How to Find Inspiration to Paint

There are seasons when ideas are abundant beyond humanly-possible hours to create, and seasons when it feels like there may never again be another good idea in my tired mind.

I lean towards the latter season now, most likely related to caring for 2 little ones. They fill the days with joy AND expend all my energy (including, but not limited to physical energy). But over the years, I’ve become less and less bothered by these “dry” seasons because I now see that they’re a normal part of creative process, and this season will pass.

In the meantime, instead of throwing in the towel and giving up painting (which I could never do as long as I’m physically capable), the best thing for me to do is to keep painting what’s familiar.

The inspiration for this recent plum blossom painting came from a trade with an artist friend I met on Instagram. She painted an origami t-rex for Mia, and I decided to paint one of her favorite flowers in return.

Since my mind is lacking lively ideas, I needed outside inspiration and went to my trusted color palette book.

The book Nihon no haishoku is available on Amazon so maybe you can order it through a local bookstore too. I’ve referenced this book countless times for watercolor painting palette ideas. It’s in Japanese and English.

I used the color palette from the left photo (below) that I had bookmarked before. For the composition and blossom design, I used the right photo.

I also referenced another painting of quince blossoms I painted last year since I was very close to choosing plum blossoms instead. (Last year I ended up choosing quince blossoms because of the blooming season with the early-blooming cherry blossoms I paired them with.) I used the same style and method, leaving white space between each highly pigmented petal.

The changes included a new color palette and new composition. I painted in silence as I often do, and an hour later I had this finished painting on my desk.

Here are a few tips to find inspiration when you hit a creative rut:

1. Talk to an artist friend and take interest in what they’re making. (Not for comparison, but for encouragement and to get outside your head.)

2. Think about painting for someone else. (Most of my new ideas have come from wanting to share something or thinking about what to give someone.)

3. Start with a short studio session. (I chose 1 solid hour while my toddler was in a class and the baby napped so it was short enough to not be overwhelming but long enough to finish a small piece.)

4. Do something familiar. (The flowers were similar to a painting from last year.)

5. Use outside references, especially ones that have helped before. (In my case it was this color palette book. I also borrowed a few art books from the library for later.

I also borrowed books from the library for later and am looking forward to browsing these 2 I came across for more ideas:

• A Big Important Art Book (Now with Women): Profiles of Unstoppable Female Artists--and Projects to Help You Become One by Danielle Krysa, also known as The Jealous Curator

• Flower Power: The Meaning of Flowers in Asian Art by Dany Chan, from the collection at the Asian Art Museum.

What has helped you through a creative rut?

Blossoms 16x12” 2021

Japonisme: How Japanese Art Inspired Monet, Degas, and many more!

You probably know about the Impressionists including Monet, Degas, and Van Gogh, but let's look closer at the influence of Japanese art on their work.

In the late 19th century, Japan (reluctantly) opened to international trade after 200+ years of isolation. Their foreign contact had been limited to trade with China, Korea, and the Ryukyu Islands (now Okinawa). There was one trading post called Dejima, by Nagasaki, used for limited contact with the Dutch - the only European traders during isolation.

From the mid-19th century on once Japan opened up, there was a phenomenon known as japonisme in the West - a taste for Japanese goods including lacquerware, bronzes, kimono, and woodblock prints.

After the forced trade agreements in 1854, how Japan modernized in 50 years during the Meiji period is unprecedented and fascinating, but I'll have to leave that to another time.

Claude Monet, Madame Monet en Costume Japonais, 1875.

Why was Japanese art so popular? 

It was fresh, new, and an entirely different aesthetic than what was available in Europe at the time! (On a personal note, I can relate with wanting some new or exciting positive inspiration, especially this year!)

Some distinct characteristics that made the Japanese prints stand out:

• flattened space

• bold use of color

• stylized figures

• dramatic, cropped compositions

What is a woodblock print?  

A cheap print popular among the urban middle class in Edo (now Tokyo). Each is made of several woodcuts. Each color on the final paper is a separate woodcut, only cut to the shape of that color.
They are often made in series, like TheGreat Wave off Kanagawa by Hokusai, is part of a series called Thirty-Six Views of Mt. Fuji.

Explained: The Traditional Process of Japanese Woodblock Printing (including photos of tools and 4 min video)

The woodblock prints were collected in Japan and in Europe since they were as cheap as a bowl of noodles. Some cost more depending on the artist, but the average was accessible enough to collect many of them.

There was a limit to how many reproductions could be completed from one woodblock set to maintain crisp lines, but they could carve another set of woodblocks to produce the same image if needed.

What are they about?   

Anything of interest for the urban class (commoners) in Edo (Tokyo)!
They include portraits of kabuki actors, landscapes of real places, scenes of urban life, scenes of the pleasure quarters and geisha, and stories in history. 

They're under the genre of ukiyo-e 浮世絵 which translates to floating world pictures. It originates from a Buddhist term ukiyo referring to the floating world = the transitory, fleeting nature of experience. With the understanding of the brief, fleeting experience of life, there was a pursuit of pleasure especially in Edo (Tokyo).

The popularity of the prints in Europe amongst the urban middle class may come from somewhat shared interests in everyday life events and scenes, rather than subjects like classic literature, poetry, or religious images.

Monet & Hiroshige

Monet is one of the artists that was influenced by Japanese woodblock prints. He, like many others, collected many woodblock prints since the prints were cheap and widely available. Let's look at his Seacoast at Trouville, 1881.

There are some obvious similarities like

• color palette

• subject (landscape, tree, water)

• unusual composition (tree in center, water in background)

Left: Yokkaichi: Mie River from the series Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido Road, about 1833-1834. Utagawa Hiroshige (Japanese, 1797-1858). Woodblock print, 9 15/16 x 14 9x16 in.

Right: Seacoast at Trouville, 1881. Claude Monet (French, 1840-1926). Oil on canvas, 23 7/8 x 32 in.

But the more interesting part is the subtle influence of recording a fleeting moment in time. 

European landscapes were usually scenes of a place that seemed unchanging, receding into the distance. However here we have a tree blocking that distant view, blown by the gusty wind. The painting is as much a depiction of the strong wind that is distinctive of a seacoast as it is a painting of a a tree and land. It's a momentary impression.

We can see the effect of the wind similarly in the woodblock print, Yokkaichi: Mie River from the series Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido Road by Utagawa Hiroshige. 

• A hat blown off with a man chasing after it on the left

• A robe blown in the wind on the right

• All the grass flowing in one direction

• Tree branches flowing to the left

Technically it's a scene showing one of the 53 stops along the Tokaido Road (one of the major roads connecting Edo and Kyoto in Japan), but it's also an image of a sudden gust of wind!

Here’s another depiction of a sudden wind! It's easy to relate with these figures holding on to garments, hats, and other possessions.

Ejiri in Suruga Province from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji, ca. 1830-1832. Katsushika Hokusai (Japanese, 1760-1849). Woodblock print, 9 7/8 x 14 3/4 in.

Some of the more well-known paintings by Monet that show a direct connection from Japanese prints include those from his garden.
He painted 250 oil paintings of his water lilies, sometimes with the Japanese style footbridge.

Monet's bridge in his garden (left image, and painted in the center) was based on Japanese bridges like this one on the right in Edo (now Tokyo)

Center: Bridge over a Pond of Water Lilies, 1899.
One of many paintings by Monet in his garden with a water-lily pond, designed with influence from Japanese gardens and bridges.

Right: Utagawa Hiroshige (Ando) (Japanese, 1797-1858). Inside Kameido Tenjin Shrine (Kameido Tenjin Keidai), No. 65 from One Hundred Famous Views of Edo, 7th month of 1856. Woodblock print, Image: 13 7/16 x 8 3/4 in.

More on Monet's garden, from the MET Museum here.

Water Lilies, 1919. Claude Monet. Oil on canvas, 39 3/4 x 78 3/4 in.

Another artist influenced by Japanese art in more subtle ways: Degas

Degas & Japonisme

Degas is known for his paintings of dancers. He captured candid moments often in practice or backstage. He studied and was influenced by Japanese woodblock prints. (Though it's worth mentioning that as any artist, his influence was broad and not limited to Japanese art.)

His influence from Japanese art does not include Japanese imagery, but rather is evident in his compositions and unexpected vantage points.

Edgar Degas, Dance Class, 1874. Oil on canvas, 32 7/8 x 30 3/8 in.

This diagonal line from front to back, with a field of color on the top half and another on the bottom, is a repeated composition in his paintings.

The composition with a larger subject in the front and repeated similar forms receding back is seen in Japanese woodblock prints also.

Utagawa Hiroshige (Ando) (Japanese, 1797-1858). Moonlight View of Tsukuda with Lady on a Balcony, from the series Fashionable Genji, 1853, 11th month. Woodblock color print, Sheet of a: 14 1/2 x 10 1/8 in.

Edgar Degas, Dancers Practicing at the Barre, 1877. Mixed media on canvas, 29 3/4 x 32 in.

The watering can and dancers repeat the same silhouette. Repetition of form like this to create a rhythm is seen also in the famous Great Wave.

In Hokusai's composition, the wave in front of the large wave mimics the shape of Mount Fuji in the background.

The edges of the waves as they break are curled over like claws and repeat over and over across the left side, carrying your eye across from right to left. Japanese writing is traditionally right to left so that is a natural flow of the eye when looking at this print.

In summary, Japonisme is broad, referring to the popularity of Japanese goods during the late 19th century. It was evident in a variety of ways for Western artists of that time, including collecting or painting Japanese objects, or subtle influences such as color and composition.

That wraps up our mini lesson.

I hope you enjoyed reading about Japonisme!

This is only a glimpse of two artists, but if you do some more reading on Japonisme you'll come across many others, and a hundred fascinating rabbit trails.

If there are any other topics you're curious about, please comment and let me know!

Sharaku's Prints of Kabuki Actors

The latest addition to my compilation painting of Japanese historical figures is the bottom left figure with a menacing expression and hands aggressively pointing forward.

In progress 22x30” sumi ink on Arches paper

This is from a woodblock print by Tōshūsai Sharaku 東洲斎写楽 (usually known as Sharaku) from the late Edo period. He was known for portraits of kabuki actors, and this is one of the most well-known. The full title is Ōtani Oniji III in the Role of the Servant Edobei in the play The Colored Reins of a Loving Wife 恋女房染分手綱.

Let’s unpack that:

• Ōtani Oniji III = name of actor

• Servant Edobei = name of character in play

• The Colored Reins of a Loving Wife = title of play

It’s a tragic love story full of plot twists, evil characters, a loyal wife fulfilling her duties. Here’s the detailed plot in English.

Original: Woodblock print; ink, color, white mica on paper; 15 x 9 7/8”

What is kabuki?

Popular theater in Japan that started about 400 years ago. The name kabuki 歌舞伎 describes it well: singing歌, dancing舞, acting伎. It was popular among city people, commoners, but not the higher class. The actors were like celebrities in our day in popularity and portraits of them were sought after by fans.

Who was the artist?

Sharaku was a woodblock print artist known for portraits of kabuki actors. He produced almost 150 different prints in only 10 months! Not much is known about him or what happened after that successful year.

First theory: he may have been a Noh (older form of Japanese theater) actor from a daimyo (lord) family so he wouldn’t have had to continue his art career for a living. As part of that family, he would have been trained in calligraphy, which helps explain his incredible skill with the brush and draftsmanship without any record of apprenticeship before his 10-month career. Some say as a performer, he would have had a unique perspective of telling a story visually, though from a different theater tradition.

Another theory that I find fascinating is that Sharaku is actually Hokusai (the artist known for the Great Wave woodblock print). Hokusai’s artist name before “Hokusai” was “Shunro” after his teacher Katsukawa Shunso. He produced many actor prints and illustrated books leading up to 1794 when “Sharaku” was active for less than a year, and “Shunro” produced no actor prints during that time.

I included the reference information to this article explaining the theory included at the end. The art historian goes through the details of comparing lines, dramatic kabuki poses apparent in both, even down to how a demon is depicted by both—all visual evidence that I find quite convincing!

His most well-known prints are dramatic close-ups. The hands and faces are key to telling the audience who the character is. He also clues in the viewer by including the family crest of the actor on the garment.

He had a way of capturing the core character of the role the actor played as well as distinct, recognizable features of the kabuki actors. In a time when it was more common to have idealized or generalized features, it was an unusual style to see recognizable, even exaggerated features without attempting any idealization

Why does the figure (below) look menacing?

• The character this actor is playing is the bad guy Edobei 江戸兵衛

• Edobei is the servant (like a henchman) of the evil character in the play

Sharaku’s work is some of the most well-known in woodblock prints, but it was new information to me that his career was so short (though prolific)! I’m also intrigued by this theory about Sharaku’s identity as Hokusai - just a glimpse into the abundant treasure hunts and mysteries to solve in art history!

I’ll keep sharing some peeks into Japanese history as I continue filling this painting with figures.

Article referenced: Tanaka, Hidemichi. "Sharaku Is Hokusai: On Warrior Prints and Shunrô's (Hokusai's) Actor Prints." Artibus Et Historiae 20, no. 39 (1999): 157-90.

Mia's First Japanese Bento + Recipes

When my painting projects are black and white, our plates become more colorful.

I shared Mia’s first-ever bento on Instagram yesterday, and was happy to hear you’d like the recipes too! Obento have a special place with many sweet memories—always accompanied by people I love and specific places other than at tables. Some of those include sitting in trees, on grass, on the ground in a basketball court, a random bench, etc. For me, food is better shared than eaten alone!

I translated my versions here, which come from recipes in Japanese from websites or cookbooks I’ve brought back from Japan over the years. There are also links below to either the original recipe or something similar, in Japanese (which Google translate can hopefully help with), with more photos and some videos for the steps.

Some bento basics:

• Prep: chop, clean, mix seasonings the day before. Leave rice for the day-of.

• Colors: at least 3, ideally 5

• Packing: Cool the food, drain any liquid before adding the dish in, start from the biggest to smallest (rice, protein, veg, filler) and pack it tight

Shimeji Mushroom & Carrot Stir Fry

Adapted from しめじと人参の和え物

• shimeji or enoki mushroom (1 pack), cut from base, pulled apart

• carrots (2), julienned

• mirin, soy sauce 1 T each

• granulated dashi 1/2 tsp

• toasted white sesame seeds

1. Stir fry shimeji and carrots. Add the seasonings, keep mixing until liquid is absorbed.

2. Serve topped with ground or whole toasted white sesame seeds.

Cucumber Miso

similar: きゅうりの味噌和え

• Persian cucumbers (2), cut in even thick matchsticks about 1” long

• white miso 1 T

• mirin 1 tsp

1. Use a stick to whack the cucumber (yes, really) and soften. Cut into 1” long, thick matchsticks.

2. Mix miso and mirin until smooth. Combine with cucumber. Note - will release liquid so drain before adding to bento.

Simmered Kabocha

similar: かぼちゃの煮物

• kabocha squash (1/4), cut in 1-1.5” equal sized pieces

• sake, sugar 1 T each

• water

• mirin 1.5 T

• soy sauce 0.5 T

1. Carefully cut away tiny bits of kabocha skin for even cooking (but don’t remove it all).

2. Place kabocha skin side down in one even layer in small pot, nestled together but not overlapping.

3. Add sake, sugar, and water up to 2/3 height of kabocha pieces.

4. Bring to boil. Then add a drop lid (or a piece of foil and push it down). Simmer until easy to pierce through.

5. Remove from heat and leave with drop lid/foil lid for 5 minutes.

6. Store in fridge with juices - flavor gets better over time!

Sweet and Spicy Eggplant

similar: なすの辛子醤油漬け

• Japanese eggplant (3), or 1 small other variety

• yellow mustard 1 tsp

• soy sauce 1 T

• mirin 2 T

1. Cut eggplant in 1/4” thin slices. Rinse and dry. Mix mustard, soy, mirin in a bowl until smooth.

2. Saute in pan until soft. Add mustard, soy, mirin. Stir until liquid is absorbed.

Garlic Mayo Chicken

adapted from ガーリックマヨチキン

• chicken thigh (3), trimmed and cut in large bite-size pieces

• mayo 2 T

• soy sauce 1 tsp

• garlic, freshly pressed 1 tsp

• sake, mirin 1 T each

• salt and white pepper, pinch

• potato starch 4 T

• neutral oil 1 T

1. Combine chicken pieces and seasonings through salt and pepper in ziploc. Refrigerate overnight (or freeze if using days later)

2. When ready to cook, heat pan, add oil. Add chicken to bowl of potato starch and mix well.

3. Place each piece on pan without crowding. Flip once browned and crispy on one side. Wipe pan and work in batches if needed.

4. Place on paper towel to avoid getting soggy after cooking.

Japanese Sweet Potato Rice

similar: さつまいもご飯

• short/medium grain rice, white or brown 1.5 C

• Japanese* sweet potato (1 medium)

• sake 2 T

• kombu 5 cm

• salt 1/2 tsp

• to serve: salt and toasted black sesame seeds

1. Wash and cut sweet potato in 1/2” cubes (skin on). Soak in water 10 minutes, rinse and dry.

2. Wash rice, drain water well, add to rice cooker along with water, sake and salt. Place kombu on top. Add sweet potato. Soak 30 minutes before starting rice cooker.

3. Leave in rice cooker 10 minutes after it’s done. Serve with sprinkles of salt and toasted black sesame seeds.

   *Trader Joe’s carries them now! Different sweet potato variety is ok but won’t have the same texture or nutty flavor.

Colorful Fillers

• Broccoli, tops only with minimal stem, blanched in salted water

• Tomatoes (1 or 2 slices or cherry tomatoes)

• Strawberries (1 or 2)

Online Bento Resources

Just One Cookbook: Searched “Bento” and found tons of ideas and recipes in English. I’ve used her recipes for other dishes and they’ve all turned out well.

Chopstick Chronicles: Great tips on how to make and assemble a bento with pictures

Chopstick Chronicles: Bento Menu - tons of bento recipes in one place

Final Tip

Obento (“bento”) are best eaten with others so if you’re making one, you might as well make two (or more)! Mia’s first obento was special because we got to share it with friends.

The middle two were for her friends who we knew eat a little less, while Mia had an adult-sized portion to match her appetite… just like her mama’s.

Have you had Japanese obento? I’d love to hear what you thought or if you have any questions about them!

From Japanese Armor to a Camellia Painting

Do you like to see how things are made, even if you never plan to make it? There are endless options on the Food Network, HGTV, or a good percentage of the shows on Netflix…I’m guessing I’m alone wanting to know all the details.

When I see the final result of what someone made, I always wonder what happened before they reach that point. How did they start? What was challenging? How did they overcome?

My paintings are equal (or more) part research as actual painting time, so in case you’re curious about what goes on behind the scenes before I pick up a paintbrush, I thought I’d share the process here.

There’s always a connection between paintings that leads to the next project.

I recently painted three colorful paintings where I explored the balance of opacity and transparency, detailed lines and washes. This time, I continued that balance in this new painting but with a limited color palette.

The final painting took about 2.5 hours, but the planning stage took another 2.5 hours too! Getting a stretch that long has to be early morning or late night. In this case, it was a 4:50am start to finish before my daughter woke up. (I felt pretty tired later that day and the next since I’m long past those days when amount of sleep had little effect on me.)

Here’s what the planning looked like:

• Choose the subject: camellias

• Choose the overall feel: calm and bright

• Browse a book that relates: Japanese flower book (see below)

• Find a starting place and sketch: sketch options

• Browse color palettes for ideas: Japanese color palette book (see below)

• Add color swatches into sketchbook: mix colors and write down names

I was looking at this book, an exhibition catalog called Flowers from the Tokyo National Museum - a gift from a professor friend.

In the book, this Imari ware plate from the Tokyo National Museum captured by eyes and heart:

That was the beginning, then I moved into how to arrange floral patterns and browsed Japanese kimono patterns.

4 is an unlucky number (because “shi” can mean “four” or “death”) so it’s more common to see 5 of something.

I included the five camellias and added one bud because I like that as a reminder of potential.

One of my favorite books, another gift from a dear friend in Japan, is Traditional Japanese Color Palette (available on Amazon).

It’s a rich reference for unique color palettes that I browse often.

I’ve had bookmarks in for years of my favorites, and this time I kept going back to page 92-93.

The blue camellias were my focus, but this armor and color palette solidified how to do it. The yellow needed to be lighter, more muted so it wouldn’t compete with the blue.

• Blue would be the star of the show.

• Red would be an important but small accent.

• Yellow would be faint and warm.

Then I’d figure out what to do from there.

It helps to sketch it out and see the colors. Because I have 5 shades of different dark blues, I had to write down which I was using. You can see two other dark blue shades in the top right that were too dark.

Holbein watercolors have been my go-to since my grandmother gave me hers which I still use, decades after she first bought them. This Cobalt Blue was an addition I purchased last year, still from Holbein. The vibrant colors keep their color even after drying!

After deciding colors, I looked up “kimono patterns” “flower patterns” “camellia patterns” on Google and Pinterest to get an idea of how to simplify the flower form. I based my shape off of a few that I found and repeated it with slight variations in a circular shape.

1. I painted each petal and left space between so the white between is just the paper.

2. Then I added the little red marks in the center of each flower.

3. Next came the yellow camellia leaves. While the yellow was wet on the paper, I added a dot of rusty red/orange to bleed into the yellow. That orange is a transition between the yellow leaf and red center of the flowers.

4. It still felt incomplete, so after staring blankly a while, I referred back to my sketchbook where I drew a leaf shape that caught my eye from the Tokyo National Museum book.

5. I added it in a light aqua green based on the original ceramic plate palette, and some detail based on my recent 3 colorful paintings.

The final result looks like this:

I’d like to continue this circular composition with flowers and more subjects. There’s more to come! Let me know if you’d like to know more detailed background like this.

Shop Launch: 6 New Prints!

I’m excited to announce that the shop is LIVE and I’m launching with 6 new prints!

6 new pieces I painted this year are now ready to order as giclee prints through Monday, August 17, 2020.

I painted these imagining them living side by side in sets of 3 like this above, but they stand strong by themselves too!

FIRST, the process and behind-the-scenes stories:

The animal paintings started in my sketchbook with just a few sea creatures and moved to the final draft.

I don’t use pencil for underdrawing, but paint directly onto blank paper so I use sticky notes for placement - they have the shape and name of the creatures on them.

JAPANESE BIRDS

These all live in Japan - some native, some not - all recorded on a document if you’d like to know the names!

This project began with my daughter’s (2 years old) interest in birds. We started visiting ducks and geese close to our house. On walks by one neighbor’s home, she would stop, sit, and watch the birds. That was good indication that it was time to get a bird feeder at home.

We got one for finches and one for hummingbirds. Part of daily life now during quarantine is admiring birds, observing the local varieties, and shooing squirrels away from stealing the bird food.

Fun fact: the bottom right bird unintentionally is an exact portrait of my daughter’s expression when she furrows her brows.

JAPANESE SEA CREATURES

These all live in Japan - some native, some not - all recorded on a document if you’d like to know the names!

If I could pick one animal I’m always drawn to in print or paintings, it would be sea creatures - mostly fish. That includes the Japanese fish scale pattern that I want to add on everything I own.

This painting was the first of my series of 3. I wondered which are around Japan, and sketched how they’d look together. Once I painted a few in my sketchbook, I had to keep going. I could have covered a wall with my list of Japanese sea creatures I wanted to paint, but I narrowed it down to a variety of distinct shapes in an 11x14” painting. I’m sure I’ll revisit painting fish in the future.

JAPANESE REPTILES & AMPHIBIANS

These all live in Japan - some native, some not - all recorded on a document if you’d like to know the names!

This was the final painting in my series of 3. I’ve been working a project called the 100 Day Project, painting animals that express pandemic-related feelings/experiences, and the first of the 100 was a turtle. A few days later I painted a frog. That piqued my interest to learn more, and it was time to start this piece dedicated to reptiles and amphibians in Japan.

Much like the birds and fish, there were far more than I could possibly include in one painting so I chose a variety that stood out while researching.

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OUT OF WORDS 1, 2, 3

My other series came from thinking about news and the range of responses to the deep issues of prejudice this year that we faced in a more direct way. The responses include learning, thinking, protesting, speaking, conversing, giving, questioning, grieving, dismissing…only to name a few.

This year has been surprising, to say the least. Sometimes when I can’t put my experiences or thoughts into words, I paint. I’m mourning and longing, but always with hope. The flowers as center points of the compositions point to new life and to hope.

1 Camellias (far left): one of the meanings (varies by color) is longing in Japanese “hanakotoba” (“flower words” = language of flowers). I, just like almost everyone else, am longing for peace and justice, even if I don’t immediately know how to respond or where to change.

2 Dahlias (center): one of the meanings (also varies by color) is dignity. In a time I didn’t know what action to take, one thing I knew without a doubt was the dignity of every human being regardless of ability, experience, or appearance.

3 Morning glories (right): one of the meanings is united. There are divisions everywhere we look, and some of those have become more apparent this year. This is another thing I long for, to be united to stand for the God-given dignity of every person.

OUT OF WORDS 1

If you look closely by the expressions, you’ll see little bodies attached. These are the body language of a variety of responses that I observed and some that I felt, but couldn’t necessarily put into words.

OUT OF WORDS 2

OUT OF WORDS 3

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ABOUT THE PRINTS: 

All prints are the highest quality giclee reproductions, professionally printed in the Bay Area. They are on archival, matte, acid-free 340gsm 100% cotton fiber material with a watercolor paper texture. The paper is exactly like the original cold press watercolor paper I painted them on!

Dimensions: 11x14”

The measurements include the white edge so they can be framed with or without a mat/mount. The prints are standard sizes (11x14”) so framing options are plentiful. Feel free to contact me with framing questions, but I included some suggestions at the end. I will post separately with more detail about framing options and ideas! 

Side-by-side with original:

In a previous print release of Japanese tea bowls, I placed the original and the print side-by-side and was astonished at the perfect capture and print quality. It’s hard to tell which is the original painting except for the deckled edge on the original watercolor paper.

FREE SHIPPING (domestic): To celebrate the shop launch, I’m offering free shipping!

The print will be packaged in a clear sleeve and will be sealed, laying flat with hard backing in a rigid mailer to ensure it reaches you in perfect condition. Please contact me for a quote for international shipping!

ORDERING: The SHOP is LIVE and the print orders will close on Monday, August 17, 2020 11:59pm. Once orders are received, they will be shipped within 7-10 days.
*Please contact me if you'd prefer to pick up.

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FRAMING TIPS:

Option 1: Professional

Since this is a standard size, you could purchase a pre-made frame and have the framer assemble it. Standard size pre-made frames are significantly less expensive than custom orders.

Framers have specific tools and this option will ensure the framing is done safely, correctly, and with good alignment. You can select different glass options and mat colors (I recommend white that matches the paper white).

Option 2: Semi-DIY with mat

If framing it myself, I would include a mat because I like that space between the painting and the frame.

A good rule of thumb is for the mat to be around 3” wider/taller than the painting. For 11x14” you would need:

• 1 mat (16x20”) with 11x14” opening

• 1 acid-free backing board (16x20”)

• 1 frame (16x20”)

Option 3: Semi-DIY without mat

If space doesn’t allow, I’d go for a simple 11x14” frame. I paint these with this option in mind so there is space between the edge of the painting and the animals. Without a mat, since the frame will be close to the painting, I like the soft look of natural wood close to black ink to keep the painting as the focal point rather than the frame, but it depends on your space!

I call 2 and 3 Semi-DIY because complete DIY would start with cutting the mat yourself using a mat cutter that most don’t have lying around.

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How to Hang Art (Step-by-Step)

If you want just one takeaway that will make your art-hanging consistent, skip to the bottom and see the last tip!

We’ve all been home for a long time now, and I don’t think I’m the only one rearranging things around the house.

There’s always the option of hiring a professional who hangs art for a living, but it’s possible to do it and make it look good by yourself too!

If you’re intimidated by hanging artwork, I’m with you. We have lived in our house for almost 3 years and still have very few things on the wall — but my studio is overflowing with artwork.

Two thoughts that keep my walls blank and —> what I tell myself to commit to putting something up:

1. What if I change my mind and don’t like it later? —> You can change it when that day comes. It’s not permanent! You can even keep the frame and change just the inside.

2. What if I mess up the wall? —> The extra hole or two will likely be covered by the artwork. With these instructions, it’s less likely to happen! But, there’s always putty.

Supply List

Pictured above from top left to right:

• Screwdriver (if needed only to attach D-rings)

• D-rings

• Hanging wire

• Hammer

• Picture hanger (hook with nail)

• Measuring tape

• Level

• Scratch paper

• Pencil and good eraser

• Framed artwork/picture

Here are the steps I take to HANG ART

Select the location

I had two spots in our living/dining room area that I wanted to use.

Spot 1: Above the blue chair

Spot 2: Other side of the wall in the dining room, right where that leaning painting is just barely visible

Prepare the artwork

Image from West Elm. Oversized mat collection.

FRAMING: I like to add mats between the frame and artwork but it depends on the space available. A large space doesn’t mean you have to have large artwork. You can also use a smaller piece and add a large frame and mat. Those will bring further attention to highlight the artwork!

>> Cost-saving tip: If your artwork is an unusual size, use a standard frame and get a custom mat cut for your artwork at any frame shop.

HANGING & SAFETY: Once it’s framed, add D-rings and wire on the back of the frame.

Balancing the artwork on a nail rather than hooking it securely on the wall with wire can be dangerous in any shared living space. I don’t want any chance of a heavy frame falling onto anyone shorter than 58” (like our toddler and her friends).

Many frames include D-rings and wire, but if yours doesn’t, this picture hanging kit may be helpful.

If you have a heavy frame, you may want to use two or more nails. You can use two wall anchors with screws or a three-nail picture hanger. If using wall anchors and screws, I would twist the wire around a screw to make sure it’s extra secure.

My riceball painting has a heavy wooden frame with glass so I used two picture hangers — one on each side of the original nail hole I measured.

Images below: (1) D-rings and wire on a frame and (2) single picture hanger

MEASURE & MARK the wall

The center point of all hanging work should be consistent in your line of view.

What does that mean? If you have 3 frames up, all different sizes, the center of each frame should be at the same height. There are exceptions if there is furniture right below, but it’s a general rule. The standard height of the center point from the floor is between 57-60”.

The few frames up in the living/dining part of our house are at 58” at the center so I’ll use that as my reference point with measurement examples. This is the technical part that I think may be easiest to mix up.

First measurements to write down. Seriously, this has to be written.

• Width & height of the outer edges of frame (9x11” and 23x27” for my two).

• Width of the part of the wall you’re centering the art on.

Measuring the width with my assistant. The measuring tape was floppy so she really was helpful holding it in place.

Second measurements to write down below. Then I make 6 pencil marks on the wall, in this order:

• 1 - Center point of painting

  • choose height between 58-60” from floor

  • e.g. 58” for this example

• 2 - Top of frame

  • center point + half of frame height

  • e.g. 58” + (9”/2) = 58” + 4.5” = 62.5”

• 3 - Bottom of frame

  • center point - half of frame height

  • e.g. 58” - (11”/2) = 58” - 5.5” = 52.5”

• 4 - Far left edge

  • width of wall - frame width, divided by 2

  • e.g. (30” - 9”) / 2 = 21” / 2 = 10.5”

• 5 - Far right edge

  • Same as above, 10.5”

• 6 - Where to put the nail

  • top of frame - top point of the wire

  • 63.5” - 2” = 61.5”

The 6th pencil mark can be tricky. I circle only the 6th mark like a target because I have accidentally mixed up my top of frame mark and hole mark in the past.

Attached D-rings and wire on the back side, about 1/3 of the height from the top.

How to measure your nail mark:

Pull the wire up to where it would be when hanging, and measure that distance from the top of the frame.

For example, if it’s 2 inches from the top, then your nail hole will be 2 inches from the top of the frame mark (mark #2).

Important note: If using a picture hanger, make sure the hook is aligned to the hole mark, not the nail itself. See below. Art will hang on the hook, not the top nail.

For my bigger painting, I ended up using 2 picture hangers, 1 on each side of the nail hole mark (mark #6), because the frame was heavy.

If using a hook like this, make sure the hanging part aligns with where you want your wire to hang. This was 1 of 2 picture hangers I put on each side of the original nail mark.

Time to hammer and hang the artwork!

Check your work

Place a level on top of the frame to make sure it’s straight.

The benefit of wire hanging is that you can wiggle the frame around some to get it right instead of being stuck on one nail hole. You can also tighten or loosen the wire itself to move the frame up or down on the wall if needed.

Key takeaway

If nothing else, remember this tip! Make sure your center line is the same across your line of view.

For example in the photo below, I’m standing in the living room looking towards the dining room, and all 3 frames are centered at 58” so my eye doesn’t bounce around.

This makes a streamlined view across the room. It takes extra time to measure, but saves you time from never redoing the previously hung work when you add something else later. That empty spot in the far corner is calling my name!

View from the living room where you can see all 3 frames along the same center line

View from the dining room

What if I’m doing a gallery wall?

Set it up on the floor first! Consider the entire gallery as one artwork, and your center point is in the center of the entire gallery.

If your frames are a variety of sizes: Using paper cut to the approximate sizes of each frame and placed on your gallery wall would make it easy to know if it’s exactly what you want.

What if there’s furniture?

For placement and size of artwork, check out this great guide by Emily Henderson: How to Hang Art Correctly with many helpful photos of artwork above furniture and in a variety of contexts.

Questions?

I’m no professional art handler, but I’d love to chat if you have any questions! Comment here, DM on Instagram or Facebook, or email through the Contact page.

Everyday Buddha Bowls

Have you had a Buddha bowl? A grain bowl? There are thousands of variations and I have yet to meet one I haven’t liked. I’m definitely not claiming this is the best, but I’m sharing how we enjoy these bowls.

This version is vegan, but depending on the crowd we might add sliced grilled meat. These build-your-own bowls have been a favorite by friends and family so it’s on a regular rotation at our house.

I first tried this sort of grain bowl at a lovely cafe/yoga studio called Prasad in Portland in 2012. My food memory is the only memory of mine that I can count on so remember that bowl from 8 years ago with vivid detail. I still daydream about their Dragon Bowl (quinoa, beans, steamed kale, avocado, sea vegetables, kimchi, scallions, hemp & sesame seeds, choice of sauce).

When I started to see grain bowl recipes online I thought they were way too much work until I actually tried making it. They can be streamlined very easily and they fit my recent quarantine food criteria:

• Making ahead in batches but tastes great later

• Nutritious

• Colorful = 100 bonus points, especially when I’m mostly painting black and white

• Minimal hands-on time besides chopping

The basic pieces are a lot like a vegan Chipotle bowl or a poke bowl. My favorite kind of bowl includes these components:

The Base: whole grains (optional)

The Warmth: roasted sweet potato and/or squash

The Hearty: protein

The Fresh: crunchy vegetable

The Sauce: see 3 options below

The Toppings: seeds

This was my recent version, which is my go-to. By changing the sauce and/or toppings it can become a different dish, but more on those combinations later.

For 6 bowls (because I like batch cooking)…

Ingredients

• 1.5 C dry quinoa / brown rice (optional)

• 6 cups Japanese sweet potato* & kabocha squash**

• 2 cans chickpeas (OR 2 cubed firm tofu OR 2 cups edamame)

• chili spice blend & olive oil (for chickpeas)

• 1/2 red cabbage (OR other cruciferous veg)

• 1/2 cup cilantro

• 2 carrots

• salt & pepper

• 2 T vinegar (red wine vinegar / rice wine vinegar / apple cider vinegar / lemon juice)

• 1 T olive oil
  
  

Prep

1. Make grains: If using, start cooking that first (according to package instructions).

2. Roast sweet potato/squash: Preheat oven to 400F. Cube the sweet potato and/or squash and spread out on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

3. Sprinkle salt, pepper, and olive oil over the top and massage it around.

4. Bake 25 min or until toasted on outside and soft inside.

5. Make slaw: Meanwhile, thinly slice cabbage, julienne carrots, and chop cilantro. Massage it with the vinegar/lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Keep in fridge until assembly time. It’s great a day later too!

6. Roast chickpeas: Drain, rinse, and dry the chickpeas. Toss with spice blend and olive oil on parchment paper that fits the baking sheet (or a bowl but I like to use minimum number of prep dishes).

7. Bake 15 minutes at 400F after sweet potatoes.

8. Assemble: If using grains, add those to the bowl first. Then assemble bowl with the rest of the ingredients side by side in a circle to show off the colors.

9. Top with sauce and seeds to taste.
   
   

   *Any sweet potato works. Japanese sweet potatoes are creamy, sweet, and nutty compared to red yams.

   **Any squash works. Kabocha has a similar texture to Japanese sweet potato - creamy, sweet, similar to chestnuts. Sub with butternut or acorn squash.

Build-Your-Own Buddha Bowl at the Table

These were all prepared the day before and tasted great the next day - my favorite part of these bowls! Also, I highly recommend putting seeds in jars for topping.

Here are the 3 sauces I use for Buddha bowls and the toppings I pair them with. I put all the sauce ingredients straight into a high-speed blender and add water as needed to get a drizzling consistency. Keep in mind they all thicken in the fridge.

Sauce 1: Cilantro Cashew Crema

• 1 cup cilantro leaves and tender stems

• 1/2 cup raw cashews

• 1 cup water

• 1 garlic clove, crushed

• 3 T rice wine vinegar (OR lime juice / lemon juice)

• salt

Toppings: pepitas, hemp seeds, sunflower seeds

Protein pairing: chickpeas, pinto beans, black beans, baked tofu

Optional additions: salsa, guacamole, tortilla chips

Sauce 2: Tahini Garlic Sauce

• 3 cloves garlic (or 8 if roasted ahead)

• 1/4 cup lemon juice

• 1/2 cup tahini

• 1/2 tsp salt

• pinch cumin

• 1/2 cup water

Toppings: pepitas & hemp seeds

Protein pairings: chickpeas, baked tofu, tempeh

Optional additions: pickled onions, sauerkraut, olives, sun-dried tomatoes

Sauce 3: Honey Miso Sesame

• 3 T miso

• 1 T honey

• 1 T soy sauce

• 1/4 cup water

• 1 clove garlic

• 1 tsp grated ginger

• 1 tsp sesame oil

Topping: toasted sesame seeds

Protein pairings: Chickpeas, edamame, plain or baked tofu, tempeh

Optional additions: kimchi, sea vegetables, roasted mushrooms

That’s it!

There are endless variations and you can make it as elaborate as you’d like, but the base is pretty simple — grains, roasted things, veggies, a blended sauce, and something crunchy.

I hope you enjoy these bowls. Tell me how it goes if you try it out!

New Prints Available through Tuesday!

Print reproductions of recent work are ready and the pre-orders are in! I'm printing a limited number so email subscribers got the first updates. BUT if you didn’t get a chance to subscribe before the email went out and would still like to order, I’m opening up orders for 2 more days.

ABOUT THE PRINTS: All prints are the highest quality giclee reproductions, professionally printed in the Bay Area. They are on archival, matte, acid-free 340gsm 100% cotton fiber material with a watercolor paper texture. The paper is exactly like the original cold press watercolor paper I painted them on!
The measurements include the white edge so they can be framed with or without a mat/mount. The prints are standard sizes (11x14 or 16x20) so framing options are plentiful. Feel free to contact me with framing questions! 
 

FREE SHIPPING (domestic): The print will be packaged in a cellophane slip for protection. For shipping, the prints will be packaged and sealed between flat multilayered boards to ensure it reaches you in perfect condition. Please contact me for a quote for international shipping!

ORDERING: Here's what I need from you by email or the contact form on the site by end of day Tuesday, October 8!

• Title of the piece you'd like (or titles)

• Shipping name & address*

• Email & phone number for tracking

• Payment via Venmo @emakubo or Paypal to ema.k.roberson@gmail.com

Once I get this info from you (by 10/8/19), the print will be secured for you and ship out shortly!

*Contact me if you'd prefer to pick up.

I painted these imagining them living side by side in sets of 2-3 like this:
 

JAPANESE FOOD

35 each of some favorite things: Nigiri, Wagashi, and Yasai - all recorded on a document if you’d like to know the names! 11x14”

COLLECTIONS

Left: 70 Japanese traditional tea bowls // Right: Japanese characters starting from the top right, corresponding to animal names. 16x20”

BACKYARD BLOOMS

Each one painted looking at real flowers from my parents’ garden. 16x20”

HYDRANGEA PATTERNS

Visited Japan this year during hydrangea season and these were some of my favorites from a hydrangea festival at a local shrine. 11x14”

Here are the 11 available prints including dimensions, prices, and brief descriptions:

• Ochawan [16x20" - $95] giclee print of an original 16x20" watercolor painting of 70 types of Japanese tea bowls of various regions.

Ochawan [16x20" - $95] giclee print of an original 16x20" watercolor painting of 70 types of Japanese tea bowls of various regions.

• Nigiri [11x14" - $80] giclee print of an original 11x14" watercolor painting of 35 types of nigiri sushi.

Nigiri [11x14" - $80] giclee print of an original 11x14" watercolor painting of 35 types of nigiri sushi.

• Wagashi [11x14" - $80] giclee print of an original 11x14" watercolor painting of 35 types of traditional Japanese confections.

Wagashi [11x14" - $80] giclee print of an original 11x14" watercolor painting of 35 types of traditional Japanese confections.

• Yasai [11x14" - $80] giclee print of an original 11x14" watercolor painting of 35 types of Japanese vegetables.

Yasai [11x14" - $80] giclee print of an original 11x14" watercolor painting of 35 types of Japanese vegetables.

• Hiragana Animals [16x20" - $95] giclee print of an original 16x20" Japanese sumi ink painting of animals that correspond with Japanese letters (hiragana).

Hiragana Animals [16x20" - $95] giclee print of an original 16x20" Japanese sumi ink painting of animals that correspond with Japanese letters (hiragana).

• Hydrangea 1 [11x14" - $80] giclee print of an original 12x16" sumi ink and watercolor painting of hydrangeas in late spring in Tokyo.

Hydrangea 1 [11x14" - $80] giclee print of an original 12x16" sumi ink and watercolor painting of hydrangeas in late spring in Tokyo.

• Hydrangea 2 [11x14" - $80] giclee print of an original 12x16" sumi ink and watercolor painting of hydrangeas in late spring in Tokyo.

Hydrangea 2 [11x14" - $80] giclee print of an original 12x16" sumi ink and watercolor painting of hydrangeas in late spring in Tokyo.

• Hydrangea 3 [11x14" - $80] giclee print of an original 12x16" sumi ink and watercolor painting of hydrangeas in late spring in Tokyo.

Hydrangea 3 [11x14" - $80] giclee print of an original 12x16" sumi ink and watercolor painting of hydrangeas in late spring in Tokyo.

• Peony [16x20" - $95] giclee print of an original 16x20" sumi ink and watercolor painting of a backyard peony.

Peony [16x20" - $95] giclee print of an original 16x20" sumi ink and watercolor painting of a backyard peony.

• Blush Peony [16x20" - $95] giclee print of an original 16x20" sumi ink and watercolor painting of a backyard peony.

Blush Peony [16x20" - $95] giclee print of an original 16x20" sumi ink and watercolor painting of a backyard peony.

• Rhododendron [16x20" - $95] giclee print of an original 16x20" sumi ink and watercolor painting featuring a front yard peony.

Rhododendron [16x20" - $95] giclee print of an original 16x20" sumi ink and watercolor painting featuring a front yard peony.

Thank you for your time if you made it through this far! If you enjoyed browsing these paintings, share with anyone else who may also like to see them.

To get studio updates in your inbox, you can subscribe at the footer of this page! Coming soon will be a brief (and long overdue) studio/life recap and upcoming show news!

Studio Update: 8 Weeks as Mama-Professor-Artist

It has been 8 weeks since we brought baby Mia home from the hospital! The moment she was first placed on my chest has to be one of my top highlights from any experience. Labor is rough, and the 9 months leading up were no cake walk, but that one moment replaced the pain and discomfort. What a miracle!

Finally getting to hold her was one of the happiest moments of our lives!

The first few weeks were the hardest while my body was healing, emotions were intense, and everything was new, but we had generous support from friends and family. I had heard from other moms not to expect to have a schedule, and I was ok with that for a while as I savored every moment with our baby girl and recognized the time needed for my physical recovery.

I went back to teaching part-time 3 weeks after she was born. It sounds early (and it probably was) but since it’s a college class, I’m on campus for only a couple of hours 2x/week and the rest of the work is at home. I truly care about each student and wanted to stick with them throughout the semester. The longer I was away the harder it would be to catch up so I’m grateful for the smooth and quick transition back in. For a few hours a week I wear regular (non-yoga) pants, blouses, and have a pretty good idea of what I’m doing.

Now at the 8-week mark, my “planner” side is creeping up again and it’s unsettling not knowing what I’ll be able to do any given day. I used to love to block out each day by the half hour and plan every minute from the moment I woke up (with an alarm at the time I planned). It may sound neurotic but time-blocking is a highly effective way of getting things done so I recommend trying it out for time management! Of course for me at this time, it’s not a realistic option.

This photo below is from yesterday. After doing some school emails and reviewing my lecture before class, I squeezed in 20 minutes of painting while she was in the swing next to me (photo below) - half of those 20 minutes she was not happy about it. My mind keeps racing about when is it justified to leave her? If I’m doing something for someone else’s needs then yes, it’s fine. But if I’m working on art, is it selfish? It’s one of the many gray-area, matters of conscience that may vary for each person but for me I know I’m supposed to keep working at it. A friend sent me this great article months ago God Calls Me to Motherhood and Art. How Do I Do Both? about how this artist’s vocation is to do both. It was helpful to read about this artist’s struggle with unscheduled time as a mom and the reminder that though people may consider making art as personal and selfish, she doesn’t ultimately answer to them.

I imagine this struggle of balance will be ongoing. At some point I hear there are regular schedules with regular naps and bedtimes. We’re not there yet, and surprisingly as much as I like to plan, I really enjoy these newborn weeks of seeing her grow, learn, and develop. The days are unpredictable with 10 to 30-minute mini naps throughout the day some days, and other days she sleeps for hours at a time. Same story for night time - she may wake up only once one night, and then 3 times the next night.

Being her mama brings an unmeasurable amount of joy every single day. I considered “planner” as a core, unchanging part of my personality but letting go of some of that and taking things as they come is necessary in this season. A few weeks ago I even spontaneously went out to lunch with Page (my husband). Spontaneity was unheard of 8 weeks ago. I used to have to plan times to be spontaneous…I think motherhood will be a good change.

What Does Perseverance Look Like?

These statues at Urakami Cathedral in Nagasaki stand as a poignant reminder of real perseverance. They're fragmented and scarred but they still stand strong. 

What Happened?

First let's back up to 1865: Japan has recently opened its doors to foreign trade but the 250+ year ban on religion remains. The underground Catholic church has continued in secret for centuries, and this year a small group of the underground church sought out a visiting French priest.  This is one of the moments I wish I had a time machine for. I wish I could have seen the look on the priest's face when he found out their faith had not actually been wiped out centuries ago.

Fast forward a few years: After the ban on religion was lifted, this cathedral was built and dedicated in 1914. It was used for about 30 years, but during WW2 it was only 500 meters from the center of the atomic bomb dropped in Nagasaki in 1945. The majority of the members of Urakami Cathedral died but the remaining members started to rebuild the church the same year it was destroyed. 

Now back to present day: Though I painted statues, these remind me of the perseverance of the real people who continued traditions for hundreds of years despite the life-threatening risk over their families and communities. These few broken statues remind me of the resilience of those who chose to rebuild the cathedral soon after the bombing. There were thousands who persevered in circumstances far more difficult than I will likely ever face. I'm grateful to see these statue remains to remember what true hope looks like.

From Doubt to Hope - My Story in Psalm 73

Through teaching the history of Chinese landscape painting, I have two main takeaways that apply to my work that I'll tie back to:

1. The expressive potential of landscapes - they can be packed with emotions.
2. The relationship between writing and painting on one shared surface. 

First, why do you write on your paintings?

Writing on the surface of a painting about the rainy weather or which artists the brush strokes mimic isn't common practice in western art so this painting+writing combination needs a quick background overview.

In Chinese painting, there's a big range in content of inscriptions from briefly describing the circumstances of the day to connecting the scene or location to a historical event. This connection to location/historical event will be clearer when I describe my work.

For example, in these two paintings by Wang Hui (1632–1717):

Leaf E from an album by Wang Hui (Chinese, 1632–1717). Image from MET Museum.

Top left inscription:

"Mountain torrent and deserted mountain path; through old trees to a village’s bramble gate."  澗水空山道，柴門老樹村。

"Using the brush manner of Juran [active ca. 960–85] to evoke the poetic ideas of Shaoling" [Du Fu, 712–770]  用巨然筆寫少陵詩意。 

Top left inscription includes:

• Description of the place: "Mountain torrent and deserted mountain path; through old trees to a village’s bramble gate." 
• Explicit shoutouts to artist & poet from other turmoiled times similar to Wang Hui's: "Using the brush manner of Juran [active ca. 960–85] to evoke the poetic ideas of Shaoling" [Du Fu, 712–770]  

Leaf J from the same album as the first piece, also by Wang Hui. Image from MET Museum

Top left inscription includes same as above (place + artist reference): 

"Mountain Village after Snow, after Vice Minister Wang" [Wang Wei, 701–761] 山莊雪霽，倣右丞。

Top right inscription includes:

• Who commissioned it: "Yanweng Laoren [Wang Shimin] gave me a blank album and asked for some paintings. At the time I was traveling in Weiyang [Yangzhou] and was not able to comply. This spring I received an urgent letter [from him] so I quickly did these small scenes after various masters. Your disciple's embarrassing brush and ink is not worthy of entering your collection."
• Date and weather: "Done by a rainy window on the fifth day of the second [lunar] month of the jiayin year [March 5, 1674]." 
• Who painted it: "Your pupil, Wang Hui of Yushan."

煙翁老先生以素冊命畫，翬時游維揚未能即應。今年春飛書見，速率倣諸家小景呈正。第愧筆墨醜惡，不堪溷入清閟耳。甲寅二月五日雨窗識。虞山後學王翬 

For more info on the stories of Chinese painting based on inscriptions, read this excellent MET Museum article!

Especially during turbulent political change (like Wang Hui's time), there's often anguish and longing evident within the heaviness of the piece within the subject. The emotion is also seen in the inscriptions - in the references to another artist from an earlier dynasty. These referenced artists were sometimes ones known for living during similarly difficult circumstances. 

So how do Chinese landscapes relate?

For the Psalm 73 series (consisting of 3 paintings so far), I've applied both takeaways from above in the writing and painting.

1. The expressive potential of landscapes - they can be packed with emotions.
2. The relationship between writing and painting on one shared surface (which is my focus for writing today).

The inscription above the landscapes are excerpts of Psalm 73, included in English at the end of the post. They are about the presence and strength of God as the psalmist's refuge. I wondered what "presence" and "strength" look like in suffering when those traits are harder to see.

The places I painted are important historical sites of Japanese Catholics who continued an underground tradition for centuries (about 250 years until the mid-19th century). These sites are places of torture, martyrdom, and worship. One site known for where underground Christians were captured became a site to collect holy water. How can a terrible past transform to a holy place? Is it still a terrible place based on the events that happened there? Or is it now a holy place? Is it possible that it can be both?

Studying the history of Japanese Catholics first brought waves of doubt. These weren't new doubts. It's been a journey of faith to choose what to believe in when I don't understand the circumstances - usually tragic ones. If I pray and believe with all my soul for someone to survive or to believe, and the outcome is neither, then what do I make of that? I have wondered, like they did, was my prayer heard at all?

How can it be that for 250+ years, these people had to suffer, be tortured, and even killed along with neighbors and families simply for holding on to their faith? I saw this as a reflection of God more than a reflection of man's fear. My thinking was black and white, just like thinking a place can only be tragic or sacred, not both at once.

The important connection developing in my mind and faith over the years are that both seemingly incompatible facts can be true.

There is terrible suffering that I can't understand from my perspective, but in that suffering these words in Psalm 73 can still be true, much like a place can be both tragic and sacred.

In fact, without that tragedy the place would never have become sacred. Similarly, without weakness, failure, and fear, there would be no consolation from Psalm 73.

Nevertheless I am continually with You;
You have taken hold of my right hand.
With Your counsel You will guide me,
And afterward receive me to glory.

Whom have I in heaven but You?
And besides You, I desire nothing on earth.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
For, behold, those who are far from You will perish;
You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to You.
But as for me, the nearness of God is my good;
I have made the Lord God my refuge,
That I may tell of all Your works.

[Psalm 73:23-28]

The Birth of a Painting

In case you missed it from my last post, we're expecting baby girl in 8(ish) weeks. With pregnancy and delivery on my mind, I've noticed the many similarities with stages of when I make a painting. Neither are spontaneously produced on a whim!

Preparation takes longer than the final step.

Learning is a long step that never ends.

And there are disappointing days in between when everything goes wrong and it feels like "dark night of the soul" (see graph at the end of this post).

Experiencing the steps of either (art/pregnancy) can be challenging. I finally have a much higher base level of admiration for ALL moms.

The stages of how my paintings are born, by trimester:

Beginning

• Think of an idea or theme, often related to a recent experience or ongoing interest.

1st

• Sketch something and hope that it will make it through the next stages.

2nd

• Research for contextual reference materials: writing, history, photographs of locations, etc. If you haven't already, definitely watch the movie Silence by Martin Scorsese. 
• Research for stylistic reference materials: other artists' work to see drapery on clothes, landscape paintings, etc. (a few pages from a book on Kawanabe Kyosai below)
• Practice necessary sections many times - people, drapery, brushstrokes. 

3rd

• Prepare materials: paper and ink.
• Paint with ink and washes.
• Prepare more materials: colors.
• Add color.

A small part of my gathered mess waiting to be cleaned

End

• Let it sit for a day. If needed, revisit #6-9.
• Add my name as a sign of approval (though often with a disappointed sigh).
• Clean up the mess.
• Photograph.
• Edit photograph to make sure colors match the original.
• Post it online. 

If it's signed, that means I've accepted that it's the best I could do now.

There it is - a glimpse into my mind and process of the life of a painting from conception to birth. Then what do I do? I repeat it all over again and again because there's much more to be said.

In broader terms, this cycle is summarized perfectly in Austin Kleon's book Steal Like an Artist:

Lastly, for more on the artist Kawanabe Kyosai whose work is pictured in the book above, this is a nice summary of his work from the site Spoon & Tamago. I subscribe to their (not-too-frequent) newsletter that covers "Japanese design from fine art and architecture to product and graphic design" in a very clear and succinct way. I highly recommend the newsletter - or just browse the site for your viewing pleasure!

Next up on my journal: the story behind this painting.