Happy New Year!

I wish you a Happy New Year-!!!

Kyoto and Nara 2011 Fall

I have been having terrible jet lag yet since I came back from Japan. Having jet lag makes me feel that I am lazy... I should adjust myself into the U.S. life cycle.

Last month, I went back to Japan to see my family and friends for the first time in two and half years. My hometown is Saitama where is located next to Tokyo like the same relationship between New Jersey and Manhattan. I traveled Kyoto and Nara during my stay in December and the autumn leaves were at their peak! It was really beautiful. Also, I am a fan of Butsuzou ( image of Buddha or statue of Budda) and I had a great experience to see the special image of Buddha at Hase temple in Nara . I felt peace when I touched him. I would like to share some photos I took there.

JUXTAPOZ JANUARY 2012 ISSUE

My illustration is featured in the profiles section of JUXTAPOZ magazine January issue. What a great early Christmas gift for me! Big thanks to editor, Evan Pricco.

Portrait of Japanese couple at Grimaldi's Pizzeria at Brooklyn.

How to make a good tea.

Self-Service...

Coffee connoisseur

Habit...

Dandelion

This is my third time to paint dandelion. Both yellow flower and dandelion down are very attractive and friendly for me, also this flower reminds me of my childhood. I found very interesting myth about dandelion. Dandelion down reveals how much your lover is thinking of you, the more you are being thought of. How romantic is it?

I participate 22nd Anual the Cathedral Art Festival at Van Vost Church in Jersey City on Saturday, November 12. Unfortunately, I can't go to Champaign Gala night because I will be in Japan at the time.

Here is a portrait painting. The request is a guy driving Japanese transportation company car with the setting in Hiroshima.
When people saw this painting, first reaction is "why Pink road" with big smile. Why Pink? Because I want to make people smile!

I painted two cars and one truck recently, and I found out myself that painting automobile is kind of fun.

My illustration will be showcased with a graphic designer and a motion graphic designer at Carpe Diem on October 20 at People Lounge in lower manhattan. I don't know anything about DJ, but it is interesting to see how mix and match my works and DJ world.

Carpe Diem
Hosted by King Francis Harris & Pannie Navarro

http://peoplelounge.com
163 Allen Street, New York
Free Admisson 21 and over

Featuring DJ's
Bradford James (Seed Recordings /galaktik)
Mike Dominico (mutedtrax)
Phil D.(Phil D. records)
Opening set by Young-ji / DJ Love

"Playing an Ecletic Mixture of Dance Music"

Special Artist Showcase
YBK
Shigeko Okada
Deaeun Danny Kim

Epic Oregon

Map of Oregon based on my Summer trip. Here is my first map illustration! It took me a long time to finish, but it was so fun. I want to try another map. Where I should choose? Maybe, Kyoto and Nara where I plan to visit in this autumn. It sounds good that I travel somewhere with my original map! If someone plan to Oregon, I can share the map ;-))

I was asked to paint one work for my friend's father in law as a birthday present a month ago. This is NOT the one. She sent me many his and his wife's photos as a reference, and I made a extra one as a gift from me. Hope my friend like it.

Travel

I like 1970s samsonite suitcase. I love their color a lot. My dad had the one, but my mom throw it away long time ago. I should have asked my mom to keep it, so I could use it for something..like keeping my painting! I haven't been back to Japan two years and a half. I miss my family, friend, food, and Onsen...

The Print of this work will be on sale at here and I will post more information of this project later. Until then, please savor of Autumn breeze-.

the Artfuls

My interview is on the Artfuls website now.
Also, you can download my wallpaper from the site!

Lycoris radiata

Lycoris radiata.
I got an email from my mom that Lycoris radiatas (we call it Higan bana) bloomed in the backyard this morning. Then I started painting it from 9.a.m. but the image doesn't suit for the beautiful morning.

This flower itself is simply beautiful, but this flower has many unlucky another names in Japan such as Hell flower, ghost flower, fox flower, etc. I don't know such unpleasant name was given, but I guess that it is poisonous flower.....
If you eat Lycoris radiata, only place you can reach is HELL. Be careful.

It fun to use the colors that I normally don't use, moreover, I painted it roughly.

Instigatorzine 12

I was waiting for this moment to post the illustration for Instigatorzine 12. Now you can buy the Instigatorzine 12 digital pack at Instigatorzine

Papaver Orientale

I've never seen Papaver Orientale. I know only Poppy flower, which is my favorite one!

Original image


I don't use Black for the background normally, and then I played around with it.


Sketchbook.

Chocolate Cosmos

One more Cosmos. Do you know Chocolate Cosmos? This flower is not only color like chocolate but also smell like chocolate! I came to know about 10 years ago, because my mom grew the flower in the backyard. The name is very unique and represent the flower's characteristic very well. The size of Chocolate cosmos is smaller than cosmos and the shape of the leaves between them is different.

Surprisingly, chocolate flower came over to Japan in Taisho era, ha!

Cosmos

One of my favorite flowers is Cosmos. I am normally attracted to the family of compositae like daisy and aster, and this flower delivers me the coming of autumn.



I painted this on my sketch book that I bought for myself as the new start in the U.S. as an illustrator. That's why I can't scan the image cleanly.



Also, I got this book only 50 cents at Church last Sunday. I was excited to have this book and paid as the price tag said, but I am regret that I should have paid at least $1... I will do next time for sure. ;-))

Oregon Seaside

Summer has gone, but the memory at Oregon beach still exists in my mind. Though I don't do much simple landscape, I try this as an experimental.

I got a dog portrait offer from my Ex-CoWorker with specific situation and details. Fortunately I finished it today. I would like to share the part of image!

mini TRIKKY

He is a climber who challenges hazardous mountain without hesitation.
I used to wear like this, and the model is my cat, Chiko. It was so fun! I want to do one more!

Brooklyn Art Project Quarterly #1

I just came across some good news today after 3 months it was announced. my Candy Store was selected by Samantha Levin, a curator for White Rabbit NYC, as one of 100 artists featured in Brooklyn Art Project Quarterly #1 coming out this summer. I am humbled and excited to see the issue! Please let me know if you find this issue in Brooklyn or NYC, because the summer will be over this weekend officially.

Fish-tea Party work is selected for Pocketful Illustration Magazine issue 6 with other 39 illustrator's works.
The magazine is available at Amazon.com now.

Oregon 2011

Best summer vacation in the U.S. ever! I spent two weeks in Oregon based in Portland. I used to be a very nature person who loves mountain climbing, rock climbing, skiing, and biking. Oregon is the best state to enjoy nature in the U.S. I draw blue print for my future, which is to be a Portlandia who enjoy weekends in the nature and works as a freelance illustrator weekdays. But for achieving the goal, I need to be an successful illustrator....

Peach and Tomato

I bought weird Peaches and Tomatos today.... but those are delicious!

After I read the novel "Mary Antoinette" By Shusaku Endo, a Japanese renowned author, my impression on her was completely changed. Then she became one of my favorite woman in the history. Many movies captured only her gorgeous life and her ignorance, but the novel captured the different aspect of her life. You may feel sympathy toward her.

August is the best month of the year, because it's my birthday month!
One of presents I got from my present was a ice shaving machine. I asked to them to have the one, because it shaped like a bear and his eyes were moving when I shaved ice. It called Kyoro-chang. I guess it was 8 years old birthday present. How pure kid I was. I put the cube shaped ices into his belly, then I could shave ice. For 8 year-old child, the machine was an innovative machine in the world.
Before Kyoro-chang came to my home, my parents owned a very old-style shaving machine. It required a rounded ice to set the machine and shave by hand. If my mom forgot to frozen the ice, my brother and I accused my mom's laziness... my mom has never been lazy though. But Kyoro-chang kindly accepted cube ice that we normally use, so I could eat whenever I felt like eating! Also I remember the day I said good-bye to Kyoro-chang, because he was broken.

Typewriter

4.5x4.5inches Gouache

There was an old typewriter in my home when I was a child. The typewriter belonged to my dad. He used it for his translation job. When he took a rest, I typed something meaningless on a paper. I liked the sound of the typewriter. Later, a new white electric typewriter came to my home. My curiosity toward typewriter was reduced to the electric value.

I have made a typewriter painting for my portfolio in my senior year at SVA, but I still love to paint it. I have the same one in my home and it still works if I give a fresh ink to him. I don't have time to do this now, but I want to try some day.