Winged Victory
2/29/2012 1:22:14 AM
Often I get comments on the color of my signature. Ever since I started painting in watercolor, I've been using the same color to sign my painting that is fresh off the easel: turquoise. Why did I choose this color? It's my favorite, of course, but then again there are a few other colors that I've equally liked such as lavender and a few other shades of blue. To tell the truth, the decision was more intuitive than a well-thought-out one, but even on a unconscious level, I knew this color would most effectively reflect who I am.
So what does the [...]
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Cortona IX, Italian Landscape Painting
2/22/2012 3:25:01 AM
Some sleepy villages became well-known to the outside world after being discovered by travelers who got off the beaten path and wrote about them. Some went from virtually unknown to known to the general public after a movie was filmed there. The story of Cortona was the latter case: after a popular movie, tourism to this small Tuscan hilltop village grew significantly.
According to the genius of a place, while some of the changes have been welcomed by locals, economical and social impact of tourism has brought more challenges. For one thing, they said, foreigners are willing to pay much higher real [...]
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Living Like Sunflowers
2/19/2012 5:49:00 AM
If we are artists by profession, it's because we want and need to create and we take it seriously. So we get up every morning and create just like office workers commute to their workplace each day - this is what we do, or is it really?
Artists are not machines that can crank out quality products regularly. Regardless of our level of experience, we do get hit by some sort of creative block once in a while. I had my share during my not-so-long artistic career. Each time it happened, it was quite a struggle but, gladly, I was able to [...]
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White Lovers, Japanese Landscape Painting
2/14/2012 4:15:27 AM
I remember all the excitement surrounding February 14 when I was growing up in Japan. On Valentine's Day, it was customary for girls to give chocolate to boys. So, for days (or perhaps for weeks, it seemed) before the big day, candy stores were packed with girls looking for a perfect box of chocolate for their someone special. But that was not the end. Men and boys who received a gift were supposed to give women something in return on March 14, which was called White Day. I wonder if this tradition still continues today?
In today's painting is a couple walking [...]
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Refugio State Beach I, California Landscape Painting
2/11/2012 5:58:53 AM
No matter what the results, painting outdoors is always a rewarding experience because we learn so much that may be too hard to learn in the studio. After painting all day in a couple of different locations, I came to this beach. The sun was about to set and the light was just irresistible. I knew there wouldn't be enough time to finish a painting but I did as much as I could anyway (I completed it in my studio the next day).
Today I will do a demo in Lakeside, near San Diego, California, for a plein-air painters group from the [...]
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Springtime in France
2/5/2012 11:00:36 PM
"This is our beautiful house in the Deux Sevres region of France, called Bandouille, a wonderful stone building, part 12th century monastery, and part 18th century farmhouse, set within the 24 acre grounds, facing the 12 acre lake. We have numerous outbuildings and barns, the remains of the original church, the magnificent monastery dome, two smaller lakes, fields and orchards.
"... after some time in the studio, we will take you out and about, to some of the locations we have found in the area. Historic towns, chateaux, landscapes, rivers etc. are all within an hours drive. Subjects to inspire you to [...]
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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 [...]
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