Cherry Blossom Viewing

Last Saturday I went out for cherry blossom viewing in the garden of Himeji Castle.  According to the forecast of blooming of cherry blossoms in Himeji City, the blossoms in the garden of the castle were expected to be in full bloom on March 31, so it was a bit early.  As expected, some of the blossoms were still in bud, but mass of cherry blossoms on the branches made most cherry trees looked like in full bloom.  A lot of people were gathering around trees, photographing blossoms, and chatting.  The lives of cherry blossoms are short, and when they die, flower petals are gone gracefully.  Viewers enjoy viewing the short moment of cherry blossoms in bloom.  

Here is the painting titled One Spring Day, 21”x26”, Acrylic and pouring medium,2021

Essential Oil

While I was cleaning up clutters, I found my old aroma pot.  Recently it’s getting warmer and sometimes I feel sleepy during daytime and I cannot concentrate well.  Then I went out to buy essential oil.  I was looking for lemon oil but it was not in the shop, so I picked lemon grass.  The essential oil of lemongrass, which is extracted from the leaves and stalks of the plant, is commonly used in aromatherapy. The oil has a wonderful, invigorating citrus scent, which makes me feel refreshing.

Below is the painting titled as Just Around the Corner, 10”x13”, Acrylic on canvas, ©Kikuko Sakota Art

Botanical Garden

I went to the botanical garden nearby on Saturday for the first time.  If COVID-19 did not happen, I would be going out further by train and never think of this botanical garden.

There are collections of various types of orchids, cactus, and carnivorous plants.  I was attracted to amazingly unique shapes of the species of flowers and plants in the green house.  I used to take their uniqueness for granted but in this occasion, I wondered what environments these plants inhabit naturally in their origins. Nature miraculously designs the right shapes for them to fit into their habitats.

The below is the painting titled, “Happy Moon”, acrylic on canvas, 21”x21”, ©Kikuko Sakota Art    

Make Coffee

I was surprised that one of my younger brothers, who never drinks coffee, booked a class, “how to make coffee”, at the community center, and I decided to join him. I make decaf coffee every day, but it is not so tasty. Actually I just pour hot water on the coffee without much care and just wait for dripping.

Today for the first time I learnt we pour hot water (not to hot) slowly, while making a circle with a weak flow on the coffee beans, which making bubbles on the beans, resulting in gentle drips. Today’s coffee is stronger than my coffee. I was a bit shocked because I wasted beans by pouring hot water fast, which made my coffee weak all the time.

Anyway I really enjoyed coffee, ( all of us took 5-6 cups of different flavors) with my brother and neighborhood.

Below is the painting titled as Transparency, 19”x24”, Acrylic on paper., ©Kikuko Sakota Art

My inquiry page :Apology

Thanks for submitting your inquiries to my contact page, but I found an error in setting. As a result, no email inquiries were received. I do apologize for not getting back to you.

I have just updated my email address in the page and tested to ensure the message is received. I hope you would come back to view pages.

Feel like going out

Since COVID 19 cases have been declining due to effective nationwide emergency declaration , and it is getting slightly warmer, I feel like going out. the state of emergency will be extended more but when it is lifted, we can go out even go across prefectural borders. There is a concern over the rebound of the cases after emergency state is lifted. Meanwhile more people will be vaccinated, in the future, the situation will be much improved. As long as we wear masks in public, and with the effect of vaccination, hopefully, we will be able to handle situation

Below is the painting titled Brilliant Future, acrylic on canvas, 24”x21”, 2021,©Kikuko Sakota Art

Take a walk

During COVID 19, I stay at home and notice I am often using PC and iPhone, so to avoid my iPhone and PC, which often causes an eye stress, So I decided to take a walk in the neighborhood every day. iPhone is so convenient; I can search any words, watch video, and talk with friends. After enjoying a few hours of chatting with my crony by iPhone, next day I regret it because of eye sore.. Walking does not give me fun like connecting with others through SNS or entertainment, but it makes me feel refreshed, healthier, and stronger.

Below is the painting titled “Am I Happy?”, acrylic on canvas, 18”x21”, 2021,©Kikuko Sakota Art

One Sunny Day

Recently vaccination has started in Japan, and infection cases seem to be declining. Side effects are various but not so serious so far. Anyway no matter what has happened, the day is consumed. I don’t want one day to be spoiled . For me, if side effect is mild or less, I would be happy. The painting below is titled, “One Summer Day 2020”, Acrylic on canvas, 24”x29”, 2020

Peace of Mind

I haven’t painted for a couple of weeks to rest and I looked back at my recent works. Then I have come to realize one thing; that is, I feel peaceful and relieved when painting. I do not just paint but I explore, study and experiment colors and materials. Often, I paint in a rash, which result in unsatisfied works. In this sense, I may not a productive artist. Some day I could be a productive artist painting different themes.

The painting below is titled Pure Heart, Acrylic on canvas, 13”x18”, 2020, ©Kikuko Sakota Art

Turquoise Blue and Alizarin Crimson 2021

This is the work with limited colors: turquoise blue and alizarin crimson. Before I applied these colors, I mixed small amount from one color and big amount from the other, and visa versa.

I applied adsorbent and fiber paste on canvas so that canvas provide paper-like texture which absorb paints.

Here is the first work of 2021 titled Turquoise Blue and Alizarin Crimson, Acrylic on canvas, 13”x18”, 2021, ©Kikuko Sakota Art

2020/2021

2020 was a chaos where many businesses slowed down, sales and stock prices became half or lower. Tokyo Olympic Games were postponed. Now even we are afraid they will be cancelled next year.

Despite economic downturn, many of us work from home and no need to commute, so time spending at home has increased and better utilized. Online communications are more commonly used which has increased global -scale communication. You can work and study only everywhere.

Vaccinations started in US and UK, even mutations happen, I believe vaccinations will work so that the number of the infection will be decline. Despite some cases of allergy due to vaccinations, there were no deceased by vaccinations, I hope this approach will work to save the people. The painting below is titled Orange and Blue, 18”x24”, Acrylic on paper, 2021, ©Kikuko Sakota Art

Art Student League NY

3 months have passed since I joined Jill’s abstract painting class. I have develop my sensitivity of colors. Also it is a good opportunities to look at others’ works. Our teacher Jill often introduces art exhibition in N.Y.

Class starts at 10:00 a.m. but it is 12:00 p.m. Japan, so occasionally I fall asleep, before the class starts. But advices and comments of Jill and class mates are encouraging.

The painting below is titled “Red Dreamer”,Acrylic on papaer,18”x24”, 2020, ©Kikuko Sakota Art

Blooming

I think life is an endless learning process. I may interpret to my advantage, but I believe we can learn even from failures.

Also if I am to assume one particular learning with flowering, it starts with seeds and ends in flowering. Or we can harvest seeds at the end. Some seeds could die in soil before even germination and only a few or several, in some cases, plenty of them would flower. I am always hope many of our seeds will flower.

The painting below is titled Blooming I (it is a series that continues to II, III,…) Acrylic on canvas, 12”x16”, 2020, ©Kikuko Sakota Art

Green and Purple

This is my second month of the League. The combination of Green and purple are not the one I want to choose for my clothes and furniture in my room. But the project this time is to let them play leading roles in the picture plane. I struggled for a day…. The painting below is titled Green and Purple, Acrylic on canvas, 9x13, 2020©Kikuko Sakota Art

Limit Red 2

This is another painting of my Limit Red Project. Usually I do not use any blacks but this time I tried and realized they stand out and are very active. Use of black is challenging for me. Also while avoiding red, yellow becomes difficult for me to handle. While struggling, I am really getting into it. Below is the painting titled Fall 2020 2, 13”x15”, Acrylic on canvas, 2020, ©Kikuko Sakota Art

Limit Red

This is another experiment at the League where I attempted to limit using red, while depicting a space. I was trying to depicting an imaginative landscape that I can associate with the heavy snow fall against the background of pine trees along Japan Sea side. I just can recall that I was amazed by the beauty of the scenery which looks like traditional Japanese sumi ink paintings.

The painting below titled Limit Red, acrylic on canvas, 24”x29”, 2020,©Kikuko Sakota Art

SunSunSun

This summer is over. I almost stayed at home and did not go swimming, did not travel a long distance.

But when the sun is up in the morning, it is so refreshing to take a walk . Other than that, I am staying in the air-conditioned room, The air has been getting cooler since a few days before. I can see the sign of the coming of the fall. So no I miss this summer and the sun.

This painting is titled SunSunSun, 6”x9”, Acrylic on canvas, 2020,©Kikuko Sakota Art

Exercise

Recently I enrolled Abstract painting class at Art Student League, N.Y. to seek for new approaches.

The following paintings are exercises by limiting number of paints to be used. It was really fun. I really enjoyed and absorbed in painting.

Both are untitled, 8”x11”, Acrylic on paper, 2020, ©Kikuko Sakota Art

Blue

What do you associate with the color of blue? (Blue runs the whole gamut). The sky? I feel hope in the blue sky. The sea? I feel safe when looking at the sea.

The color of blue makes me contemplative, taking me away from day-to-day happiness or sadness. It gives me the time to look into myself.

Here is the painting titled “Blue”,Acrylic and oil stick on canvas, 6”x9”, 2018, ©Kikuko Sakota Art

Catalog 2006

Here’s the images of the catalog made by Gallery Gora, Montreal, Canada, in 2006. I used to paint birds and flowers. The first image is the painting titled Sakura(cherry blossom) an abstract painting. The idea is cherry blossoms are reflecting sun light, yellow color against the sky.