Blog

Follow this Blog

Tell Your Story

4/11/2019 1:08:56 PM

This is an article that I wrote for and was published in American Watercolor Weekly (February 26, 2019). The topic is how we can use composition to effectively tell our story in our painting. To me, the key is knowing what I want to say and deciding where to put focus. Choosing a good composition can be challenging, and it is something that I take it seriously especially when I paint on location. Compositional possibilities are endless, and it can be daunting to choose the right one. I find it helpful to take some time beforehand to do a few thumbnail sketches [...]

Jurying an Art Show

5/9/2017 10:43:47 PM

(Photo courtesy of the Northwest Watercolor Society, in their 77th International Open Exhibition that I recently had the honor of judging) "We don't meet people by accident. They are meant to cross our path for a reason." - Unknown. I was sure meeting with Lin Holzinger was one of those encounters. Lin is a writer and an artist who publishes articles on San Diego-based artists on her website Art Trails San Diego. A couple of months ago, she and I crossed our paths in an art gallery where I was working as a juror of a watercolor exhibition. Jurying an art show can [...]

San Diego + Plein Air Painting = A Perfect Match for Me

4/16/2017 8:40:08 PM

Knowing I'm an avid plein-air painter who travels around the world often, many people ask me where my favorite place to paint is. I could name spots in the Mediterranean region, Japan, California, etc... but that's not an easy one to answer, in fact, because, to be honest, it is not really where or what to paint that I consider the most important when it comes to plein-air painting. What grabs me, what inspires me, what excites me can be found anywhere and can happen any time. Then, if I take the time, or seize the moment, I will begin to establish [...]

Journey Home: Looking Back 10 Years of Painting

12/13/2015 11:16:11 PM

It's been 10 years since I started painting full-time. I wanted to end this year by doing something special to mark the first full decade of working as a painter and I am pleased to have my new art book Journey Home Volume I: My Watercolor Paintings of Japanese Landscapes 2005-2015 completed. It is now available online from Blurb.com. This book is a collection of selected watercolor works of Japanese landscapes I created between 2005 and 2015. Included are more than 180 paintings of the places I visited in the last 10 years: Kyoto (my hometown), Yokohama, Tokyo, Hakodate, Sapporo, Takayama, Shirakawa-go, Kobe, [...]

To Facebook Or Not To Facebook

9/2/2015 10:28:56 AM

Aside from creating, there are many tasks to be done on the business side of art. No doubt marketing is one of the priorities for a professional artist. Since 2011, facebook, to me, has been a marketing tool, if not the most essential. I am delighted that Professional Artist magazine interviewed me for a piece in their recent issue (October/November 2015), "Build Your Following on Facebook." With two other artists also active on facebook, we discussed our thoughts on dos and don'ts for this topic. However, I have to confess that, while it was an honor to be featured in this [...]

Welcome 2015!

1/4/2015 10:03:32 PM

At the start of a new year we reflect over the past year. 2014 was a very exciting and busy year for me with many events and projects to work on: I was in 18 exhibitions, taught over 20 workshops, published a book, and got interviewed for 2 featured articles for art magazines, to name a few. I would like to take a moment to express my sincere appreciation to all who helped me get them done. Behind each event or project there was usually a number of people working on many levels to bring it to fruition. I couldn't have done [...]

Il fait toujours beau en Bretagne! no.II

11/9/2014 1:18:50 PM

This painting is one of the demonstrations I did in my recent workshop in Brittany. Pointe du Chevet is at the tip of the peninsula near Saint-Jacut-de-la-Mer on the Emerald Coast of Brittany, France. As seen in the photo (below), the view we had from there was stunningly beautiful, and the weather couldn't have been better, either. Both my students and I were so eager to take advantage of this one fine day to paint outdoors. When we arrived there, the tide was low, exposing much of the mud flat in front of us. Damp mud glistening in the sunlight, instead of [...]

Il fait toujours beau en Bretagne! no. I

11/2/2014 8:13:45 AM

Il fait toujours beau en Bretagne: I was in Brittany last month and my Breton host taught me this expression. When people say "il fait toujours beau" (the weather is always fine), it may be true in certain parts of the world. But "en Bretagne" (in Brittany) in northwest of France? The area is known for variable weather patterns even in a day. Recently I taught a plein-air workshop near the small town of Ploubalay of Brittany for 5 days. Each morning around the dining table where we all ate, our conversation started with "what's the weather like today?" and ended at [...]

Watercolor Artist October 2014

8/28/2014 7:52:43 PM

To a painter, a brush is just like a good knife to a chef. One of my essential tools is a mop brush. And I am happy to say that an article of me talking about it appears in the October issue of Watercolor Artist magazine. I used "Central Park II," one of my recent paintings of New York City, to demonstrate how I used a mop brush in this painting. In this issue, I am also honored to be among some of today's finest artists working in watermedia, such as Direk Kingnok (cover artist), George James, Carol Evans, Chizuru Morii Kaplan, [...]

Announcing A New Workshop in California

7/10/2014 3:20:25 AM

"California has been my home for nearly half of my life, and I have spent the majority of the time in San Diego. California's southernmost city holds a special place in my heart, for it was here that I made a life-giving career change and became a full-time painter. The abundant beauty of my 'adopted' home has been the inspiration for many watercolor scenes since I started painting in 2005. Thanks to San Diego's mild climate, I have become an avid plein-air painter and quite often I can be found traipsing its nooks and crannies on a quest for [...]

NEW BOOK: Painting San Diego, 100 Plein-Air Watercolors of San Diego Landscapes

6/2/2014 12:53:21 AM

I am very pleased to announce that my new art book is now available online. PAINTING SAN DIEGO: 100 Plein-Air Watercolors of San Diego Landscapes is a result of my recent 6-month-long outdoor painting journey through San Diego County, California, my adopted home of 20 years. The book contains 100 images of never-before-seen watercolors of mine, all painted en plein air between November 2013 and May 2014, photos and descriptions of most locations, plenty of practical tips and several step-by-step demonstrations. 120 pages. Foreword was written by Michael Campos of Campos Photography, a fine art photographer and a dear friend whom I have [...]

Recent Magazine Features

1/29/2014 3:13:21 AM

I am deeply honored to have my work featured in the 2014 March issue of Artists & Illustrators (published by Chelsea Magazine Co., Ltd., United Kingdom). Ms. Jenny White gave me an interview for my article. She asked me a lot of great questions about my thoughts on painting watercolor as well as teaching it. I hope you will enjoy reading it if you have a chance. Thanks to the article, one of my street scene paintings included in it "Bucharest, Romania I (2012)" saw the light of day. This work reminds me of my visit to this delightful city where I [...]

My New Book "Bretagne - Breizh"

9/19/2013 9:44:47 AM

One way to really understand French culture is to get to know the regions that make up the country. Each region is so unique with different character, history, climate, cuisine, etc., and visitors need to spend some time within a particular region for an in-depth look. After numerous visits to France, I'm just beginning to understand myself how deep their rich diversity is. This past summer, my travel destination was the region of Brittany (Bretagne in French, Breizh in Breton) in the peninsula between the English Channel and the Bay of Biscay. Tucked away in the northwest corner of France, people there [...]

Fish Market, Venice, Italy I, Interior Painting

7/17/2013 9:11:21 AM

Being an artist, by and large, is a solitary profession but it is good to get together with other like-minded artist friends from time to time. When I do, I may paint with them, visit an exhibition, attend an opening, exchange information and ideas or share a meal. Whatever that may be, the experience can be really inspiring and uplifting. Last year, I spent some time in Venice, Italy, painting together with my artist friend, Eugen Chisnicean. We did a lot of painting en plein-air in many spots in the city, and made a book VENICE AND VERONA with those paintings, including [...]

Bretagne - Enchanted Land, French Landscape Painting

7/5/2013 11:45:30 PM

I just completed a sketching tour of Brittany, France (Bretagne in French, Breizh in Breton). Often dubbed as an enchanted land, I have found this corner of France indeed mystic in many ways. Foggy coastlines, sprawling hills dotted with menhirs, rush forests, fast-moving clouds... all that makes up their landscape looked something uniquely different from the rest of France that I know. With so many wonderful spots to paint everywhere in Brittany, I really felt like a kid in a candy store. I am excited to be putting together paintings from this trip and plan to make a book later this year. A publication date will be announced [...]

Published: My Interview in InSevilla

5/2/2013 5:14:19 AM

"En Andalucía me siento como en casa"- so I was quoted in the recent interview by a journalist from InSevilla, a digital newspaper of cultural events in Seville, Spain (April 29, 2013). The article of my interview was just published in time for my watercolor workshop there. Clearly the interviewer was someone knowledgeable of watercolor painting and there were very good questions. The interview was made possible by my dear friend María José Barrera Garrido, an artist and a teacher who is well respected widely in Seville and its surrounding region. She is having a watercolor painting exhibition in May at Plaza [...]

Loving You the Way I Do by Ron Savage

11/26/2012 12:00:42 AM

I am pleased that my watercolor "Torino, Italy II" was chosen as the cover art for Loving You the Way I Do, a new book by Ron Savage (ISBN: 978-0-9826364-3-5; Black Lawrence Press, New York). The book is now available online. "We don't love each other the way we'd like. We love each other the way we do." - Ron Savage [...]

artmatch4U October Artist of the Month

10/22/2012 3:02:13 AM

I am honored that Cindy Salaski, the founder of artmatch4U and a very versatile artist herself, has chosen my work to be featured on her comprehensive art website this month. As October Artist of the Month, I have three of my paintings published. Thank you, Cindy - it was such a pleasure working with you for this feature article. Roma, Italia XLI Media: Original watercolor on paper Image Size: 55 x 74 cm Frame/Mat: No Purchase: Sold - Join me on Facebook and follow my blog on NetworkedBlogs. - Follow me on Google+.- Visit my gallery at Daily Paintworks.- Follow me on Twitter- FASO Artist Websites - Easy, Professional Art Websites [...]

FASO Featured Artists

5/21/2012 1:15:07 AM

Artists about to launch an art career sometimes ask me what steps they should take to be a professional. Almost always my answer is, create a professional art website first - before a blog, facebook page, twitter, etc. That's what I did. I chose FineArtStudioOnline (FASO) as my website host and I know I will never regret it. If you are serious about art as a profession, the entire team of FASO is there for you in many facets on the business side of art. FASO Featured Artists is their latest feature and I am truly honored to have my work featured [...]

SouthwestArt Magazine Watercolor Portfolio

3/23/2012 3:56:57 AM

I am pleased to be included as one of the 10 watercolor artists to be featured in Southwest Art magazine (April, 2012). In the latest issue, the magazine focuses on artists working in mediums other than oil, which is predominantly the choice of medium to be considered by shows and galleries across the U.S. It is quite an honor for me to be among the 10 watercolor artists who "capture the world in a demanding medium where - unlike oil paint - second chances are rarely available," as noted by the magazine editor. Nine other artists included in the watercolor portfolio are Stephen [...]

California Artist of the Year by Twin Cities TOSCA

2/2/2012 3:17:47 AM

Exploring TOSCA is a beautiful quarterly arts and culture magazine and the most comprehensive guide for art events in the Twin Cities region (Minneapolis-St Paul, Minnesota). Last year they launched the American Artist Series where one artist was chosen by the editor-in-chief to represent each state. In their current issue (winter), I am extremely honored that I am being featured with the title of "California Artist of the Year." (click to open pdf file to see TOSCA winter issue) Arts and culture thrive in this part of America's Heartland. I didn't know this but many sources point out that the Twin [...]

Help Japan Challenge Gets 2011 Best Art Blog Project Award

12/31/2011 1:48:15 AM

I am delighted to be able to end the year with wonderful news. It came from Katherine Tyrrell, an author of Making A Mark, one of the top art blogs in the UK. She just announced that the Help Japan Challenge Auction that I hosted on Daily Paintworks back in March is the 2011 recipient of the Best Art Blog Project Virtual Challenge Cup Award. The auction was created by David Marine of Daily Paintworks, and we had more than 400 paintings contributed by a large number of artists from around the world. About this award, Katherine said, "To date, art to [...]

Road to Santiago de Compostela

12/8/2011 6:51:57 AM

Le Puy-en-Velay is situated in a setting that is uniquely beautiful and almost surreal. The town is also known as one of the four official starting points in France of Christian pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain. Although a journey on the Camino de Santiago Compostela can be made from anywhere in Europe, I have heard that the one starting here is more interesting for pilgrims as the path passes through villages with the best-preserved Romanesque churches. I am pleased that this painting, depicting a panoramic view of Le Puy, is featured in the latest issue of DestinAsian (Dec/Jan 2012), [...]

Granada Guitar, Spanish Landscape Painting

11/5/2011 5:50:20 AM

Granada, city of enchantment and fantasy. - Washington Irving Many travelers come to Granada and leave with the same sentiment about this city in Southern Spain as described by Irving. For a majority of them, the reason may be the majestic grandeur of the Alhambra. For me, what particularly enthralled me there was an unforgettable afternoon of painting on a narrow alley. Accompanied by the haunting sound of guitar melodies, I was totally in a Granada state of mind when I painted what looked like a guitar workshop in an old neighborhood (click here to see the painting "Granada Guitar")... That was some years [...]

International Watercolors.com

8/19/2011 11:44:33 PM

By kind invitation of Roy Fuller, the Founding Editor of International Watercolors.com, I am very happy that I am now included as one of the artists on his site (click here to see my entry). International Watercolors.com is a website dedicated to watercolorists, both amateur and professional, and is designed to help them gain more exposure on the international art market. I am honored that Roy and his panel of jurors took the time to review my work and kindly extended an invitation for me to participate in the site and join other respected watercolorists. Another Day, Kyoto, Japan I Click here for an [...]

Recent Media Coverage

6/11/2011 3:23:23 AM

I was mentioned or featured in several art publications recently. Professional Artist magazine just published an article on how artists supported Japanese disaster relief efforts by raising money from their art ("Artists Raise $30,000 Online for Japanese Tsunami Survivors" by Byron Kerman, July/August 2011 issue). I was interviewed for the article and my artwork is also featured in it. I was delighted that San Diego Talent Magazine did a feature article on me last month. I was also pleased to see my name come up in one of the recent posts, entitled "Your favourite watercolour painters," in Katherine Tyrrell's popular Making a [...]

2011 Art Calendars from Daily Painters & Watercolor Artist

11/21/2010 12:55:17 AM

Family photos, artwork, a clock... We carefully choose what we hang on our walls because we want to make sure that's something we want to look at all the time. What about wall calendars? This holiday season, I'd like to suggest as a gift idea art calendars from Daily Painters and Watercolor Artist magazine. Over a dozen different themed calendars are offered by Daily Painters and available via their Lulu.com store. I have my painting included in Cityscape and Landscape themes. For watercolor enthusiasts, editors of Watercolor Artist magazine have a beautiful watercolor art calendar made up of their 12 top choices available [...]

The Way of the World - My Feature Article in Watercolor Artist Magazine

10/22/2010 7:45:22 PM

It all started with a surprise email from the editor of Watercolor Artist magazine back in March. Soon she connected me with Ann Emmert Abbott, a Cincinnati-based freelance writer and former editor of the magazine. After many emails, a telephone interview with me and an untold number of hours she must have spent going through my website and blog, Ann wrote "The Way of the World," a feature article about me and my work that has just been published in the December issue of Watercolor Artist. Back in April and May, I also worked with my photographer, Michael Campos of [...]

Finalist, Southwest Art 21 Over 31 Emerging Artists Competition

10/16/2010 3:04:22 AM

Southwest Art magazine has just announced the winners and the Top 50 finalists of their second annual 21 Over 31 competition. I am very pleased to have my work selected to be one of the 50 finalists out of nearly 3,000 entries (read more..). It is a great honor to have my painting included in this group of outstanding works. In addition to Toji Temple, Kyoto, Japan IV posted to the magazine's website, another one of my recent watercolors, Pacific Coast Highway III, is reproduced in the November issue of the magazine (page 107). Toji Temple, Kyoto, Japan IV Click [...]

Preview: Feature Article in Watercolor Artist, December 2010

10/12/2010 2:58:49 AM

I am very pleased to announce that there will be a feature article about me and my work in the December issue of the Watercolor Artist magazine. The article is based on my interview and will include several new images of my paintings, including this one. The magazine is scheduled to be on the newsstands in the U.S. on October 26. Meanwhile, please enjoy my gallery, an online-exclusive album of my paintings on the Watercolor Artist magazine website. Aux Tours de Notre Dame, Paris, France Click here for an enlarged view. Media: Original watercolor on paper Image Size: 14.25 x [...]

Splash 11: New Directions, The Best of Watercolor

6/9/2010 12:43:08 AM

I got my copy of Splash 11 today! It is such an honor to have a painting included in this edition (Firenze, Italy VIII). The Splash series has been very popular and I can see why. It is a beautiful hard-cover book and each painting included is a reproduction from a very high-quality photo. Each edition showcases best works of contemporary watermedia artists that were carefully selected for a specific theme. Splash 11 focuses on "new directions." As I go through page after page, I am awe-struck with spectacular creations of artists who work in the medium we all love. [...]

Artist Daily: Proven Steps of Watercolor Mastery

6/5/2010 2:16:23 AM

Courtney Jordan, editor of Artist Daily (on June 5 , 2010), offers a top-five list she compiled to help those striving to improve their skills for the mastery of the medium of watercolor. 1. Load your brush 2. Go abstract 3. Don't forget to sketch 4. Find the light 5. Consider a limited palette These are really excellent pieces of advice, coming from someone who is familiar with ins and outs of many techniques and approaches employed by contemporary watermedia artists. I am happy to see my painting featured in this article (Click to read more). Read [...]

San Diego 100 (#86) - San Marcos, California Landscape Painting

11/20/2009 1:39:36 AM

San Marcos (SD100-86) The weather in San Diego is pleasant almost all year round, so any day is a good biking day. Although life in Southern California is still highly car-dependent, the extensive bike route system in San Diego helps many who want to go to work by bike or who want to ride for pure enjoyment and a little adventure. I see biking gaining popularity year after year as there seem to be more and more bikers riding, especially on weekend mornings. One Saturday, I spotted a group of bike enthusiasts in colorful jerseys in the San Elijo Hills neighborhood [...]

Marisqueira, Portugal I, Portuguese Landscape Painting

11/9/2009 12:37:31 AM

You might remember this painting from my previous post. I was glad that this piece was also reviewed by John A. Parks in the summer issue (2009) of American Artist/Watercolor Magazine (you can read an online version of the article here). John, an established artist himself (see his website), often writes for American Artist and its sister publications. His writings are commended highly and I always enjoy his articles which are insightful, accurate and thought-provoking. So you can imagine how truly honored I was that he would do an article about my work. He wrote, "Her travels have (also) [...]

Market Day, Venice, Italy II, Italian Landscape Painting

8/15/2009 1:38:59 AM

Following the theme of my daily painting from yesterday, I am showing another piece that depicts a market scene. What I aimed at in this particular piece was to see if I could tell a story without saying too much. I wanted to create a somewhat mysterious picture with suggestions of elements strewn around. Some of the elements needed for this story were: cooler and moist air giving way to a hot summer day; a feel of a morning market in an outdoor setting with merchants busily moving about; local people starting their daily routine in a residential neighborhood in Venice. I also challenged myself to see [...]

American Artist Blog Update

6/5/2009 9:51:17 PM

Watercolor (American Artist) cover (Summer 2009) I am so thrilled that a10-page article about my work appeared in the summer issue of Watercolor Magazine. Here's a link to read the online version of a featured article about Keiko Tanabe in American Artist Watercolor magazine, written by John A. Parks. Please also visit American Artist Blog to view additional artwork of mine. [...]

Featured Article in Watercolor (American Artist) Summer 2009

5/29/2009 11:46:56 AM

I am happy to announce that one of the featured articles in the upcoming issue (summer 2009) of Watercolor magazine is about me and my art. The magazine will be available soon at US bookstores. The whole thing started at the beginning of this year with the kind introduction of my works by Lori Woodward Simons to the editors of the magazine, a sister publication of American Artist. I am extremely delighted that 16 of my watercolor paintings will appear in the 10-page article (printed version) including a step-by-step demo piece "Little Italy Sunset VI." Read online version with [...]

Painting Journey Home with Passionate Brushstrokes

10/13/2008 10:39:02 AM

My Journey Home series is a collection of streetscapes of my hometown, Kyoto, Japan. Kyoto is a popular international tourist destination, but this series is not about that aspect of this ancient city. It is about people who live there and how their daily life goes. When I painted Journey Home I in 2005, I did not intend to make it a series. This painting is now included in the newly-published art book Splash 10: Passionate Brushstrokes (North Light Books). I wrote in the caption in it, "Living thousands of miles away from home, I sometimes find myself consumed by an overwhelming yearning to [...]

Journey Home I

9/10/2008 10:11:45 PM

Every winter I return to Kyoto, Japan, my hometown, to visit my family. Journey Home I was created after such a trip a few years ago. It captures a typical early evening scene on a backstreet in this ancient city where people are shopping for groceries at neighborhood stores. Mundane, the sight evoked a sense of déjà vu in me. It was the return of distant memory long forgotten of my childhood in Japan and I had to paint it. This painting received several awards and is included in the recently-published Splash 10: Passionate Brushstrokes (North Light Books), a perennial art book filled with beautiful, inspirational watercolor paintings selected from hundreds of submissions [...]