Starting this year, the Nitten (The Japan Fine Arts Exhibition) will be held at the National Art Center in Roppongi, instead of Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum at Ueno Park. For this reason alone, I am perfectly willing to show my woodblock printing at the exhibition.
Particularly, this year marks Nitten's centennial anniversary, so it would be a challenging task. I have arranged my schedule so that I can devote more of my time to my art work. Sequestered myself inside my atelier, I have been working hard earlier than usual.When I concentrate too much, I tend to forget about time. It is then my dog, Pearl, comes to me and says, "Why don't you take a little break and play with me?" by tapping on my knee. What magic a dog can do. With Pearl's help, I manage to rest after every few hours of concentration.
The other day Ruby, Pearl's younger sister, came to my atelier to pay a courtesy call. She's 1 year old and her owner is my music director. She's now no more a puppy that I knew. Still very playful but she is taller than Pearl! Nevertheless, Pearl is senior to her and Ruby listens to Pearl. It was Ruby's first time to visit my atelier so she explored my studio by following Pearl everywhere. In no time, she has house-trained herself! What a good girl! But then I noticed it was be Pearl who training her by showing her around.
The next day, Kaiser, our star dog of Judy Ongg Museum in Izu Kohgen, also stopped by on his way back from the grooming parlor. He is my mother's ghuggy huggy teddy bear" dog. What a handsome boy he turned out to be after getting the trim from the most respected trimmer of Japan, Mrs. Etsuko Fukuyama. So I decided to take a picture of him before he leaves for the long journey back to Izu Kohgen.
Inspired by my dogs, I felt a second wind coming.
All paintings will have to be turned in on the 8th of Oct. Not much days left to go before the due date! Fight! Fight! Fight! Judy, Fight!
This year' Nitten starts from the 2nd of November until December 15th.
