Something Different(2)

Another attempt was collage.  It took some time to collect materials: photos, flowers to make pressed flowers, plastic tape to transfer photos on it, colored paper, tracing paper, etc.  Also organizing my idea for collage composition was tougher than I thought.  But I tried not to think too hard and made a few works.  Here’s one. I picked a tropical parrot as a main role. 

Untiled, Collage, 24”x29”, 2025, ©Kikuko Sakota Art

Something Different (1)

This summer I tried something different from usual: Oil painting and collage.

I used oil paints for the first time in ten years.  They do not dry quickly like acrylic paints, so I felt impatient.  While struggling, paints became muddy on canvas.  After a few failures, I made several oil paintings.  The below is one of them.  

Untitled, Oil on canvas, 9”x11”, 2025 ©Kikuko Sakota Art

Kikuko Sakota's Summer Symphony

My Solo Show, Kikuko Sakota’s Summer Symphony will be held at Hiromart Gallery Tokyo from June 27 through July 27. Opening Reception will be held from 18:00 through 20:00 on June 27.

Please come join us. You are all welcome!

Gallery hours: 13:00-19:00, Wednesday -Sunday (Monday and Tuesday are closed)

Tears of the Sun

Taking a walk in the sun, as usual, suddenly I remembered my late father. My tears were almost coming down.

I wasn’t sad, but I just remembered him fondly. I felt like the sun and sky were looking at me

The painting below is “Tears of the Sun”, Acrylic on canvas, 21”x26”, 2024, ©Kikuko Sakota Art

Love Song

On the way to the acupuncture clinic, which I’ve been treated for long, I found a voice training school.  I was interested in singing, but it seemed too much for me to take lessons.  But finally last year I decided to take a class and started it this January, because I wanted to do something new.

I cannot sing well but I enjoy it, because my teacher explains deep meanings of lyrics that I’ve never thought about and some of them are well-thought. 

Desperado, which is one of the songs my teacher prepared for me, goes like, ”queen of hearts is always your best bet.”… Nothing is important than love…

The painting below is “Love Song,” Acrylic on canvas, 24”x29”, 2024, ©Kikuko Sakota Art

Soar up

The year 2024 started with a big quake hit Noto Peninsula Japan Sea. So far more than 200 people were killed, about 50 people’s safety is unknown, about 3,000 households are isolated and in total about 25,000 are evacuated. It is one of the most coldest time so even though safely evacuated, it may not be comfortable to stay in the evacuation center. For now what I can think of is to provide some contributions to the area. Many of us experienced a few earthquakes and its hard time so if not contributions or food supplies, we can always extend our feelings, empathy, encouragement, and love. to the sky and reach out to the people in the disaster area.

The painting below is titled,” Soar up” Acrylic on canvas,24”x29”, 2024 ©Kikuko Sakota Art

Four Elements

Actors: Viridian, Quinacridone red, Hansa yellow, Ivory black, and Titanium white

When I was thinking about characters for painting, I thought of four elements, and looked into Wikipedia and I found it was the ancient Greek and Roman belief that everything is made of four elements, such as earth, water, air and fire.

I used the colors above mixing to act as earth, water, air, and fire with no playscript.  I picked up the colors that I have avoided to use, which were viridian, and black.  I focused on mixing viridian with others, but next time I would like to pay more attention to gray and black.

The painting below is Four Elements 24”x29” acrylic on canvas, 2023,©Kikuko Sakota Art

Hello Kitty

When I was an elementary school student, Hello Kitty was quite popular. My stationaries and purse are usually Hello Kitty. When I saw Hello Kitty in the museum of abroad, I was a bit surprised. Cute and amicable is the quality commonly accepted in Japanese society. But now Hello Kitty is accepted everywhere.

The work below is titled Hello Kitty, 21”x24”, Acrylic on paper, 2023, Kikuko Sakota Art