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.
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.
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.
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 .
Two and a half months to paint everyday
The more I paint, the rougher it gets, and the better I like it.
Mujina zaka, 2020
Outer moat around the castle, 2020
Ink painting, sumie, is ink, brush and paper. Paper is the most important.
I'm enjoying the washi I found in Asakusabasi. It is thick and soft. It allows great depth in the image and fine nijimi, ink flowing. Because the paper is extreme I have had to change the brushes I usually use. These work best for me. A brush is an intimate tool. Each has a story.
I’m also using the longer brushes on the wall. I've been happy to find that a brush I made from hair my sister sent is useful now. She raises sheep. She was brushing out winter hair and sent a wad in an envelope. It was stiff and full of wax-like lanolin. I had to boil it three times to make a brush. It is the one in the center. The one on the left I made from my youngest son's first haircut. The white one on the right was made by the great old craftsman down the hill.
