turns out I am more of a clown.
2015 nearly here /
Building up to the celebration of the new year, the biggest celebration in the Japanese year, most important Holiday. And just as it should be in an important Japanese activity, the center of it is emptiness, nothing happens. It is still and quiet.
“What did you do this New Years?”... “Nothing,” is still the best answer.
The center of Tokyo is the royal palace, which is basically an empty space, a large green hole in Tokyo. The city is built in a spiral around it. And no one looks inside. Ask any American what color is Obama's house, they know, what does it look like, they know. Ask any Japanese what color is the emperor's house, they not only don't know, but have never thought to think about it. It is an empty space.
Of course times change. When I first arrived the whole country closed down for days. If you didn't have food or beer, then you wouldn't. Now the local grocery store is open, and the department stores all have special promotions and sales New Years day.
October's exhibition /
This year's October Exhibition was fun. Thanks for all who came, and to all who helped. I made a little post exhibition video, for a short walk thru. http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-RupODKtPJQ
twitter /
I am still enjoying writing a twitter poem a day, today it got political:
Jim Hathaway @Jimhathawayink 27m27 minutes ago
The Bobbys got Banksy
How many did it take?
Is there anything better
For a artist
Than being arrested?
6:15 PM - 20 Oct 2014 ·
and I must say, they got me
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/banksy-arrest-hoax-internet-duped-by-fake-report-claiming-that-the-street-artists-identity-has-been-revealed-9806157.html
Banksy arrest hoax: Internet duped by fake report claiming that the street artist's identity has been revealed
Fear not, the street artist is still roaming free, spray can in hand