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

The Afternoon Live in Kobe

The other day I went out from my city, dashing to the afternoon Jazz live in Kobe.  I lost sense of time by the two-hour live where standards were performed.  I am not very familiar with Jazz but I was absorbed in the music.

Some lyrics caught me such as “there are a few my favorite things” in My Favorite Things.

I was wondering what I like in my day-to-day life.  I have small but many favorite things with me but often I am not conscious and I am not grateful…　

And I asked myself “Have I ever looked at raindrops on roses?”

The last song was Imagine.

“I hope someday you will join us and the world will be as one”.  I had thought Imagine was just a famous John Lennon’s beautiful song for peace.  His words have passed on for years through lots of artists and finally I found myself grown up to feel his message very close to me.

The following painting is titled, “Red Flower 2”, acrylic on canvas, 9”x12”, 2022, ©

Kikuko Sakota Art

Gipsy

I happened to see a flyer of the jazz concert in the café I usually have coffee. The concert hall is close so I decided to go.

It is categorized as gypsy jazz, which I am unfamiliar with.  But I was totally absorbed in music so I felt two hour concert went so fast.  And it was really great!

The band consists of a violin, two guitars, and a contrabass.  I expected the violin always to play the main melody, but in this gypsy jazz, the violin and the lead guitar played a main solo instrument alternately. The rhythm guitar reminded me of a flamenco guitar. Occasionally the music sounded melancholy but overall I felt warmth from the vibes of music.

I truly had a good day.

The painting below is titled as “Gypsy”, Acrylic on canvas, 18”x21”, 2022, ©Kikuko Sakota

Unforgettable

What kind of image do you have toward the word unforgettable?

Positive or negative?

What is the next word coming to unforgettable?

Unforgettable moment, unforgettable event, etc.

I think “unforgettable” could be very good or very bad.

My mom used to say,”Life is full of turns and twists.”  I asked her,”What is good in life?”

She did not answer to my question.

One day, she said, “You should create your happiness by yourself.”

These are one of my unforgettable conversations with my mom.

The painting below is titled “Unforgettable”, Acrylic on canvas, 36”x29”,2022, ©Kikuko Sakota Art


Joy

When eating an ice cream in the air-conditioned room in summer, I feel very happy. In addition, when finish eating all of the ice cream, I take a coffee. It is one of the most luxurious moment when drinking a coffee and eating an ice cream in the air-conditioned room.

My life is full of fun, joy, excitement, occasionally, boredom, and very rare, but sadness, anger, and regret.

The painting below is titled as “Joy”, Acrylic on canvas, 24”x29”, 2022, ©Kikuko Sakota Art

Cry Baby

The rainy season has set in.  Waking up in the morning, and hearing the rain dropping on the roof, I don’t feel like going out.  It’s drizzling on and off, which makes me gloomy. 

When going out in the rain, I’m walking with my favorite pink umbrella open but still my shoes get wet and rain drops hit my face.  When the rain stops, strangely, I miss raining, because I have to close my favorite umbrella.

Below is the painting titled, “Cry Baby”, Acrylic on canvas, 24”x29”, 2022,© Kikuko Sakota Art

Cannot Wait

It’s more comfortable to take a walk in the morning, because it is getting warmer.  I feel safer because I was vaccinated in November.

But what I’ve learned from headlines recently have made me unhappy.  COVID cases were once dropped but have been increasing again.  On top of that, the invasion by a big country has been taking place, which has killed many people.  I really hope them to end.

The painting below is titled as “Cannot Wait”, Acrylic on canvas, 21”x24”, 2022, ©Kikuko Sakota Art

Woods

Woods is the location when I used to play and walk with my friends. We were sweating when walking uphill. When we were very young, we played by jumping on laid old trees. It was fun.

Climbing up the hills in my city by bus or traveling to the hill by rope way in other big city, give me views of woods. Walking through the path in the woods, I feel refreshed, surrounded by fresh green leaves. I feel as if I am meditating in the woods, because I feel very calm and collected.

The below is the painting titled, Woods, Acrylic on canvas, 10”x14”, 2022, ©Kikuko Sakota Art