Skype Interview

Katie Adler invited me as an artist guest to her program over skype.

She was a great modelator so I could speak about myself very well. 

I thought I was the last person to be interviewed, but I realized there were a lot to share with audience. 

Thank you Katie and listeners.

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Art Show Proposal

Now I am racking my brain to write a proposal.  I looked into several blogs and I learned a little bit about how to write it.

Simply put, I need to convince gallery owners to show my art, so first I need to realize the significance of my works and what I can offer to my audience.  Also I look for how my art is different from others'.???

In its process, I describe the idea of my possible art show in general, and illustrate a few example works with images.  

When I finish it, on the following day, I will read it again.

Cherry Blossoms

Before spring I sometime paint cherry blossoms, which telling us the coming of spring.

The painting below was painted in 2008.  I wasn't aiming at painting an abstract painting, but I tried to depict masses of flowers, branches, and its trunk reflecting the sun against the sky.   I wanted to be unique in expression, because the theme of cherry blossoms is somewhat cliche, so I wanted to be very different.  From this time I have started to focus on the directions,strength, and use of brushstrokes and pastels.

Sakura, Acrylic and pastel on canvas, 2008, 21"x18", Kikuko Sakota Art, http://www.kikukosakota.com/

New Page

I added a new page in this website, Fine Art America Kikuko Sakota Page, which is a link for the online sales for my paintings.

I have just post only 5 paintings.  But if you are interested in some other works, please let me know through email: kikuko@nexyzbb.ne.jp.  Or through Contact page in this site.

Blog Everyday

English is my second foreign language so I really appreciate for readers' patience. 

I just recall an art consultant suggested that we should blog everyday to be a good blogger.

Again I used paper but this time I painted a bit seriously rather than casually.  Well I tried to be casual but I was into it and even struggled to finish it.

I painted my feelings.  Very straightforward.  I want to fly like a bird.  Or I want to hold the sky opening my arms.

Title: Wish I Were A Bird, Acrylic, pencil and pastel on paper, 18"x21", Kikuko Sakota

Kikuko Sakota Art http://www.kikukosakota.com/

Online Sales

I am a Facebook user.  It's fun to know new people and know how familiar people are doing.

Also I enjoy many works of the art groups I have joined.  Yesterday as soon as I uploaded one of my work, Coming Soon in the one site, one of my friends just emailed me if it is for sales.

I uploaded that work to one onlie sales site and its print was sold soon.  My intuition "Coming Soon" worked? 

Please check out the link below.

Intuition

I  use canvases for painting almost all the time.  I use paper when I paint or draw casually just like keeping a diary.  Frankly, I prefer canvases, because I can push brushes hard.

Today it's March 1 and I can feel the beginnin of spring.  And I feel excited and I know something new is coming soon.   

Title: Coming Soon, Acrylic and pastel on canvas 21"x18" Kikuko Sakota, 2014,

Kikuko Sakota Art http://www.kikukosakota.com/

Online Sales

I heard that recently online art sales have grown rapidly.  I'm a bit conservative person, so I have been inquisitive about the use of online for selling art and presenting art. 

But in addition to brick and mortar galleries where  you receive face-to-face reaction of viewers, the online is a good tool to share your art more rapidly and widely.  Also you can sell prints and cards more conveniently. 

So I tried one site.

Work in Process: Day 4 (Completion)

After the distraction this week, I concentrated on working today.  There had been  more movement and conflicts in primary colors on the picture plane where I had stopped on the previous day. .  I had wanted to paint "Will power" but I found myself indecisive so I changed my mind and followed my heart.

I think there are two sides in a person; strong and weak.  I guess the weak and indecisive side of me was dominant today.

Title: Girl, Acrylic and pastel on canvas, 18"x21" http://www.kikukosakota.com/

Work in Process: Day 3

I starded with mostly light green and then painted it to pastel colors.  But now it came out like below. In the last week I have been distracted but am I full of energy?

Building I like

On the way to work,  I saw a beautiful building in Kobe City.  I just can remember I stayed in this hotel a few times before.  If my memory is right, the interior of one of rooms was just like a room of the ship.

Work in Process Day 2

There are more movement and colors.  It's just beginning.

Chelsea Fine Art Competition

I made an entry to Chealse Fine Art Competition held by Agora Gallery.  Hope I can win?

The Gold Medal

Japan won a gold medal in men's figure skating.  I was moved by his energetic performance and his endeavor to make his way to be a gold medalist. 

Hanyu's home was collapsed by the Great Tohoku Earthquake.  He almost gave up skating, but he overcame difficulty and now he won the medal. 

I was also strucked by his word,"To be a gold medalist is just a beginning to do something to recover the affected area."

Work In Process: Day 1

I've just started to paint a new work right now.  What I have uploaded the image of the work in process. 

Color of light green symbolizes something budding.  I have something new in my mind, but I don't know what is going to be next.  I have a rough image of my painting completed.

My Favorite Artist 1

In 1994, I visited Sydney Australia for the first time. I can remember the year because it was before the Great Hanshin Earthquake.   I have a koala teddy bear which was a gift when I was born.  So I had been wanting to see koalas.

I went to several sight seeing spots and when I was walking around the Rocks, I saw a gallery.

 I went inside.  What I saw was several paintings with bold composition and very attractive and cogent color deployment.  I was strucked by them, because I had never seen such great art before.  Then I decided to concentrate on painting as one of my life work.

It was Ken Done Gallery.  Later I learned that Ken Done had several shows in Japan, and painted the covers of one of popular Japanese magazines, Hanako.  Now my mom and younger brothers wear his sweaters and T-shirts.

The Way I Paint

Recently when I paint, I approach a space rather than figures.  Because now what I want to paint is energy, atmosphere, sound, and air.  They have no figures. 

In the paining below I tried to depict what I have experienced and felt in woods or forests.  While I try to recall the momonet I was there, I focus on the color contrast and composition on the picture plane.

In the beginning, I started with paint dark blue and unbleached titanium.  Then I have followed what I think the picture plane needed.  When I finished painting it, I could accept that it was in my mind, but at the same time I felt that I would prefer to paint a bold comosition next time.

Daybreak : Colors

I often choose to use primary colors, and people around me expect me to use them. 

I was wondering which colors should play an important role in the next painting. 

By the way, around 2009, I was a Larc en Ciel freak, a Japanese rock band.  I was inspired by one of thier song.  Daybreak's bell, which message is anti war. 

The way to express and composition is very simple.  Against the dark color of background, I put a star on top, sybolizing hope in the "bell" ringimg in the dawn.

Actually I painted again on the former work paintend in 2009 which had a lot of pastel scratches for improvement.  Hope it worked.

Next Work to Paint

Whenever I finish painting one work, I feel satisfied or feel ok no matter what work I complete.   When I look at my work completed, some idea come into my mind.  That is often the things that I cannot do in the current work.  I can think of the next step I should take or challenges for me to overcome. 

I tried to depict the image of budding of flowers or plants in the field.  I used pastels and brushstrokes to express budding.  But I wonder if the balance between the red portion and the rest in the composition is right.  So now I'm thinking I can paint the similar theme with the same expression but different color deployment and composition.

Color of Yellow

I tried to depict a cherry blossom blooming in the painting below.

I use yellow color to represent the reflection of the sun light. 

The color of cherry blossom petals are pale pink and look whitish, so I think they look reflecting  the color of sky and sunlight. 

Cherry blossoms bloom every spring and many of Japanese people wait for them to bloom.