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

Gypsy

I was moved by the performance of the gypsy jazz band when I happened to listen to them.  The band consists of only strings: a violin, guitars, and a bass.  A guitar and a violin are main solo instruments.  If I did not know it was categorized as a jazz, I thought it was a flamenco-like Latin music.  Soaking in this music makes me feel like wander lust, or traveling to “see the world”, as the lyrics of Lady Gaga’s “Gypsy” goes.

The painting below is titled, “Gypsy”, acrylic on canvas, 21”x18”, 2023, ©Kikuko Sakota Art

Awakening

In the recent solo show, I exhibited the works I have painted for the recent months in the pandemic, when I often discovered what I had never noticed or neglected. I depicted the feelings and sentiments of the such moments.

The painting below has the composition which look like a flow is opening. My attempt is to depict something inside one person is awakening. Or in other words, one realizes something new. Reds indicate a strong will or passion.

Awakening, Acrylic on canvas, 37”x47”,2023,©Kikuko Sakota Art

Solo Show

My solo show will be held at Hideharu FukasakuGallery Roppongi from April 24 to May 2.

If you are in Tokyo, please drop by.

Opening hours:11:00-19:00(Start from 15:00 on April 24. Close at 17:00 on May 2.)

Closed on Sunday and national holiday.

One Landscape

When taking a morning walk, I usually take the same route.  Everything looks same.

Occasionally I see school children heading for the school.  Children definitely are growing up.

After the walk, I always sip a cup of coffee in the dining room before starting to work.  It is just another peaceful moment but the only one precious moment in my life.  Nothing remains the same.

The below is titled, “One Landscape”, Acrylic on canvas, 29”x36”, 2023, ©Kikuko Sakota Art

Play the piano

It’s the first time in scores of years I opened the piano and played it. My mom bought me the piano when I was four, saving money because I was playing a toy organ alone. Since then until 17 years old where I went to university in Kyoto, I had been playing the pian.

I had moved many places on business so I ‘ve never have had an idea to play the piano until recently. After the scores of the years, I forgot how to read scores and where to put my fingers. I selected a book of Sonata and played one of them, but I stuck many times and gave up at around 8th bar.

I expect the touch to come back so I will gradually keep practicing and then some future, I can play well.

The painting below is titled “Exploration 2”, Acrylic on canvas,37”x47”, 2022, ©Kikuko Sakota Art

Dialog with the Lights

There is a music hall, Parnassus Hall, located in a 5 minute-walk from my house, which regularly offers a morning concert.  It has been 9 years since I came back to my home, and for the first time I went to the concert , which was Romantic violin pieces: Sibelius, Dvorak, Tchaikovsky, and Greig.  Later I learned that they were very popular pieces but very few of the melodies were familiar to me.

I have never thought of which countries those composers were from.  Finland, Check, Russia and Norway are the countries I have never visited.  The music composed more than 100 years ago in unknown places still made me imagine and empathize the emotions, feelings and lives of the people I have never met.

The painting below is “Dialog with the Lights”, 29”x36”,Acrylic on canvas, 2023