WEBVTT
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What draws you to like to a subject?
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I I guess it's 'cause I I am a mother, so uh the element I attracted me were is like playground.
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Yeah, I've noticed that, yes.
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Yeah.
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And also the place I I visited with my kids.
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So the park is like my neighbor n neighborhood.
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So I go to the place with my kids uh like once a week.
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So I love that.
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So when you're going with your children, are you kind of spotting subject matter?
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Oh, that's great.
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And then that also ties back to the documentary aspect because you're very much documenting your life right now at this stage, right?
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With your children.
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Welcome to Creative Contemplation Podcast.
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I'm your host and the creator, Suzanne Lago Arthur.
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I'm a realist painter working in oils from Loudoun County, Virginia, and I'm fascinated with the subjects of creativity, artistic development, and how these topics can sometimes lead to more profound questions of life, like the nature of perception, and consciousness.
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This season will be going much deeper into our conversations, not just the how, but the why.
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Listen along as we answer these questions and more.
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I'll be interviewing people from all over the creative universe, artists, designers, writers, you name it, and those that understand the creative mind.
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My guests will serve as guides along your own creative path.
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Thanks for joining us today.
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It's great to see you again.
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It's been a little while.
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Uh, for the listeners, I should explain that Ayako and I met up in Tokyo, and she was so lovely to take my family uh to the Jibly Museum, uh, the studio museum there.
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I think it's uh in Japanese you pronounce it Jibori.
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Uh is that correct?
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Yes.
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And we had a fabulous day, and uh it was really one of the highlights of our trip.
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So Oh, really?
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Yes, it was.
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And I'm grateful for that.
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So thank you.
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Yeah, thank you.
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Uh well, let's get started.
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Please share about your art journey.
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How did you get started?
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Uh I studied like my uh academic background is uh I when I moved to DC, which is 2080.
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So I took some art class at Washington Studio.
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Yeah.
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Wonderful school.
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Yeah, and I took uh foundation program, which is like two year two years like basic fine art.
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Was that an an everyday program?
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Were you there everyday painting?
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Yeah, it's basically uh, you know, uh I took I have to take some like drawing class and sculpture, painting, like art history class.
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So it's all I I learned like a yeah, a lot of like basic fine art.
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That's that's very impressive.
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I go you didn't have any training prior to that?
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Uh yeah, be yeah, before that I I never took uh art.
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Really?
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And and uh I'm I'm throwing you some extra questions.
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But as a child, were you somebody who was really into drawing or anything like that?
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I I do like drawing, but my parents, you know, don't want me to vote.
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That's typical of most artists, yes.
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Yeah, and like my parents like took my sketchbook and hide hide it.
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Oh wow.
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Yeah, it's very yeah.
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Yeah.
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I'm sure they thought they were doing right by you, but yes, it's uh many an artist.
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Now, now my parents said like, yeah, you know, like, yes, yeah, you you do what you like, you know.
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That's wonderful.
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I'm sure they're very proud of you now.
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Well, uh, can you talk about any artists that have influenced you along your way and your way of working?
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Uh like I Erwin Radicke is my you know huge inspiration.
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Inspiration.
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Yes, Erin Rateke is a a wonderful artist and and uh previous guest of the podcast.
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Just continue.
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And yeah, I've been studying with her over a year and and I still taking her class.
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Oh wonderful.
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Oh my oh wonderful, yes.
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You've been studying privately with her?
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Uh yeah.
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Yeah.
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And then how she paint, like open up me.
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I thought painting is so difficult.
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Yes, it is.
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I mean it is still, yeah, you know.
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Right.
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But I I like before taking hard class painting is just uh you know struggle, difficult, not much fun.
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But after taking hard class, it's tense.
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Yes.
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Like painting so like without drawing, like like painting, yeah, like using lots of paint and mixing.
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Yeah.
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So her um her approach to color is unique too, right?
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Yeah.
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That optical mixing that she does with her her colors to get uh colors that you would get out of the tube.
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Yeah.
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Yeah, all of my colors are from her palette.
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Oh fantastic.
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And then are you um I'm probably gonna be uh matching a couple of our my questions up, but are you working them predominantly with a palette knife?
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Uh yeah.
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That's your method of working.
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Yeah.
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Even even when you're in plan air.
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So when you're out plain air, you're you're with the palette knife.
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Oh fantastic.
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Wow.
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It's if I paint with scratch, it's hard to spread out.
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Yes.
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It also helps you to work faster, I imagine, right?
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Because you can load up the the knife.
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Yeah.
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And also another influence is uh Edmond Plaby.
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Yes.
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Oh yes.
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That's fantastic.
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Yeah.
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Yeah.
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His his still life drawing, still still life painting class was amazing.
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And it he he showed me like how to set up and also how to continue like longer.
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So it's not like one shot painting.
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Yeah.
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Like how how I can enjoy.
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Yeah.
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And I particularly love his abstraction, right?
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And his composition.
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Is that something you're thinking about when you're working?
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Yeah, he's fabulous as well.
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And a previous guest I should mention to the to the listeners.
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Yeah, I I've listened to Ellie and also Adams podcasts.
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Oh, fantastic.
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Well, um, you have something very exciting on the horizon.
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Ayako, can you share with us uh your upcoming solo show at Opa Gallery in Tokyo, which will open on January 16th, so it's right around the corner.
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Uh, and you're including many of your plenaire paintings from Inokashira Park in western Tokyo, and that's the one that's right next to Khibli Museum.
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Yes.
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Yeah, I yeah, I'm showing my landscape painting.
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I painted at the Inokashira Park.
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Um yeah, and I I wanted to share like painting at the park over the over a year.
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I hope people see like how the season changed.
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Yes, most definitely.
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That day when we went to the museum together, we walked through the park, if you remember, and you took me past uh a building, and the moment I saw it, I knew it was from your painting.
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Yeah, I I was really, you know, it it was great to, you know, you recognize that.
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Oh, 100%.
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But you will be in US, you know.
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Yes, oh, it's beautiful.
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Yes, I I have very much enjoyed looking at your work, uh, hence why I wanted to talk to you and have you on the podcast.
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Uh um tell tell me about the experience of painting there in the park.
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You published two beautiful catalogs of your work, and they had very interesting commentary uh about the things that people would say to you while you're working there, Planair.
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Can you share that a little bit?
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Yeah.
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Um yeah, like mostly people talk to me while I'm painting, but there is some interesting conversation with with them.
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So I wanted to share in the catalogue.
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So like, yeah, for example, I when I painted at the pond and and like the lady is sitting at the bench and she taught me what I'm painting, and she also took a photo of that view and she she showed me a like folder folder named like everyday's like like like nana.
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Yeah, it's like it's it's name, it's called like yeah, she she she took a photo every day.
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Oh wow.
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And she so like a the documentary kind of thing.
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Yeah, documentary.
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And she also documentary and I also interesting, yeah.
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So you were both doing that in a different format, right?
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Right beside each other.
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That's really interesting.
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So this is one of the yeah, good conversation, and I also uh wrote about other conversation and all like the what's happening while I'm painting.
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Yeah.
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Like the bags or you know the window or yeah, like like a poetic scene.
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Yeah.
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So is it almost like a very there's an aspect of Plenair painting for those of us who do it that is kind of meditative, right?
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So you are being very present in the moment, and that's part of your observation, right?
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Uh of being there and seeing the seasons change and and the comments that you made uh in your catalog.
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I'm thinking also about um all the conversations you had.
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Is it mostly tourists that are coming up to you, or are the locals, because you've been painting there for a year, do they see you and recognize you and come up and talk to you?
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Yeah, uh yeah, both are talk to me, but some people recognize me.
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You painted last week over there.
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Oh wow.
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Oh wow, you're a celebrity.
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And then like some people give me a snack.
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So that's really nice.
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I really appreciate it when when it's summer, it was really hot.
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Yes, yes.
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Oh, it's it is hot in Tokyo.
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It is well in Japan, yes.
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I was very surprised.
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But you're com you're used to Washington, DC weather, and that's what it felt like when we were there.
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Yeah.
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Similar.
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So in the summer, I have to go to the park alley in the morning, like six.
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Oh wow.
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Yes, you you can't almost stand.
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Yeah.
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How long are you painting?
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Uh, what is a typical day for you?
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Um it's now it's colder, so I go to park like one or like warmer the time.
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Yes.
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But the inner summer I painted at park early morning or evening.
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But the evening is uh tricky because the you know, mosquitoes and yes, it's getting darker, you cannot see the palette well.
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Yes.
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It's it's like a camping.
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Yeah, I I would imagine that.
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Is it like uh are you are you painting for maybe three hours at a time?
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How long?
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Yeah, sleep or four hours.
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And then you return the next day to do the same scene?
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If you're or is or are these paintings done?
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Are these paintings done in one session or are they multiple sessions?
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If I am lucky, I can down one whole once.
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You're quick.
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I'm I'm not like that.
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I mean, this one yeah, this one is my box.
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It's I was lucky.
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Yeah.
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But the other one is it's I visited twice and then I'm I brought brought back to my studio and and painted painted from my memories.
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Can you talk about that?
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What is that like painting from your memory?
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Share share that.
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Uh yeah, like I took a photo, but I don't really look at the photo because yeah, I at the beginning I used a photo as a liveliness, but it's changed like feel my mind.
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It's like a copying from photo, not like my experience.
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Yes.
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So how how do you tap into your experience?
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That's um that's what I'm curious about too.
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Yeah, like because yeah, like what what what I saw or what I I fascinated with.
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So that's the things I wanted to include in in the painting.
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That's beautiful.
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Yeah.
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For example, I wanted to focus on the flower, what need to what what a element I need to include.
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Yeah.
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With the from the embowment I was in.
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So sometimes you know, you you cannot take a photo.
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Yeah.
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Also photo took the color.
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Yes, oh yes.
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Yeah, so I can really manipulate it, especially those reds, right?
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And and certain colors.
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Yeah, yeah.
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And like landscape, you can see tiny little exaggerated color, like red or purples in a shade.
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Yes, yes.
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It's hard to find the color from the photo, I guess.
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So yeah.
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But I I took a photo, like for just in case.
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Yeah.
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And then sometimes I go back to sketch and then back to studio and then paint it.
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Yes.
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What what attracts you to your scenes that you're painting?
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Uh you mean the butt yeah, what what draws you to like to a subject?
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I I guess it's because I I am a mother, so I like I the element I attracted me was like playground.
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Yeah, I've noticed that, yes.
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Yeah.
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And also the place I I visited with my kids.
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So the park is like my neighbor n neighborhood.
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So I go to the place with my kids uh like once a week.
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So I love that.
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So when you're going with your children, are you kind of spotting subject matter?
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Oh, that's great.
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And then that also ties back to the documentary aspect, because you're very much documenting your life right now at this stage, right?
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With your children.
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Yeah.
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Yeah, like and I when I passed uh painting, uh, when I started practicing landscape painting, I draw to like far from my apartment.
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Yeah.
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And then it took a lot of time to find a spot to paint.
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Yes.
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And those area are not my, you know, don't have a connection, you know.
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So the pocket's not as fancy as like local side, the country side, but uh it's my you know, area.
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It's beautiful it's beautiful.
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What is that temple that's on the lake there?
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Uh it's what's temple?
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It's yeah, it's it's kind of hidden.
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You behind the foliage, you can't see it very, very well.
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I I I try to paint, but uh it's really red, you know.
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Yes, yes.
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And also lots of tourists uh visiting, but sometimes yeah, I I I include a little bit, but uh yeah.
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Yeah.
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No, I remember because uh I when I was walking through there and taking reference, uh, you know, I definitely saw and I said, Oh, what is what is that?
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I the book that the uh that you go about to all the to the temples and shrines and you get a you get a blessing, uh, you know, um I I know I'm mispronouncing it.
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What is Goshuen?
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Goshwen?
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Oh, Goshuen! Goshuen! Okay, okay, okay.
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Got it.
00:16:08.399 --> 00:16:17.600
So I have a Goshwen book and I went and I went to every single well, I went to a lot of you're gonna stump a lot of exactly, exactly.
00:16:17.679 --> 00:16:20.559
I wanted to fill the entire book, you know, and I we tried.
00:16:21.200 --> 00:16:33.360
I never figured as many, but um, yeah, that was just such a beautiful uh such a beautiful aspect of Japan was seeing the Shinto shrines and the Buddhist um you know temples.
00:16:33.519 --> 00:16:34.559
It's just absolutely beautiful.
00:16:34.720 --> 00:16:35.919
It was one of my favorite parts.
00:16:36.240 --> 00:16:40.159
And then that that lake has all these um swan rides, right?
00:16:40.240 --> 00:16:41.039
Can you talk about that?
00:16:41.200 --> 00:16:43.519
That's because that's something I guess you do with the kids.
00:16:43.840 --> 00:16:44.879
Yeah, I do.
00:16:45.039 --> 00:16:49.759
Uh and he wanted me to, you know, ride together.
00:16:50.000 --> 00:17:00.559
And yeah, and and then I I yeah, and also I wanted to paint as a big monumental of that bug.
00:17:01.039 --> 00:17:01.440
Yeah.
00:17:01.759 --> 00:17:03.759
So it's it's funny.
00:17:04.960 --> 00:17:13.920
And that painting, you you you managed to capture a little some little um ducklings in addition to the the swans in the background, the the swan boats, right?
00:17:14.000 --> 00:17:17.359
There's this one painting that you have, and it's uh I I love that that little touch.
00:17:17.599 --> 00:17:18.559
Oh, thank you.
00:17:18.880 --> 00:17:22.319
What um when you're painting, are you uh how how does this work?
00:17:22.480 --> 00:17:25.519
Like you're not there with your children while they're playing, right?
00:17:25.759 --> 00:17:27.359
You're you come separately.
00:17:27.680 --> 00:17:28.079
Yes.
00:17:28.240 --> 00:17:29.200
I I cannot do it.
00:17:29.519 --> 00:17:31.599
I can yeah, I'm wondering how you would do it.
00:17:32.400 --> 00:17:43.119
I really I really admire that you're painting so much, Ayako, at this um stage of your life when your children are so small, uh, because that's really hard to manage and and you have uh two children.
00:17:43.200 --> 00:17:46.240
So are I guess you're painting when they're in school during the day mostly?
00:17:46.799 --> 00:17:49.920
Yeah, I mean they are go to kindergarten.
00:17:50.079 --> 00:17:50.400
Yeah.
00:17:50.559 --> 00:17:52.559
So yeah, they're so young, yes.
00:17:52.799 --> 00:17:53.759
Is that full time?
00:17:54.079 --> 00:17:57.200
Is that a full day in in Japan, the kindergarten?
00:17:57.519 --> 00:18:01.200
Um eight to four.
00:18:01.279 --> 00:18:04.400
It's oh yeah, that's pretty, yeah, yes, yeah, that's fantastic.
00:18:04.640 --> 00:18:04.880
Wow.
00:18:05.200 --> 00:18:12.400
So I have uh enough time to work on painting and also like working like a part-time job.
00:18:12.720 --> 00:18:13.279
Yes.
00:18:13.519 --> 00:18:20.000
So I mean in Japan, you have to have a job to to take my kids to day care.
00:18:20.799 --> 00:18:21.680
Most definitely, yes.
00:18:21.920 --> 00:18:24.160
It's very typical for most creatives, yes.
00:18:24.319 --> 00:18:39.359
Uh there's another question I have that based on your uh catalogs that you sent me, the painting diary spring and painting diary summer, I noticed that there seems to be perhaps some overlap in Japanese for the verbs to draw and to paint and to make a picture.
00:18:39.599 --> 00:18:43.119
And I personally find that interesting linguistically.
00:18:43.279 --> 00:18:45.759
Um, and I discovered this by using Google Translate.
00:18:46.079 --> 00:18:48.000
I'm gonna say I'm not fluent in Japanese.
00:18:48.160 --> 00:18:50.400
Um, I'm wondering, is there a connection here for you?
00:18:50.559 --> 00:18:53.119
Do you by chance think of painting in terms of drawing?
00:18:53.279 --> 00:18:55.039
Because I often do, so I'm curious.
00:18:55.599 --> 00:18:57.440
Yeah, that's a good question.
00:18:57.759 --> 00:19:02.240
And uh when I teach I I mean, by the way, I'm a Japanese teacher.
00:19:02.400 --> 00:19:02.640
Yes.
00:19:03.599 --> 00:19:13.599
When I whenever I I whenever I teach like the word to draw, to paint, because it's one word, which is kaku.
00:19:14.400 --> 00:19:19.839
So kak includes all the process of like drawing or painting.
00:19:20.079 --> 00:19:24.400
So yeah, they're like my student like seems confused.
00:19:24.559 --> 00:19:24.960
Yeah.
00:19:25.200 --> 00:19:28.640
How how uh how identify which which one?
00:19:29.119 --> 00:19:39.519
So uh yeah, like but the I I I think it's interesting for me, like it's similar to my painting process or like a swing process.
00:19:39.839 --> 00:19:40.480
Yes, yeah.
00:19:40.880 --> 00:19:42.319
I understand it completely.
00:19:42.480 --> 00:19:43.839
That struck me when I saw that.
00:19:43.920 --> 00:19:54.480
I recognized myself in in those comments because um I think in the West here we tend to think of drawing and painting as separately, but I think of drawing, I think of painting as drawing but in masses, right?
00:19:54.720 --> 00:19:58.720
And drawing as drawing more with contour silhouettes, you know?
00:19:58.880 --> 00:20:02.240
Uh uh so they're just two different types of of drawing.
00:20:02.400 --> 00:20:10.000
Uh so yeah, that that struck out to me when I saw that because that was a comment that kept coming up about you were using the word drawing a lot in your and your catalogue.
00:20:10.160 --> 00:20:12.160
And I I find that fascinating.
00:20:12.559 --> 00:20:19.759
And like I do sometimes like under drawing, but it takes a lot of time.
00:20:20.559 --> 00:20:26.000
Draw two things under drawing takes like like one hour or sometime.
00:20:26.319 --> 00:20:27.039
Yes, yes.
00:20:27.279 --> 00:20:32.160
And then the when I and then start painting, it's completely different.
00:20:32.400 --> 00:20:32.960
Yeah.
00:20:34.160 --> 00:20:45.839
So so I now I'm don't have I don't wanna I don't have time, so I don't uh take a lot of time to draw those things, everything out.
00:20:46.240 --> 00:20:52.640
So for now I don't do much under drawing and then just it, you know, driving painting.
00:20:52.960 --> 00:20:53.279
Yeah.
00:20:53.440 --> 00:20:53.680
Yeah.
00:20:53.920 --> 00:20:55.599
And and can you describe that process?
00:20:55.759 --> 00:21:07.599
Because since I've studied with both the people you mentioned previously, I have a feeling that Ed Prabi, his his technique is very like a direct drawing approach where he goes in there and he's kind of just immediately knocking in shapes, right?
00:21:08.000 --> 00:21:12.240
And um, and so you're probably doing that like you're blocking in large shapes, right?
00:21:12.319 --> 00:21:17.519
And then maybe uh as they overlap, then that's where the refinement happens between the two.
00:21:17.839 --> 00:21:18.079
Yeah.
00:21:18.559 --> 00:21:25.359
That's really an interesting way of working without working, you know, with uh like a support, like without working with an underdrawing.
00:21:25.680 --> 00:21:30.559
Yeah, and yeah, I I really appreciate their applause.
00:21:31.039 --> 00:21:37.599
It's like uh another potential, like like from from the painting, you know.
00:21:38.000 --> 00:21:40.720
Yeah, the painting draw always paint.
00:21:41.920 --> 00:21:42.640
Yes, exactly.
00:21:42.799 --> 00:21:43.200
Exactly.
00:21:43.440 --> 00:21:44.720
Yeah, oh that's really interesting.
00:21:44.880 --> 00:21:49.039
It's interesting that that you said that your your English students are confused by that.
00:21:50.000 --> 00:21:51.359
You're not artists then.
00:21:51.839 --> 00:21:52.319
Yeah.
00:21:52.799 --> 00:21:53.440
Right.
00:21:53.920 --> 00:21:55.519
Oh, that's really interesting.
00:21:56.000 --> 00:22:02.640
Can we talk about uh you had mentioned to me that e signs are very popular in Japan for for artists, right?
00:22:02.880 --> 00:22:05.839
Like the catalogs that you produced first of all, they were beautiful.
00:22:06.160 --> 00:22:08.079
And I'm having a solo show myself.
00:22:08.160 --> 00:22:12.319
I very much want to replicate what you've done and make and make something similar.
00:22:12.400 --> 00:22:24.799
Uh can you please share with us about those about catalogs and e signs and yeah yeah it's it's called Jing and um yeah it's I guess it's the culture is from US I've heard.
00:22:25.119 --> 00:22:25.759
Ah okay.
00:22:26.000 --> 00:22:32.079
Yeah I but the Jing culture is not from like fine art.
00:22:32.480 --> 00:22:36.640
I think it's from like like subcultures things.
00:22:37.279 --> 00:22:44.160
And and then now like many artists like join to this culture scene.
00:22:44.559 --> 00:22:52.880
I guess it's because of like all art like I guess artists wanted to share their work not like Instagram.
00:22:54.079 --> 00:22:59.279
It's it's more like a kind of or thoughtful way to show the work.
00:22:59.359 --> 00:23:07.920
So it's something that you would use to apply to galleries I would imagine you would send them yeah yeah I will I will show the thing as well.
00:23:08.240 --> 00:23:19.440
Yeah yeah and and also making helps me what painting you need to like make up series of work.
00:23:20.400 --> 00:23:41.039
So like before starting the zinc I just uh paint what what I want but which is good but uh for making a series of of work you have to like to what subject you need to make so making a zine like help me to do that.
00:23:41.359 --> 00:23:43.519
Helps you kind of edit your vision is what it sounds like.
00:23:43.759 --> 00:24:08.240
Yeah yeah oh that's interesting and then um the catalogs that's different right because that's printed paper right and uh I would imagine that's um the zine is the zine is probably less expensive to produce right yes because it's digital yeah yeah and and but making by own making Zine by myself is also important.
00:24:08.559 --> 00:24:13.039
Yeah I I make create it yes what yeah what programs are you using?
00:24:13.119 --> 00:25:03.119
Please share because this is something other artists can do yeah it's it's uh I use uh Photoshop and illustration illustrator yep yes yes the Adobe products yeah i I never used those programs before oh wow you taught yourself how to do that I I have some friend who is a designer they help me out they look really nice they look very professional it's also like big making a catalog by myself is it you know like you have you can see like you can compare the original work and also the painted one so and oh and then you have to edit yeah the Photoshop and like it's most I I guess you know like get more saturation or like lighter exposure like exposures.
00:25:03.440 --> 00:25:08.720
That's always a difficulty because you want to be true to your to the painting right but you have to make it look good.
00:25:08.960 --> 00:25:21.599
Yeah I mean yeah like close to the original or yeah if I don't do that it's looks I mean not not as good as right yeah that's yeah that's quite the conundrum there.
00:25:21.759 --> 00:25:23.839
Um what size are you working in?
00:25:23.920 --> 00:25:25.519
Because I'm I'm seeing the paintings behind you.
00:25:25.599 --> 00:25:29.519
What what's your typical size that you'll have in in the exhibit at Opa Gallery?
00:25:29.839 --> 00:25:40.640
Uh it's not huge painting but uh like nine by twelve or sixteen by twelve so that's book size.
00:25:40.880 --> 00:26:08.880
Yes that's because I I painted outside so and in in one session so mostly right yeah yeah how many pieces uh will you have in the exhibit uh about 30 Wow fantastic I mean including you know tiny one like this oh fantastic and they're all the plane air they're all from yeah yeah but now I have a I I'm making a rush I mean it's it's quite large for me.
00:26:08.960 --> 00:26:21.200
Yeah it's it's I I I try to combining the two painting and and then like what I try to paint a wider vision view.
00:26:21.359 --> 00:26:24.079
So it's another wow I'd love to see that.
00:26:24.319 --> 00:26:25.680
How are you gonna be framing them?
00:26:25.839 --> 00:26:30.079
Do you have any thoughts on that or like cohesively will you frame them all the same?
00:26:30.400 --> 00:26:40.079
Uh so large one um paint um canvas so you I I so you don't really worry about the okay they don't do that in Japan.
00:26:40.160 --> 00:26:46.240
Yeah I mean you have to are they the the wrapped edge that kind of thing?
00:26:46.559 --> 00:26:55.039
Yeah the gallery wrap like in in the panel so I have to like this this panel I have to make a flame.
00:26:55.200 --> 00:27:04.000
Yeah I like my husband are really he key made the Oh you just he's my new favorite person.
00:27:04.079 --> 00:27:06.880
I've been trying to get my husband to make my own frames and he won't do it.
00:27:07.119 --> 00:28:38.079
Oh yeah we have to get them talking yeah yeah I think uh now that I think about it I think Erin's husband also makes her frames so yeah that's why I I'm missing out here yeah uh yeah and I have our Erin's painting which is framed oh well I you know oh I love it we need maybe um I can convince Erin to have her husband give a uh a workshop for husbands well this is um wonderfully bringing up another topic that I wanted to bring up um because we're both female artists you know we're both mothers and um you know I'm wondering how you balance everything because you mentioned you know having the two beautiful boys uh you know being a wife being a you know a Japanese language instructor and an artist how does that work there it's it's it's tough so I'm still figure out how to balance things yeah and it's never be easy yeah but uh now I'm I'm more used to this situation so and also like working on the like painting sometimes I feel guilty because my other like my my friend you know they they spend more time with my with kids so but I need to paint.
00:28:38.319 --> 00:28:42.160
Uh-huh it makes you a better mother right when you have the time for yourself.
00:28:42.240 --> 00:28:43.920
I agree I agree completely.
00:28:44.240 --> 00:29:11.440
But now my kids like said said to me you should go to pay you need to when I you know like my ads then so my son would say Mom you need more coffee and he was right well you also have a very supportive partner obviously right like your husband is um making your frames and uh that's absolutely wonderful.
00:29:11.519 --> 00:29:46.000
I I'm wondering a little bit about you know the domestic expectations in in Japan as far as the role of the caregiver is that still is that kind of a difficult thing to to do to be a career woman as well as uh you know a mother like yeah uh it's I guess it's it's still it's changed yeah before like a past it it's yeah like in the past my mother yes at to be at home at home a hundred percent right yeah but now things change so women is also working.
00:29:46.240 --> 00:30:05.440
Yeah fantastic yes and it's it's needed right I mean who can afford yeah living yeah I guess it's used to you know family live closer close to like a parent's house yeah so they're but now you know they I I like my mom not far lives far away from here.
00:30:05.839 --> 00:31:22.000
Wow yes so you're not from Tokyo originally yeah I'm from super countries so oh well that explains your love of painting outdoors the plane air I would think that's part of it is yeah I think you grew up in a more rural environment right yeah I need uh nature yeah oh I love that it grounds you yes so yeah I need green yes yeah I yeah living in Tokyo you know so many grey yeah buildings it's fun to paint the construction but uh it's not my not your area of interest yeah so what struck me so much um because here in the in the states we consider ourselves so first world right and uh when I went to Japan my mind was blown with just the technology and all the things that the advances in in everything from you know uh transportation to toilets you know it was mind blowing for me uh but there was this this incredible uh you know um city city structure I mean structure city I guess well I no I'm I'm thinking in my mind like comparison between the ancient or the older Japan and then modern Japan right and and that they overlap on top of each other.
00:31:22.160 --> 00:31:29.920
So you you could walk down the street and you'd see this beautiful little Shinto shrine and then there'd be this like very modern building right next to it, you know?
00:31:30.240 --> 00:31:31.759
Yeah that I absolutely loved.
00:31:31.839 --> 00:31:39.200
So I'm wondering it it doesn't sound like that's subject matter that interests you is is is maybe the the changing of time.
00:31:40.480 --> 00:31:43.440
It would be something I would paint I guess maybe that's what struck me.
00:31:43.599 --> 00:31:43.759
Yeah.
00:31:44.400 --> 00:32:15.920
It's an interesting view like nature in a city so I yeah do do you know the uh John Dubilore Dubil jo yeah John Dubilore like park in New York so he yeah I inspired from his painting uh like the park might be the subject for me as well because he is in New York so it's like big city.
00:32:16.559 --> 00:32:22.640
So the view is a different from the can like nature like countryside nature.
00:32:22.880 --> 00:32:30.400
So it's it's not so there's no like big huge trees or wider space.
00:32:30.720 --> 00:32:36.960
But it's fine it's I find it like a stale life painting a little bit.
00:32:37.839 --> 00:32:43.920
The building and uh like a bending machine can be the you know yes life motive.
00:32:44.480 --> 00:32:44.960
Yes.
00:32:45.279 --> 00:32:49.440
It's that's why I like painting the park scene.
00:32:49.599 --> 00:32:58.160
So I feel safe when I see the like benches or bench or chairs or telephone poles.
00:32:58.720 --> 00:33:02.960
Those those things are like still life motive for me.
00:33:03.200 --> 00:33:13.759
Yeah yeah I can see that yes so it's I I find like negative shape or yeah it's I feel more comfortable with like City View.
00:33:14.079 --> 00:33:32.799
Yes and and and most of your work implies the presence of people right so when I'm thinking of of the Planaire paintings there's you know there's the the playgrounds and and maybe they're not some of them have people in them but most of them do not right but they're still the people are very much present even though they're not even in the painting because of these structures, right?
00:33:33.039 --> 00:33:33.440
Yeah.
00:33:33.759 --> 00:33:34.640
That's really interesting.
00:33:34.960 --> 00:33:44.960
Yeah and recently I started like figure in the painting kids these days you know it's autumn season so I can't help.
00:33:45.200 --> 00:33:54.799
Yeah then and then and then like I painted figure first and then tried to find uh how I can finish that painting.
00:33:55.119 --> 00:34:08.239
Oh wow yes so I'm thinking in particular that one painting of the of the the kids were they playing um frisbee in the paint they were throwing things right and I I saw that and I said how did you how did you capture these these people?
00:34:08.559 --> 00:34:16.400
I painted the figure first first wow yeah and then like figure out what things I need to include.
00:34:16.880 --> 00:34:46.079
Oh I love that's a great tip Ayako oh wow yeah like it's it's like uh yeah paint uh that figure I painted at park it's I find it like those people are attracting to me so I that connection is important like even though I could not finish that on site that painting site I brought back to the studio I still remember those people and I wanted to include in the painting.
00:34:46.320 --> 00:34:49.679
Amazing that is important for me.
00:34:49.920 --> 00:35:30.559
I love that wow yeah that's a flex that's hard it's hard but yeah it's hard what you're accomplishing yeah if you have uh enough paint you can you know fix that I go it's striking me what you what you're saying because I'm I'm really into maybe maybe this is what I'm reading into the work but um because you're Japanese and Shinto's the predominant religion or or traditional religion there and it's all about nature right and you're drawn to nature and drawn to plenary is there a connection there with maybe your upbringing I'm not religious but I guess because because yeah I I do appreciate nature so much.
00:35:30.800 --> 00:35:49.119
Yeah and the reverence yeah that's that's in everything right that everything has a spirit right that uh that the rocks have spirits that the trees have spirits that I just love that yeah and also like while I'm painting outside I feel like I'm be a part of the nature as well.
00:35:49.519 --> 00:36:02.800
It sounds crazy but I love that yeah it's yeah like I talk to nature and also MB a part of the nature so that's why like figure is also like be a part of yes nature.
00:36:03.280 --> 00:36:11.760
So when you're painting do you feel like you become you become one with everything that's a oh I love that I absolutely love that that's beautiful.
00:36:12.079 --> 00:36:24.800
So I sometimes I feel the same way when I painting steelwives like I guess Elene's said the same thing maybe but the like talk to motifs.
00:36:25.119 --> 00:36:29.599
Yes you know that's that's mind is all I guess same concept.
00:36:30.000 --> 00:36:39.119
Yeah well I I what I'm it's interesting what I'm hearing here is that distinctions kind of dissolve when you're painting right then you you feel like you're part of the environment that you're painting in.
00:36:39.199 --> 00:36:43.599
And then also even the language that we're talking about that when you're painting you're we're really drawing.
00:36:43.679 --> 00:36:50.480
So things kind of just dissolve and simplify into their basic elements, you know and uh that's a really interesting thought.
00:36:50.639 --> 00:36:59.119
Um you mentioned your still life that's something that I when I first discovered your work that's you were painting more still life and I absolutely loved your still life.
00:37:00.079 --> 00:37:21.840
I know you won't be showing it in this in your solo show but I hope you'll continue doing it and that you'll do um yeah you do plan on having yeah I yeah when I answer your answering thinking about your questions and I looked back like Linar Anderson's work UNU Glow's work makes me think of oh I need to paint still life.
00:37:22.079 --> 00:37:30.400
Yes and I I also have a like a schedule to show my work which is in next spring.
00:37:30.559 --> 00:38:40.079
Oh wow so what will the work be for that will it be still life yeah and it's not the galley but the nail sal ne nail salons still an exhibit still counts it's their own store I mean but I mean you know like fancy nail cells yes I cannot afford that so it's expensive but well but the the owner asked me to show my steel life painting that's wonderful are you gonna do some nail polish bottles as well oh that's a good yeah oh yeah that's I bet you would sell yeah she yeah she she yes she yeah she wanted me to paint steel life uh yes and and also I wanted to paint like interior steel life in the oh I love that that's what I'm doing now for my my show oh I love that yeah it's really interesting because when you're you know when you're when you look closely it's a it's a still life and when you pull away your vantage point it becomes a domestic interior right and that just blows my mind like I just love that thought.
00:38:40.239 --> 00:38:46.239
What's that line you know where it goes from still life to interior that's a really exciting thought.
00:38:46.480 --> 00:38:58.239
Yeah and interior is a kind of between landscape and yes yes yes yes so potential yeah so this is another chance for the next year.
00:38:58.639 --> 00:39:00.159
Yeah oh that's so cool.
00:39:00.320 --> 00:39:03.440
Well these sound like some great goals for you for the new year.
00:39:03.519 --> 00:39:11.760
What else I mean we are talking the new year so is there anything else that that you you'd like to share with us besides this other show you have a lot here you have the Opa gallery.
00:39:11.840 --> 00:39:14.880
What is the opening for that we should say is will there be a reception?
00:39:15.119 --> 00:39:22.960
Uh no so we don't have a you don't do that okay yeah but uh yeah how long will it be up this exhibit?
00:39:23.119 --> 00:40:08.320
It's it's just uh one week one week okay so uh yeah people need to get there soon yeah I am sending a postcard to my friend and yeah fantastic yeah yeah so a still life show also down the road is there anything else that you want to try uh any other ambitions you have competition yeah yeah and like I applied like a Japanese art competition fantastic and also like I also applied elastin competitions yes because I wanted to try you know find a way yes and and then also I'm looking at the like overseas art competition like including US or UK.
00:40:08.880 --> 00:40:09.360
That's great.
00:40:09.440 --> 00:40:43.599
I'm sure you'll get into a lot of this yeah I tried many times but the most three failed but well that's that's the whole game you know I I think it's you know we don't get into everything that we apply to and and I think a lot of people I I came across an artist uh on on Facebook in just one of the um you know one of the comments and she she said she showed she showed three pieces and she said um you know I've applied to things and I haven't gotten into anything I applied to and so maybe I need something more um what was the word more unjuried or or basic and I said your work is beautiful like just keep applying because that's part of it.
00:40:43.679 --> 00:40:45.599
You know you don't get into everything that you apply to.
00:40:45.679 --> 00:41:56.159
So uh I think it's important for us to remember that right and last year I mean this year sorry uh I applied uh at competition I mean illustration competition last year and then one of the Julie he is a designer um called me and like uh like um like you do your can you can you make a painting for the book cover wow oh that's right yes please share about that yes so it's it's uh so even though you failed yes so it's a you know it's good to wow what an opportunity Ayako that's amazing yeah that's very encouraging yeah thank you for sharing that that is amazing that's that's actually on my bucket list I would love to I'd love to do a book cover that's great and it's it's interesting there because in Japan there's so much illustration right and illustration can fall into more realism or representational work so I can I can see why you would be applying to both yeah and also like fine artists like there's a artists who have welcome like both you know welcome illustration and also fine art.
00:41:56.320 --> 00:42:01.599
Yeah so I still figure out which one which way I should go.
00:42:01.920 --> 00:42:09.599
But now I feel like like my like my you know my big influence like El and Edel they are fine art.
00:42:09.760 --> 00:42:18.239
And then and then now looking looking back my artwork they are I feel more comfortable in uh fine art.
00:42:18.480 --> 00:42:25.440
So maybe next year I might be more like take time working on like those side.
00:42:25.760 --> 00:42:26.000
Yes.
00:42:26.159 --> 00:42:28.960
Yeah that I think that's smart you know to have different streams of income.
00:42:29.119 --> 00:42:34.159
Uh but it's it was good to sing those illustration they are there.
00:42:34.960 --> 00:42:37.360
Yeah I mean they're so smart.
00:42:37.599 --> 00:42:46.719
Yeah oh wow I mean it's it's in almost impossible to compare, you know well maybe we could talk a little bit more about the still life.
00:42:46.800 --> 00:42:52.400
Uh yeah you know I would love to talk about that you know what what are you drawn to in terms of your subject matter?
00:42:52.559 --> 00:43:04.159
I see similarities there because um elements of your of your children will creep in right there's little objects or toys that that also allude to your life your domestic life can you talk about that?
00:43:04.480 --> 00:43:16.079
Yeah I use I I picked up motifs from like memories yeah like for example I made a paint life painting this year.
00:43:16.400 --> 00:43:32.960
The motifs are from like Summer Festival which is bar balloons and also the toy from the festival and I also include a front which my kids are taking care of it.
00:43:33.199 --> 00:43:34.239
It's it's gone.
00:43:38.639 --> 00:43:43.039
Yeah it's it's fun to paint like from my like life.
00:43:43.280 --> 00:43:53.280
But but sometimes I if I don't have a I any idea or I don't want to paint like my memory because it's so close to my life.
00:43:53.519 --> 00:44:04.079
If I want to escape from like my life or if I want to forget about this, I I yeah, I this idea from Edo's workshop.
00:44:04.159 --> 00:44:10.719
I looked up old master old master's painting, like uh like tintu auto or yes, yes.
00:44:11.119 --> 00:44:14.079
Yes, I think the Brits referred to that as making a transcription, right?
00:44:14.159 --> 00:44:14.960
So making a copy.
00:44:15.280 --> 00:44:15.599
Yeah.
00:44:15.920 --> 00:44:20.639
And then not not copying, but like copying, make yeah, in your own way.
00:44:20.880 --> 00:44:21.039
Yeah.
00:44:21.440 --> 00:44:21.599
Yeah.
00:44:22.400 --> 00:44:22.559
Yeah.
00:44:22.800 --> 00:44:29.199
So this is another things I do often when I don't want to paint from my memo.
00:44:30.000 --> 00:44:32.000
Oh, oh, I I'm I'm understanding now.
00:44:32.079 --> 00:44:37.039
So you you're not doing a a copy or trans transcription, you're using it as inspiration.
00:44:37.199 --> 00:44:43.519
So if there's a still life that you see that you like, then you're putting in your own objects that kind of allude to that still life.
00:44:43.760 --> 00:44:44.079
I see.
00:44:44.239 --> 00:44:44.400
Okay.
00:44:44.800 --> 00:44:53.599
Like maybe like this cop might be the like woman from the Oh, I love that.
00:44:53.679 --> 00:44:54.079
Yeah.
00:44:54.320 --> 00:45:04.480
Like if I saw like the painting, like feeding, like feeding the kitchen where I might be picked up like the food for kids.
00:45:04.880 --> 00:45:05.119
Yeah.
00:45:05.280 --> 00:45:06.159
Oh, I love that.
00:45:06.239 --> 00:45:06.559
Yes.
00:45:06.800 --> 00:45:09.519
Yeah, I painted the McDonald's.
00:45:09.679 --> 00:45:13.119
Uh like yeah, with toy.
00:45:13.519 --> 00:45:13.760
Yeah.
00:45:13.920 --> 00:45:19.599
One of my favorite painters, Antonio Lopez Garcia, the Spanish painter, uh, he did the drawing, right?
00:45:19.679 --> 00:45:20.400
Yeah, he did a drawing.
00:45:20.480 --> 00:45:21.599
It's called Remedios.
00:45:21.679 --> 00:45:22.960
It's just like leftovers, you know?
00:45:23.360 --> 00:45:25.280
Yeah, the bones.
00:45:25.519 --> 00:45:26.159
Yes, exactly.
00:45:26.239 --> 00:45:26.480
Yeah.
00:45:26.800 --> 00:45:34.079
It's so yeah, it's it's bomb, but it feels makes me so, you know, like fascinating.
00:45:34.400 --> 00:45:37.519
Yeah, again, that documentation, that's a strong vein in your work.
00:45:37.679 --> 00:45:38.320
I love that.
00:45:38.480 --> 00:45:40.559
It's it's almost like it's like a biography, really.
00:45:40.719 --> 00:45:44.000
Like you're you're writing the biography of your life in in each painting.
00:45:44.239 --> 00:45:52.559
Yeah, and and another idea for still life, I sometimes make a setup from a book I led.
00:45:53.119 --> 00:45:59.599
So I last year I led uh Paul Paul Auster, he American writer.
00:46:00.079 --> 00:46:12.719
Um and I I you know the the item in a soul the I picked up the item from the Soli and then rang up the Wow, so cool.
00:46:12.960 --> 00:46:13.519
So yeah.
00:46:13.920 --> 00:46:22.719
This is another way to do I that's very creative, it's it's like a yeah, it's yeah, it's like a stage.
00:46:22.960 --> 00:46:24.480
That never occurred to me.
00:46:24.880 --> 00:46:29.199
It never occurred to me to do a composition based on literature or a story.
00:46:29.360 --> 00:46:30.320
I love that.
00:46:31.039 --> 00:46:33.440
It's it's going to another wall, you know.
00:46:34.000 --> 00:46:34.400
Yeah.
00:46:34.639 --> 00:46:34.960
Yeah.
00:46:35.360 --> 00:46:36.719
Oh, that's fantastic.
00:46:37.039 --> 00:46:40.480
Do you ever work in another medium or is it all oil?
00:46:40.719 --> 00:46:44.079
Are you ever working in gouache or watercolor?
00:46:44.639 --> 00:46:52.880
I I tried b those media, but then now I primarily working on oil.
00:46:53.199 --> 00:47:01.760
And yeah, I yeah, I I sometimes uh use alcoholic gouache for like sketching.
00:47:02.079 --> 00:47:07.119
Yeah, I I use both like um alcoholic gouache and pastel.
00:47:07.440 --> 00:47:09.360
So for highlighting.
00:47:09.679 --> 00:47:11.519
So dry pastel or oil pastel?
00:47:13.760 --> 00:47:18.639
But the next next year I wanted to do the woodcut pointing.
00:47:19.039 --> 00:47:20.480
Oh wow, yeah.
00:47:21.039 --> 00:47:29.360
I yeah, I it's it's it's a good way to because uh I made a catalog this year.
00:47:29.519 --> 00:47:42.639
I find it it need to something yeah, the catalog need to the things I the things I made by myself or like with hand, you know.
00:47:42.960 --> 00:47:43.599
Oh wow.
00:47:43.840 --> 00:47:50.800
So m maybe next year I wanted to make a catalogue with some with cut printing.
00:47:50.960 --> 00:47:51.360
Yes.
00:47:51.599 --> 00:47:54.159
So maybe it's getting more, you know, special.
00:47:54.719 --> 00:47:54.960
Yeah.
00:47:55.119 --> 00:47:57.519
Would you consider making your own book then?
00:47:57.679 --> 00:47:59.440
Like are we talking bookmaking as well?
00:47:59.599 --> 00:48:00.719
Like bookbinding?
00:48:01.039 --> 00:48:01.360
Yeah.
00:48:01.599 --> 00:48:01.840
Yeah.
00:48:02.000 --> 00:48:03.760
Like yeah, making like a book.
00:48:04.000 --> 00:48:04.320
Yes.
00:48:04.719 --> 00:48:05.199
Yeah.
00:48:05.599 --> 00:48:06.239
That's wonderful.
00:48:07.840 --> 00:48:08.800
I wanted to try.
00:48:09.119 --> 00:48:09.679
Yeah.
00:48:10.000 --> 00:48:18.320
I have a um I took a course at in college in art school and it was bookbinding, and and I I'm thinking there was a Japanese bookbinding technique that we did as well.
00:48:18.639 --> 00:48:20.480
It's it's it's so hard.
00:48:20.960 --> 00:48:21.519
Yes.
00:48:22.079 --> 00:48:23.199
It's hurting, you know.
00:48:23.599 --> 00:48:24.639
Yes, yeah, right.
00:48:24.880 --> 00:48:26.400
What's so beautiful?
00:48:26.880 --> 00:48:27.519
Yeah.
00:48:28.079 --> 00:48:29.679
You'd make one of those, right?
00:48:29.760 --> 00:48:32.400
You wouldn't make a hundred of them to hand out to people.
00:48:32.800 --> 00:48:37.679
Um it's gonna be experts.
00:48:38.159 --> 00:48:39.360
Yes, almost definitely.
00:48:39.519 --> 00:48:39.920
Yeah.
00:48:40.239 --> 00:48:53.039
I I no, I wouldn't do I just order printing company and then add like I I cut a little bit, and then you can, you know, hold hold uh uh woodcut printing.
00:48:53.280 --> 00:48:53.679
Yeah.
00:48:53.840 --> 00:48:56.400
And what subject would you do in that in the woodcut?
00:48:56.639 --> 00:48:57.679
What are you envisioning?
00:48:57.920 --> 00:49:00.000
Um TLI paintings.
00:49:00.480 --> 00:49:02.800
Maybe like simple simple one.
00:49:03.280 --> 00:49:03.679
Yeah.
00:49:09.920 --> 00:49:10.480
Yukiyo?
00:49:10.800 --> 00:49:11.119
Uh yeah.
00:49:11.360 --> 00:49:12.079
Yes, okay.
00:49:12.400 --> 00:49:17.280
So um yeah, with c printmaking is uh quite popular in Japan.
00:49:17.519 --> 00:49:17.920
Yes, yes.
00:49:18.719 --> 00:49:28.960
I find it when I move back from US that people are so interested in printmaking, like lithograph or silk screen.
00:49:29.360 --> 00:49:29.760
Yes.
00:49:30.000 --> 00:49:39.199
With cut screens, even like paper yeah, like people use pap paper for printing.
00:49:39.679 --> 00:49:40.480
Yes, yeah.
00:49:40.719 --> 00:49:41.280
Yeah.
00:49:41.599 --> 00:49:45.039
So yeah, I I I'd like to try.
00:49:45.360 --> 00:49:51.440
Yeah, and it's been popular for hundreds of years, which is a really interesting lineage there, interesting tradition.
00:49:51.760 --> 00:50:06.000
Yeah, and and also, yeah, I I wanted to try still life, and also I wanted to make a uh woodcut print from my landscape painting, like based on my painting.
00:50:06.239 --> 00:50:07.840
Yes, oh I love that, yeah.
00:50:08.079 --> 00:50:16.400
So it might be interesting to see like both, you know, like oil painting and this one is definitely, yeah.
00:50:16.719 --> 00:50:18.719
A reinterpretation of the subject.
00:50:18.960 --> 00:50:19.280
Yeah.
00:50:19.440 --> 00:50:20.159
Oh, I love that.
00:50:20.320 --> 00:50:21.039
That's very exciting.
00:50:21.199 --> 00:50:21.679
Ayaka.
00:50:22.639 --> 00:50:24.559
There's so many things I wanted to do.
00:50:24.880 --> 00:50:25.760
Oh, that's great.
00:50:25.920 --> 00:50:26.480
That's wonderful.
00:50:26.719 --> 00:50:27.519
If I have time.
00:50:27.760 --> 00:50:28.880
Yes, of course.
00:50:30.719 --> 00:50:34.239
Is there anything else you'd like to share with the with our audience?
00:50:34.400 --> 00:50:40.719
Or maybe you could tell them where they can find you, like what's your website and your Instagram handle and and all of that.
00:50:41.039 --> 00:50:46.239
Yeah, I I yeah, I I have a home website.
00:50:47.119 --> 00:50:50.880
I I update my painting on Instagram mostly.
00:50:51.440 --> 00:50:53.760
So yeah, if you find me.
00:50:54.400 --> 00:50:57.440
Yeah, and it's it's Shimara Ayako on Instagram, right?
00:50:57.679 --> 00:51:00.400
Yeah, Ayako Shimada Pipe Cell.
00:51:00.719 --> 00:51:01.119
That's great.
00:51:01.360 --> 00:51:04.320
Are are you on any other platforms like TikTok or anything like that?
00:51:04.559 --> 00:51:04.719
YouTube?
00:51:05.119 --> 00:51:17.920
No, uh it's I mean, like uh for this year I try to uproar my artwork once at some yeah, like try to uproar once a week.
00:51:18.159 --> 00:51:25.039
But uh like I think being a pa yeah, approlling my artwork as a job, you know.
00:51:25.760 --> 00:51:28.079
It's not like photo of kids.
00:51:28.320 --> 00:51:28.639
Yeah.
00:51:28.880 --> 00:51:32.639
So yeah, like as a pre professional, I we don't know.
00:51:32.800 --> 00:51:34.400
I'm not I I yeah.
00:51:34.880 --> 00:51:38.880
It is it's there's a lot going into being a professional artist, you know.
00:51:39.039 --> 00:51:41.360
There's in the job never ends, right?
00:51:41.440 --> 00:51:49.280
So what you're talking about, like even you make the painting and then you have to promote the painting on on Instagram and on your website, and yeah, you know, yeah.
00:51:49.519 --> 00:51:57.360
And then sometimes I makes me like doing the Instagram is that I should pay more, yeah.
00:51:58.559 --> 00:52:02.960
And at the same time, you you have to show your work, yeah.
00:52:03.280 --> 00:52:05.679
So to expand the opportunity.
00:52:06.159 --> 00:52:07.360
Most definitely, yes.
00:52:07.599 --> 00:52:09.199
So I try to balance again.
00:52:09.440 --> 00:52:11.199
Yeah, it's a balance, yes.
00:52:11.840 --> 00:52:13.519
I struggle with that myself.
00:52:14.320 --> 00:52:16.159
Yeah, I hear you.
00:52:16.400 --> 00:52:18.960
Oh, Ayako, this has been absolutely fantastic.
00:52:19.119 --> 00:52:28.079
I'm so grateful to you for speaking to me today, and um, I'm really looking forward to seeing uh seeing the work in the future and all the things you talked about.
00:52:28.320 --> 00:52:30.079
Um, thank you for coming on the podcast.
00:52:30.159 --> 00:52:30.320
Thank you.
00:52:30.800 --> 00:52:32.320
Thank you so much for having me.
00:52:32.400 --> 00:52:37.360
It's really yeah, great to talk with you and also share my experience.
00:52:37.679 --> 00:52:38.320
Thank you so much.
00:52:38.639 --> 00:52:39.440
You're very welcome.
00:52:39.519 --> 00:52:40.000
Thank you.
00:52:40.960 --> 00:52:44.639
There's a subtle autobiographical thread in the work of Ayako Shimada.
00:52:44.960 --> 00:52:49.599
In her paintings, she gives us a glimpse into her personal life, which I find delightful and affecting.
00:52:50.000 --> 00:52:52.320
Especially the paintings that hint at her role as a mother.
00:52:53.039 --> 00:52:56.400
Here are some of the gems from this conversation that you can use in your own creative practice.
00:52:57.519 --> 00:53:02.639
Ayako shares that when she first began landscape painting, she would travel to find something interesting to paint.
00:53:03.440 --> 00:53:12.239
But eventually she realized that if she just stayed closer to home and painted in the areas where she lived, it was both more convenient and she often felt more of a deeper connection to these locations.
00:53:13.760 --> 00:53:19.119
When painting, Ayako uses a palette knife predominantly, especially during plenaire, which allows her to paint quickly.
00:53:20.079 --> 00:53:21.440
And here's a great tip from Ayako.
00:53:22.079 --> 00:53:27.360
When painting a plenaire scene with figures in motion, paint them in first and then build the composition up around them.
00:53:28.480 --> 00:53:35.199
On the topic of applying to art competitions and not getting in, Ayako shares that sometimes opportunities can arise from not getting selected.
00:53:35.840 --> 00:53:44.079
Ayako had exactly this experience happen to her when she was later contacted by a judge from a competition that she did not get into, who hired her to illustrate a book cover.
00:53:44.800 --> 00:53:46.079
And she shares a sage advice.
00:53:46.800 --> 00:53:48.639
You have to share your work to expand your opportunities.
00:53:50.000 --> 00:53:54.400
Ayako often talks about painting from memory or painting from a combination of memory and observation.
00:53:55.440 --> 00:53:59.920
She will sometimes take on the challenge of reinterpreting master paintings by substituting her own subjects.
00:54:00.960 --> 00:54:04.960
This allows her to build upon an already successful theme or composition in her own unique way.
00:54:05.599 --> 00:54:11.679
In a similar exercise, Ayaka will respond to literature or something that she has read and translate or interpret it into a painting.
00:54:12.800 --> 00:54:17.760
She also talked about her plans for reinterpreting some of her own paintings in another form, such as woodblock prints.
00:54:18.639 --> 00:54:24.079
And I think the juxtaposition of the same motif in two very different mediums would make for a really interesting exhibit idea.
00:54:25.039 --> 00:54:27.599
I think all these ideas are excellent and something I would try myself.
00:54:28.800 --> 00:54:31.599
In this conversation, we also hit upon a deeper thread of contemplation.
00:54:32.000 --> 00:54:33.840
The notion of limnal or in-between states.
00:54:34.719 --> 00:54:38.880
This is because distinctions often dissolve when you are painting, like the line between painting or drawing.
00:54:39.519 --> 00:54:46.159
Or what separates a still-life subject from an interior, or that feeling of being absorbed into what you are observing when you are working in a flow state.
00:54:47.199 --> 00:54:50.880
We also talked about the blurred line between art and subculture and fine art and illustration.
00:54:51.679 --> 00:54:56.239
In Japan, these distinctions seem to be less important, and artists feel more free to associate with both.
00:54:57.119 --> 00:55:01.199
Ayako also mentioned several painters that have inspired her work or her way of working.
00:55:01.440 --> 00:55:05.039
I will list them in the show notes, along with links to her website and Instagram page.
00:55:05.199 --> 00:55:06.400
So please look for them there.
00:55:07.119 --> 00:55:10.159
I want to thank Ayako Shimada for this wonderful conversation.
00:55:10.400 --> 00:55:12.559
I truly enjoyed speaking with you, Ayako.
00:55:13.039 --> 00:55:16.480
To the rest of you, thank you for spending another hour of your day with me.
00:55:16.719 --> 00:55:18.800
Until next time, creatives.
00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:02.479
What draws you to like to a subject?
00:00:02.799 --> 00:00:11.439
I I guess it's 'cause I I am a mother, so uh the element I attracted me were is like playground.
00:00:11.919 --> 00:00:13.359
Yeah, I've noticed that, yes.
00:00:14.000 --> 00:00:14.400
Yeah.
00:00:14.720 --> 00:00:18.800
And also the place I I visited with my kids.
00:00:19.120 --> 00:00:23.760
So the park is like my neighbor n neighborhood.
00:00:24.079 --> 00:00:28.800
So I go to the place with my kids uh like once a week.
00:00:29.039 --> 00:00:30.160
So I love that.
00:00:30.239 --> 00:00:34.159
So when you're going with your children, are you kind of spotting subject matter?
00:00:34.960 --> 00:00:36.240
Oh, that's great.
00:00:36.640 --> 00:00:43.039
And then that also ties back to the documentary aspect because you're very much documenting your life right now at this stage, right?
00:00:43.200 --> 00:00:44.399
With your children.
00:00:49.840 --> 00:00:52.479
Welcome to Creative Contemplation Podcast.
00:00:52.640 --> 00:00:55.600
I'm your host and the creator, Suzanne Lago Arthur.
00:00:55.759 --> 00:01:09.040
I'm a realist painter working in oils from Loudoun County, Virginia, and I'm fascinated with the subjects of creativity, artistic development, and how these topics can sometimes lead to more profound questions of life, like the nature of perception, and consciousness.
00:01:09.280 --> 00:01:14.560
This season will be going much deeper into our conversations, not just the how, but the why.
00:01:14.799 --> 00:01:17.359
Listen along as we answer these questions and more.
00:01:17.519 --> 00:01:24.560
I'll be interviewing people from all over the creative universe, artists, designers, writers, you name it, and those that understand the creative mind.
00:01:24.719 --> 00:01:27.599
My guests will serve as guides along your own creative path.
00:01:27.840 --> 00:01:29.599
Thanks for joining us today.
00:01:41.840 --> 00:01:43.200
It's great to see you again.
00:01:43.280 --> 00:01:44.400
It's been a little while.
00:01:44.560 --> 00:01:54.159
Uh, for the listeners, I should explain that Ayako and I met up in Tokyo, and she was so lovely to take my family uh to the Jibly Museum, uh, the studio museum there.
00:01:54.319 --> 00:01:56.719
I think it's uh in Japanese you pronounce it Jibori.
00:01:57.040 --> 00:01:57.840
Uh is that correct?
00:01:58.079 --> 00:01:58.400
Yes.
00:01:58.560 --> 00:02:02.079
And we had a fabulous day, and uh it was really one of the highlights of our trip.
00:02:02.159 --> 00:02:03.120
So Oh, really?
00:02:03.519 --> 00:02:04.159
Yes, it was.
00:02:04.319 --> 00:02:05.200
And I'm grateful for that.
00:02:05.280 --> 00:02:05.680
So thank you.
00:02:07.040 --> 00:02:08.240
Yeah, thank you.
00:02:08.479 --> 00:02:10.159
Uh well, let's get started.
00:02:10.560 --> 00:02:12.080
Please share about your art journey.
00:02:12.240 --> 00:02:13.520
How did you get started?
00:02:13.840 --> 00:02:24.879
Uh I studied like my uh academic background is uh I when I moved to DC, which is 2080.
00:02:25.120 --> 00:02:28.960
So I took some art class at Washington Studio.
00:02:31.039 --> 00:02:31.199
Yeah.
00:02:31.599 --> 00:02:32.159
Wonderful school.
00:02:32.800 --> 00:02:40.719
Yeah, and I took uh foundation program, which is like two year two years like basic fine art.
00:02:41.439 --> 00:02:43.360
Was that an an everyday program?
00:02:43.520 --> 00:02:45.120
Were you there everyday painting?
00:02:45.360 --> 00:02:55.599
Yeah, it's basically uh, you know, uh I took I have to take some like drawing class and sculpture, painting, like art history class.
00:02:55.680 --> 00:03:00.719
So it's all I I learned like a yeah, a lot of like basic fine art.
00:03:01.360 --> 00:03:02.560
That's that's very impressive.
00:03:02.639 --> 00:03:04.960
I go you didn't have any training prior to that?
00:03:05.199 --> 00:03:08.960
Uh yeah, be yeah, before that I I never took uh art.
00:03:09.599 --> 00:03:10.000
Really?
00:03:10.159 --> 00:03:12.560
And and uh I'm I'm throwing you some extra questions.
00:03:12.719 --> 00:03:16.240
But as a child, were you somebody who was really into drawing or anything like that?
00:03:16.560 --> 00:03:23.439
I I do like drawing, but my parents, you know, don't want me to vote.
00:03:23.919 --> 00:03:25.599
That's typical of most artists, yes.
00:03:27.039 --> 00:03:33.840
Yeah, and like my parents like took my sketchbook and hide hide it.
00:03:34.240 --> 00:03:34.879
Oh wow.
00:03:35.120 --> 00:03:37.280
Yeah, it's very yeah.
00:03:37.599 --> 00:03:37.919
Yeah.
00:03:38.159 --> 00:03:42.240
I'm sure they thought they were doing right by you, but yes, it's uh many an artist.
00:03:42.800 --> 00:03:50.240
Now, now my parents said like, yeah, you know, like, yes, yeah, you you do what you like, you know.
00:03:50.560 --> 00:03:51.039
That's wonderful.
00:03:51.120 --> 00:03:52.879
I'm sure they're very proud of you now.
00:03:53.120 --> 00:03:58.479
Well, uh, can you talk about any artists that have influenced you along your way and your way of working?
00:03:59.520 --> 00:04:04.800
Uh like I Erwin Radicke is my you know huge inspiration.
00:04:05.039 --> 00:04:05.520
Inspiration.
00:04:05.759 --> 00:04:10.400
Yes, Erin Rateke is a a wonderful artist and and uh previous guest of the podcast.
00:04:11.120 --> 00:04:11.680
Just continue.
00:04:11.919 --> 00:04:19.519
And yeah, I've been studying with her over a year and and I still taking her class.
00:04:19.839 --> 00:04:20.480
Oh wonderful.
00:04:20.800 --> 00:04:22.319
Oh my oh wonderful, yes.
00:04:22.480 --> 00:04:24.240
You've been studying privately with her?
00:04:24.560 --> 00:04:25.360
Uh yeah.
00:04:25.600 --> 00:04:25.839
Yeah.
00:04:26.399 --> 00:04:30.560
And then how she paint, like open up me.
00:04:31.600 --> 00:04:34.160
I thought painting is so difficult.
00:04:34.879 --> 00:04:35.839
Yes, it is.
00:04:36.079 --> 00:04:38.079
I mean it is still, yeah, you know.
00:04:38.560 --> 00:04:38.879
Right.
00:04:39.120 --> 00:04:48.399
But I I like before taking hard class painting is just uh you know struggle, difficult, not much fun.
00:04:48.800 --> 00:04:51.920
But after taking hard class, it's tense.
00:04:52.079 --> 00:04:52.480
Yes.
00:04:52.800 --> 00:05:02.399
Like painting so like without drawing, like like painting, yeah, like using lots of paint and mixing.
00:05:02.560 --> 00:05:02.720
Yeah.
00:05:04.480 --> 00:05:07.839
So her um her approach to color is unique too, right?
00:05:07.920 --> 00:05:08.079
Yeah.
00:05:08.240 --> 00:05:13.360
That optical mixing that she does with her her colors to get uh colors that you would get out of the tube.
00:05:13.519 --> 00:05:13.680
Yeah.
00:05:13.920 --> 00:05:17.519
Yeah, all of my colors are from her palette.
00:05:18.319 --> 00:05:19.120
Oh fantastic.
00:05:19.279 --> 00:05:26.879
And then are you um I'm probably gonna be uh matching a couple of our my questions up, but are you working them predominantly with a palette knife?
00:05:27.040 --> 00:05:27.759
Uh yeah.
00:05:28.079 --> 00:05:29.360
That's your method of working.
00:05:30.319 --> 00:05:30.639
Yeah.
00:05:30.800 --> 00:05:32.319
Even even when you're in plan air.
00:05:32.399 --> 00:05:34.879
So when you're out plain air, you're you're with the palette knife.
00:05:35.040 --> 00:05:35.920
Oh fantastic.
00:05:36.079 --> 00:05:36.399
Wow.
00:05:36.800 --> 00:05:42.480
It's if I paint with scratch, it's hard to spread out.
00:05:42.879 --> 00:05:43.199
Yes.
00:05:43.439 --> 00:05:45.759
It also helps you to work faster, I imagine, right?
00:05:46.000 --> 00:05:47.920
Because you can load up the the knife.
00:05:48.079 --> 00:05:48.639
Yeah.
00:05:49.199 --> 00:05:53.600
And also another influence is uh Edmond Plaby.
00:05:54.000 --> 00:05:54.240
Yes.
00:05:54.399 --> 00:05:55.360
Oh yes.
00:05:55.600 --> 00:05:56.560
That's fantastic.
00:05:56.720 --> 00:05:57.040
Yeah.
00:05:57.360 --> 00:05:57.759
Yeah.
00:05:57.920 --> 00:06:03.439
His his still life drawing, still still life painting class was amazing.
00:06:03.680 --> 00:06:11.279
And it he he showed me like how to set up and also how to continue like longer.
00:06:11.519 --> 00:06:14.399
So it's not like one shot painting.
00:06:14.560 --> 00:06:14.879
Yeah.
00:06:15.279 --> 00:06:18.000
Like how how I can enjoy.
00:06:19.600 --> 00:06:19.839
Yeah.
00:06:19.920 --> 00:06:21.920
And I particularly love his abstraction, right?
00:06:22.000 --> 00:06:22.720
And his composition.
00:06:22.800 --> 00:06:24.720
Is that something you're thinking about when you're working?
00:06:25.120 --> 00:06:26.399
Yeah, he's fabulous as well.
00:06:26.480 --> 00:06:28.800
And a previous guest I should mention to the to the listeners.
00:06:29.120 --> 00:06:34.160
Yeah, I I've listened to Ellie and also Adams podcasts.
00:06:34.399 --> 00:06:35.680
Oh, fantastic.
00:06:36.000 --> 00:06:38.560
Well, um, you have something very exciting on the horizon.
00:06:38.639 --> 00:06:47.360
Ayako, can you share with us uh your upcoming solo show at Opa Gallery in Tokyo, which will open on January 16th, so it's right around the corner.
00:06:47.519 --> 00:06:55.360
Uh, and you're including many of your plenaire paintings from Inokashira Park in western Tokyo, and that's the one that's right next to Khibli Museum.
00:06:55.600 --> 00:06:55.920
Yes.
00:06:56.160 --> 00:07:00.399
Yeah, I yeah, I'm showing my landscape painting.
00:07:00.480 --> 00:07:03.279
I painted at the Inokashira Park.
00:07:03.600 --> 00:07:10.800
Um yeah, and I I wanted to share like painting at the park over the over a year.
00:07:11.279 --> 00:07:15.120
I hope people see like how the season changed.
00:07:15.360 --> 00:07:16.240
Yes, most definitely.
00:07:19.199 --> 00:07:27.519
That day when we went to the museum together, we walked through the park, if you remember, and you took me past uh a building, and the moment I saw it, I knew it was from your painting.
00:07:27.839 --> 00:07:34.079
Yeah, I I was really, you know, it it was great to, you know, you recognize that.
00:07:34.319 --> 00:07:34.800
Oh, 100%.
00:07:35.199 --> 00:07:37.199
But you will be in US, you know.
00:07:37.680 --> 00:07:38.879
Yes, oh, it's beautiful.
00:07:39.040 --> 00:07:44.720
Yes, I I have very much enjoyed looking at your work, uh, hence why I wanted to talk to you and have you on the podcast.
00:07:44.800 --> 00:07:48.720
Uh um tell tell me about the experience of painting there in the park.
00:07:48.879 --> 00:07:59.120
You published two beautiful catalogs of your work, and they had very interesting commentary uh about the things that people would say to you while you're working there, Planair.
00:07:59.439 --> 00:08:00.879
Can you share that a little bit?
00:08:01.279 --> 00:08:01.920
Yeah.
00:08:02.480 --> 00:08:12.079
Um yeah, like mostly people talk to me while I'm painting, but there is some interesting conversation with with them.
00:08:12.319 --> 00:08:15.040
So I wanted to share in the catalogue.
00:08:15.279 --> 00:08:42.960
So like, yeah, for example, I when I painted at the pond and and like the lady is sitting at the bench and she taught me what I'm painting, and she also took a photo of that view and she she showed me a like folder folder named like everyday's like like like nana.
00:08:43.440 --> 00:08:49.279
Yeah, it's like it's it's name, it's called like yeah, she she she took a photo every day.
00:08:49.519 --> 00:08:50.000
Oh wow.
00:08:51.279 --> 00:08:53.840
And she so like a the documentary kind of thing.
00:08:54.000 --> 00:08:54.720
Yeah, documentary.
00:08:55.039 --> 00:08:59.279
And she also documentary and I also interesting, yeah.
00:08:59.440 --> 00:09:02.000
So you were both doing that in a different format, right?
00:09:02.240 --> 00:09:03.360
Right beside each other.
00:09:03.440 --> 00:09:04.240
That's really interesting.
00:09:04.480 --> 00:09:14.879
So this is one of the yeah, good conversation, and I also uh wrote about other conversation and all like the what's happening while I'm painting.
00:09:14.960 --> 00:09:15.120
Yeah.
00:09:15.279 --> 00:09:22.080
Like the bags or you know the window or yeah, like like a poetic scene.
00:09:22.240 --> 00:09:22.399
Yeah.
00:09:22.720 --> 00:09:28.879
So is it almost like a very there's an aspect of Plenair painting for those of us who do it that is kind of meditative, right?
00:09:28.960 --> 00:09:33.039
So you are being very present in the moment, and that's part of your observation, right?
00:09:33.200 --> 00:09:38.399
Uh of being there and seeing the seasons change and and the comments that you made uh in your catalog.
00:09:38.559 --> 00:09:41.600
I'm thinking also about um all the conversations you had.
00:09:41.759 --> 00:09:49.679
Is it mostly tourists that are coming up to you, or are the locals, because you've been painting there for a year, do they see you and recognize you and come up and talk to you?
00:09:50.000 --> 00:09:57.200
Yeah, uh yeah, both are talk to me, but some people recognize me.
00:09:58.320 --> 00:10:00.720
You painted last week over there.
00:10:01.039 --> 00:10:01.840
Oh wow.
00:10:03.440 --> 00:10:05.519
Oh wow, you're a celebrity.
00:10:06.720 --> 00:10:10.080
And then like some people give me a snack.
00:10:10.559 --> 00:10:13.360
So that's really nice.
00:10:14.559 --> 00:10:19.200
I really appreciate it when when it's summer, it was really hot.
00:10:20.000 --> 00:10:20.960
Yes, yes.
00:10:21.039 --> 00:10:22.639
Oh, it's it is hot in Tokyo.
00:10:22.799 --> 00:10:24.559
It is well in Japan, yes.
00:10:24.639 --> 00:10:25.440
I was very surprised.
00:10:25.840 --> 00:10:30.240
But you're com you're used to Washington, DC weather, and that's what it felt like when we were there.
00:10:30.480 --> 00:10:30.639
Yeah.
00:10:31.120 --> 00:10:31.600
Similar.
00:10:32.000 --> 00:10:37.440
So in the summer, I have to go to the park alley in the morning, like six.
00:10:37.679 --> 00:10:38.240
Oh wow.
00:10:38.639 --> 00:10:40.799
Yes, you you can't almost stand.
00:10:41.519 --> 00:10:41.919
Yeah.
00:10:42.480 --> 00:10:43.600
How long are you painting?
00:10:43.679 --> 00:10:45.440
Uh, what is a typical day for you?
00:10:45.759 --> 00:10:55.279
Um it's now it's colder, so I go to park like one or like warmer the time.
00:10:55.679 --> 00:10:56.159
Yes.
00:10:56.399 --> 00:11:03.120
But the inner summer I painted at park early morning or evening.
00:11:03.759 --> 00:11:13.039
But the evening is uh tricky because the you know, mosquitoes and yes, it's getting darker, you cannot see the palette well.
00:11:13.600 --> 00:11:14.000
Yes.
00:11:14.559 --> 00:11:16.240
It's it's like a camping.
00:11:16.879 --> 00:11:18.480
Yeah, I I would imagine that.
00:11:18.639 --> 00:11:21.759
Is it like uh are you are you painting for maybe three hours at a time?
00:11:21.919 --> 00:11:22.320
How long?
00:11:22.639 --> 00:11:24.720
Yeah, sleep or four hours.
00:11:25.519 --> 00:11:28.320
And then you return the next day to do the same scene?
00:11:28.559 --> 00:11:30.960
If you're or is or are these paintings done?
00:11:31.440 --> 00:11:34.799
Are these paintings done in one session or are they multiple sessions?
00:11:35.120 --> 00:11:38.480
If I am lucky, I can down one whole once.
00:11:40.960 --> 00:11:41.600
You're quick.
00:11:41.679 --> 00:11:42.480
I'm I'm not like that.
00:11:42.639 --> 00:11:44.799
I mean, this one yeah, this one is my box.
00:11:45.200 --> 00:11:46.480
It's I was lucky.
00:11:46.639 --> 00:11:46.799
Yeah.
00:11:47.919 --> 00:12:01.200
But the other one is it's I visited twice and then I'm I brought brought back to my studio and and painted painted from my memories.
00:12:02.720 --> 00:12:03.679
Can you talk about that?
00:12:03.840 --> 00:12:05.519
What is that like painting from your memory?
00:12:05.759 --> 00:12:06.559
Share share that.
00:12:07.039 --> 00:12:23.519
Uh yeah, like I took a photo, but I don't really look at the photo because yeah, I at the beginning I used a photo as a liveliness, but it's changed like feel my mind.
00:12:24.000 --> 00:12:28.159
It's like a copying from photo, not like my experience.
00:12:28.399 --> 00:12:28.799
Yes.
00:12:29.039 --> 00:12:31.279
So how how do you tap into your experience?
00:12:31.440 --> 00:12:33.759
That's um that's what I'm curious about too.
00:12:34.480 --> 00:12:43.360
Yeah, like because yeah, like what what what I saw or what I I fascinated with.
00:12:44.240 --> 00:12:48.320
So that's the things I wanted to include in in the painting.
00:12:48.960 --> 00:12:49.679
That's beautiful.
00:12:49.759 --> 00:12:50.080
Yeah.
00:12:56.480 --> 00:13:05.440
For example, I wanted to focus on the flower, what need to what what a element I need to include.
00:13:05.759 --> 00:13:06.080
Yeah.
00:13:06.399 --> 00:13:10.080
With the from the embowment I was in.
00:13:10.480 --> 00:13:13.919
So sometimes you know, you you cannot take a photo.
00:13:14.159 --> 00:13:14.480
Yeah.
00:13:15.120 --> 00:13:18.480
Also photo took the color.
00:13:19.200 --> 00:13:20.320
Yes, oh yes.
00:13:20.480 --> 00:13:23.600
Yeah, so I can really manipulate it, especially those reds, right?
00:13:23.679 --> 00:13:24.399
And and certain colors.
00:13:25.120 --> 00:13:25.679
Yeah, yeah.
00:13:26.159 --> 00:13:36.080
And like landscape, you can see tiny little exaggerated color, like red or purples in a shade.
00:13:36.320 --> 00:13:37.120
Yes, yes.
00:13:37.600 --> 00:13:42.320
It's hard to find the color from the photo, I guess.
00:13:42.799 --> 00:13:43.919
So yeah.
00:13:44.159 --> 00:13:47.279
But I I took a photo, like for just in case.
00:13:47.519 --> 00:13:47.840
Yeah.
00:13:48.399 --> 00:13:54.000
And then sometimes I go back to sketch and then back to studio and then paint it.
00:13:54.320 --> 00:13:54.639
Yes.
00:13:54.960 --> 00:13:58.080
What what attracts you to your scenes that you're painting?
00:13:58.639 --> 00:14:04.639
Uh you mean the butt yeah, what what draws you to like to a subject?
00:14:04.879 --> 00:14:15.039
I I guess it's because I I am a mother, so I like I the element I attracted me was like playground.
00:14:15.600 --> 00:14:16.960
Yeah, I've noticed that, yes.
00:14:17.679 --> 00:14:18.080
Yeah.
00:14:18.320 --> 00:14:22.480
And also the place I I visited with my kids.
00:14:22.720 --> 00:14:27.360
So the park is like my neighbor n neighborhood.
00:14:27.679 --> 00:14:32.399
So I go to the place with my kids uh like once a week.
00:14:32.639 --> 00:14:33.759
So I love that.
00:14:33.840 --> 00:14:37.759
So when you're going with your children, are you kind of spotting subject matter?
00:14:38.639 --> 00:14:39.679
Oh, that's great.
00:14:40.240 --> 00:14:46.639
And then that also ties back to the documentary aspect, because you're very much documenting your life right now at this stage, right?
00:14:46.799 --> 00:14:47.679
With your children.
00:14:48.000 --> 00:14:48.480
Yeah.
00:14:48.720 --> 00:14:59.440
Yeah, like and I when I passed uh painting, uh, when I started practicing landscape painting, I draw to like far from my apartment.
00:14:59.600 --> 00:15:00.000
Yeah.
00:15:00.240 --> 00:15:04.639
And then it took a lot of time to find a spot to paint.
00:15:04.799 --> 00:15:05.039
Yes.
00:15:05.360 --> 00:15:10.159
And those area are not my, you know, don't have a connection, you know.
00:15:10.639 --> 00:15:18.639
So the pocket's not as fancy as like local side, the country side, but uh it's my you know, area.
00:15:19.279 --> 00:15:20.399
It's beautiful it's beautiful.
00:15:20.480 --> 00:15:22.559
What is that temple that's on the lake there?
00:15:22.960 --> 00:15:25.679
Uh it's what's temple?
00:15:25.759 --> 00:15:27.279
It's yeah, it's it's kind of hidden.
00:15:27.360 --> 00:15:30.399
You behind the foliage, you can't see it very, very well.
00:15:30.720 --> 00:15:35.519
I I I try to paint, but uh it's really red, you know.
00:15:35.840 --> 00:15:36.799
Yes, yes.
00:15:37.440 --> 00:15:45.519
And also lots of tourists uh visiting, but sometimes yeah, I I I include a little bit, but uh yeah.
00:15:45.759 --> 00:15:46.159
Yeah.
00:15:46.559 --> 00:15:52.879
No, I remember because uh I when I was walking through there and taking reference, uh, you know, I definitely saw and I said, Oh, what is what is that?
00:15:52.960 --> 00:16:03.120
I the book that the uh that you go about to all the to the temples and shrines and you get a you get a blessing, uh, you know, um I I know I'm mispronouncing it.
00:16:03.200 --> 00:16:04.080
What is Goshuen?
00:16:04.240 --> 00:16:04.799
Goshwen?
00:16:05.039 --> 00:16:07.440
Oh, Goshuen! Goshuen! Okay, okay, okay.
00:16:07.679 --> 00:16:08.159
Got it.
00:16:08.399 --> 00:16:17.600
So I have a Goshwen book and I went and I went to every single well, I went to a lot of you're gonna stump a lot of exactly, exactly.
00:16:17.679 --> 00:16:20.559
I wanted to fill the entire book, you know, and I we tried.
00:16:21.200 --> 00:16:33.360
I never figured as many, but um, yeah, that was just such a beautiful uh such a beautiful aspect of Japan was seeing the Shinto shrines and the Buddhist um you know temples.
00:16:33.519 --> 00:16:34.559
It's just absolutely beautiful.
00:16:34.720 --> 00:16:35.919
It was one of my favorite parts.
00:16:36.240 --> 00:16:40.159
And then that that lake has all these um swan rides, right?
00:16:40.240 --> 00:16:41.039
Can you talk about that?
00:16:41.200 --> 00:16:43.519
That's because that's something I guess you do with the kids.
00:16:43.840 --> 00:16:44.879
Yeah, I do.
00:16:45.039 --> 00:16:49.759
Uh and he wanted me to, you know, ride together.
00:16:50.000 --> 00:17:00.559
And yeah, and and then I I yeah, and also I wanted to paint as a big monumental of that bug.
00:17:01.039 --> 00:17:01.440
Yeah.
00:17:01.759 --> 00:17:03.759
So it's it's funny.
00:17:04.960 --> 00:17:13.920
And that painting, you you you managed to capture a little some little um ducklings in addition to the the swans in the background, the the swan boats, right?
00:17:14.000 --> 00:17:17.359
There's this one painting that you have, and it's uh I I love that that little touch.
00:17:17.599 --> 00:17:18.559
Oh, thank you.
00:17:18.880 --> 00:17:22.319
What um when you're painting, are you uh how how does this work?
00:17:22.480 --> 00:17:25.519
Like you're not there with your children while they're playing, right?
00:17:25.759 --> 00:17:27.359
You're you come separately.
00:17:27.680 --> 00:17:28.079
Yes.
00:17:28.240 --> 00:17:29.200
I I cannot do it.
00:17:29.519 --> 00:17:31.599
I can yeah, I'm wondering how you would do it.
00:17:32.400 --> 00:17:43.119
I really I really admire that you're painting so much, Ayako, at this um stage of your life when your children are so small, uh, because that's really hard to manage and and you have uh two children.
00:17:43.200 --> 00:17:46.240
So are I guess you're painting when they're in school during the day mostly?
00:17:46.799 --> 00:17:49.920
Yeah, I mean they are go to kindergarten.
00:17:50.079 --> 00:17:50.400
Yeah.
00:17:50.559 --> 00:17:52.559
So yeah, they're so young, yes.
00:17:52.799 --> 00:17:53.759
Is that full time?
00:17:54.079 --> 00:17:57.200
Is that a full day in in Japan, the kindergarten?
00:17:57.519 --> 00:18:01.200
Um eight to four.
00:18:01.279 --> 00:18:04.400
It's oh yeah, that's pretty, yeah, yes, yeah, that's fantastic.
00:18:04.640 --> 00:18:04.880
Wow.
00:18:05.200 --> 00:18:12.400
So I have uh enough time to work on painting and also like working like a part-time job.
00:18:12.720 --> 00:18:13.279
Yes.
00:18:13.519 --> 00:18:20.000
So I mean in Japan, you have to have a job to to take my kids to day care.
00:18:20.799 --> 00:18:21.680
Most definitely, yes.
00:18:21.920 --> 00:18:24.160
It's very typical for most creatives, yes.
00:18:24.319 --> 00:18:39.359
Uh there's another question I have that based on your uh catalogs that you sent me, the painting diary spring and painting diary summer, I noticed that there seems to be perhaps some overlap in Japanese for the verbs to draw and to paint and to make a picture.
00:18:39.599 --> 00:18:43.119
And I personally find that interesting linguistically.
00:18:43.279 --> 00:18:45.759
Um, and I discovered this by using Google Translate.
00:18:46.079 --> 00:18:48.000
I'm gonna say I'm not fluent in Japanese.
00:18:48.160 --> 00:18:50.400
Um, I'm wondering, is there a connection here for you?
00:18:50.559 --> 00:18:53.119
Do you by chance think of painting in terms of drawing?
00:18:53.279 --> 00:18:55.039
Because I often do, so I'm curious.
00:18:55.599 --> 00:18:57.440
Yeah, that's a good question.
00:18:57.759 --> 00:19:02.240
And uh when I teach I I mean, by the way, I'm a Japanese teacher.
00:19:02.400 --> 00:19:02.640
Yes.
00:19:03.599 --> 00:19:13.599
When I whenever I I whenever I teach like the word to draw, to paint, because it's one word, which is kaku.
00:19:14.400 --> 00:19:19.839
So kak includes all the process of like drawing or painting.
00:19:20.079 --> 00:19:24.400
So yeah, they're like my student like seems confused.
00:19:24.559 --> 00:19:24.960
Yeah.
00:19:25.200 --> 00:19:28.640
How how uh how identify which which one?
00:19:29.119 --> 00:19:39.519
So uh yeah, like but the I I I think it's interesting for me, like it's similar to my painting process or like a swing process.
00:19:39.839 --> 00:19:40.480
Yes, yeah.
00:19:40.880 --> 00:19:42.319
I understand it completely.
00:19:42.480 --> 00:19:43.839
That struck me when I saw that.
00:19:43.920 --> 00:19:54.480
I recognized myself in in those comments because um I think in the West here we tend to think of drawing and painting as separately, but I think of drawing, I think of painting as drawing but in masses, right?
00:19:54.720 --> 00:19:58.720
And drawing as drawing more with contour silhouettes, you know?
00:19:58.880 --> 00:20:02.240
Uh uh so they're just two different types of of drawing.
00:20:02.400 --> 00:20:10.000
Uh so yeah, that that struck out to me when I saw that because that was a comment that kept coming up about you were using the word drawing a lot in your and your catalogue.
00:20:10.160 --> 00:20:12.160
And I I find that fascinating.
00:20:12.559 --> 00:20:19.759
And like I do sometimes like under drawing, but it takes a lot of time.
00:20:20.559 --> 00:20:26.000
Draw two things under drawing takes like like one hour or sometime.
00:20:26.319 --> 00:20:27.039
Yes, yes.
00:20:27.279 --> 00:20:32.160
And then the when I and then start painting, it's completely different.
00:20:32.400 --> 00:20:32.960
Yeah.
00:20:34.160 --> 00:20:45.839
So so I now I'm don't have I don't wanna I don't have time, so I don't uh take a lot of time to draw those things, everything out.
00:20:46.240 --> 00:20:52.640
So for now I don't do much under drawing and then just it, you know, driving painting.
00:20:52.960 --> 00:20:53.279
Yeah.
00:20:53.440 --> 00:20:53.680
Yeah.
00:20:53.920 --> 00:20:55.599
And and can you describe that process?
00:20:55.759 --> 00:21:07.599
Because since I've studied with both the people you mentioned previously, I have a feeling that Ed Prabi, his his technique is very like a direct drawing approach where he goes in there and he's kind of just immediately knocking in shapes, right?
00:21:08.000 --> 00:21:12.240
And um, and so you're probably doing that like you're blocking in large shapes, right?
00:21:12.319 --> 00:21:17.519
And then maybe uh as they overlap, then that's where the refinement happens between the two.
00:21:17.839 --> 00:21:18.079
Yeah.
00:21:18.559 --> 00:21:25.359
That's really an interesting way of working without working, you know, with uh like a support, like without working with an underdrawing.
00:21:25.680 --> 00:21:30.559
Yeah, and yeah, I I really appreciate their applause.
00:21:31.039 --> 00:21:37.599
It's like uh another potential, like like from from the painting, you know.
00:21:38.000 --> 00:21:40.720
Yeah, the painting draw always paint.
00:21:41.920 --> 00:21:42.640
Yes, exactly.
00:21:42.799 --> 00:21:43.200
Exactly.
00:21:43.440 --> 00:21:44.720
Yeah, oh that's really interesting.
00:21:44.880 --> 00:21:49.039
It's interesting that that you said that your your English students are confused by that.
00:21:50.000 --> 00:21:51.359
You're not artists then.
00:21:51.839 --> 00:21:52.319
Yeah.
00:21:52.799 --> 00:21:53.440
Right.
00:21:53.920 --> 00:21:55.519
Oh, that's really interesting.
00:21:56.000 --> 00:22:02.640
Can we talk about uh you had mentioned to me that e signs are very popular in Japan for for artists, right?
00:22:02.880 --> 00:22:05.839
Like the catalogs that you produced first of all, they were beautiful.
00:22:06.160 --> 00:22:08.079
And I'm having a solo show myself.
00:22:08.160 --> 00:22:12.319
I very much want to replicate what you've done and make and make something similar.
00:22:12.400 --> 00:22:24.799
Uh can you please share with us about those about catalogs and e signs and yeah yeah it's it's called Jing and um yeah it's I guess it's the culture is from US I've heard.
00:22:25.119 --> 00:22:25.759
Ah okay.
00:22:26.000 --> 00:22:32.079
Yeah I but the Jing culture is not from like fine art.
00:22:32.480 --> 00:22:36.640
I think it's from like like subcultures things.
00:22:37.279 --> 00:22:44.160
And and then now like many artists like join to this culture scene.
00:22:44.559 --> 00:22:52.880
I guess it's because of like all art like I guess artists wanted to share their work not like Instagram.
00:22:54.079 --> 00:22:59.279
It's it's more like a kind of or thoughtful way to show the work.
00:22:59.359 --> 00:23:07.920
So it's something that you would use to apply to galleries I would imagine you would send them yeah yeah I will I will show the thing as well.
00:23:08.240 --> 00:23:19.440
Yeah yeah and and also making helps me what painting you need to like make up series of work.
00:23:20.400 --> 00:23:41.039
So like before starting the zinc I just uh paint what what I want but which is good but uh for making a series of of work you have to like to what subject you need to make so making a zine like help me to do that.
00:23:41.359 --> 00:23:43.519
Helps you kind of edit your vision is what it sounds like.
00:23:43.759 --> 00:24:08.240
Yeah yeah oh that's interesting and then um the catalogs that's different right because that's printed paper right and uh I would imagine that's um the zine is the zine is probably less expensive to produce right yes because it's digital yeah yeah and and but making by own making Zine by myself is also important.
00:24:08.559 --> 00:24:13.039
Yeah I I make create it yes what yeah what programs are you using?
00:24:13.119 --> 00:25:03.119
Please share because this is something other artists can do yeah it's it's uh I use uh Photoshop and illustration illustrator yep yes yes the Adobe products yeah i I never used those programs before oh wow you taught yourself how to do that I I have some friend who is a designer they help me out they look really nice they look very professional it's also like big making a catalog by myself is it you know like you have you can see like you can compare the original work and also the painted one so and oh and then you have to edit yeah the Photoshop and like it's most I I guess you know like get more saturation or like lighter exposure like exposures.
00:25:03.440 --> 00:25:08.720
That's always a difficulty because you want to be true to your to the painting right but you have to make it look good.
00:25:08.960 --> 00:25:21.599
Yeah I mean yeah like close to the original or yeah if I don't do that it's looks I mean not not as good as right yeah that's yeah that's quite the conundrum there.
00:25:21.759 --> 00:25:23.839
Um what size are you working in?
00:25:23.920 --> 00:25:25.519
Because I'm I'm seeing the paintings behind you.
00:25:25.599 --> 00:25:29.519
What what's your typical size that you'll have in in the exhibit at Opa Gallery?
00:25:29.839 --> 00:25:40.640
Uh it's not huge painting but uh like nine by twelve or sixteen by twelve so that's book size.
00:25:40.880 --> 00:26:08.880
Yes that's because I I painted outside so and in in one session so mostly right yeah yeah how many pieces uh will you have in the exhibit uh about 30 Wow fantastic I mean including you know tiny one like this oh fantastic and they're all the plane air they're all from yeah yeah but now I have a I I'm making a rush I mean it's it's quite large for me.
00:26:08.960 --> 00:26:21.200
Yeah it's it's I I I try to combining the two painting and and then like what I try to paint a wider vision view.
00:26:21.359 --> 00:26:24.079
So it's another wow I'd love to see that.
00:26:24.319 --> 00:26:25.680
How are you gonna be framing them?
00:26:25.839 --> 00:26:30.079
Do you have any thoughts on that or like cohesively will you frame them all the same?
00:26:30.400 --> 00:26:40.079
Uh so large one um paint um canvas so you I I so you don't really worry about the okay they don't do that in Japan.
00:26:40.160 --> 00:26:46.240
Yeah I mean you have to are they the the wrapped edge that kind of thing?
00:26:46.559 --> 00:26:55.039
Yeah the gallery wrap like in in the panel so I have to like this this panel I have to make a flame.
00:26:55.200 --> 00:27:04.000
Yeah I like my husband are really he key made the Oh you just he's my new favorite person.
00:27:04.079 --> 00:27:06.880
I've been trying to get my husband to make my own frames and he won't do it.
00:27:07.119 --> 00:28:38.079
Oh yeah we have to get them talking yeah yeah I think uh now that I think about it I think Erin's husband also makes her frames so yeah that's why I I'm missing out here yeah uh yeah and I have our Erin's painting which is framed oh well I you know oh I love it we need maybe um I can convince Erin to have her husband give a uh a workshop for husbands well this is um wonderfully bringing up another topic that I wanted to bring up um because we're both female artists you know we're both mothers and um you know I'm wondering how you balance everything because you mentioned you know having the two beautiful boys uh you know being a wife being a you know a Japanese language instructor and an artist how does that work there it's it's it's tough so I'm still figure out how to balance things yeah and it's never be easy yeah but uh now I'm I'm more used to this situation so and also like working on the like painting sometimes I feel guilty because my other like my my friend you know they they spend more time with my with kids so but I need to paint.
00:28:38.319 --> 00:28:42.160
Uh-huh it makes you a better mother right when you have the time for yourself.
00:28:42.240 --> 00:28:43.920
I agree I agree completely.
00:28:44.240 --> 00:29:11.440
But now my kids like said said to me you should go to pay you need to when I you know like my ads then so my son would say Mom you need more coffee and he was right well you also have a very supportive partner obviously right like your husband is um making your frames and uh that's absolutely wonderful.
00:29:11.519 --> 00:29:46.000
I I'm wondering a little bit about you know the domestic expectations in in Japan as far as the role of the caregiver is that still is that kind of a difficult thing to to do to be a career woman as well as uh you know a mother like yeah uh it's I guess it's it's still it's changed yeah before like a past it it's yeah like in the past my mother yes at to be at home at home a hundred percent right yeah but now things change so women is also working.
00:29:46.240 --> 00:30:05.440
Yeah fantastic yes and it's it's needed right I mean who can afford yeah living yeah I guess it's used to you know family live closer close to like a parent's house yeah so they're but now you know they I I like my mom not far lives far away from here.
00:30:05.839 --> 00:31:22.000
Wow yes so you're not from Tokyo originally yeah I'm from super countries so oh well that explains your love of painting outdoors the plane air I would think that's part of it is yeah I think you grew up in a more rural environment right yeah I need uh nature yeah oh I love that it grounds you yes so yeah I need green yes yeah I yeah living in Tokyo you know so many grey yeah buildings it's fun to paint the construction but uh it's not my not your area of interest yeah so what struck me so much um because here in the in the states we consider ourselves so first world right and uh when I went to Japan my mind was blown with just the technology and all the things that the advances in in everything from you know uh transportation to toilets you know it was mind blowing for me uh but there was this this incredible uh you know um city city structure I mean structure city I guess well I no I'm I'm thinking in my mind like comparison between the ancient or the older Japan and then modern Japan right and and that they overlap on top of each other.
00:31:22.160 --> 00:31:29.920
So you you could walk down the street and you'd see this beautiful little Shinto shrine and then there'd be this like very modern building right next to it, you know?
00:31:30.240 --> 00:31:31.759
Yeah that I absolutely loved.
00:31:31.839 --> 00:31:39.200
So I'm wondering it it doesn't sound like that's subject matter that interests you is is is maybe the the changing of time.
00:31:40.480 --> 00:31:43.440
It would be something I would paint I guess maybe that's what struck me.
00:31:43.599 --> 00:31:43.759
Yeah.
00:31:44.400 --> 00:32:15.920
It's an interesting view like nature in a city so I yeah do do you know the uh John Dubilore Dubil jo yeah John Dubilore like park in New York so he yeah I inspired from his painting uh like the park might be the subject for me as well because he is in New York so it's like big city.
00:32:16.559 --> 00:32:22.640
So the view is a different from the can like nature like countryside nature.
00:32:22.880 --> 00:32:30.400
So it's it's not so there's no like big huge trees or wider space.
00:32:30.720 --> 00:32:36.960
But it's fine it's I find it like a stale life painting a little bit.
00:32:37.839 --> 00:32:43.920
The building and uh like a bending machine can be the you know yes life motive.
00:32:44.480 --> 00:32:44.960
Yes.
00:32:45.279 --> 00:32:49.440
It's that's why I like painting the park scene.
00:32:49.599 --> 00:32:58.160
So I feel safe when I see the like benches or bench or chairs or telephone poles.
00:32:58.720 --> 00:33:02.960
Those those things are like still life motive for me.
00:33:03.200 --> 00:33:13.759
Yeah yeah I can see that yes so it's I I find like negative shape or yeah it's I feel more comfortable with like City View.
00:33:14.079 --> 00:33:32.799
Yes and and and most of your work implies the presence of people right so when I'm thinking of of the Planaire paintings there's you know there's the the playgrounds and and maybe they're not some of them have people in them but most of them do not right but they're still the people are very much present even though they're not even in the painting because of these structures, right?
00:33:33.039 --> 00:33:33.440
Yeah.
00:33:33.759 --> 00:33:34.640
That's really interesting.
00:33:34.960 --> 00:33:44.960
Yeah and recently I started like figure in the painting kids these days you know it's autumn season so I can't help.
00:33:45.200 --> 00:33:54.799
Yeah then and then and then like I painted figure first and then tried to find uh how I can finish that painting.
00:33:55.119 --> 00:34:08.239
Oh wow yes so I'm thinking in particular that one painting of the of the the kids were they playing um frisbee in the paint they were throwing things right and I I saw that and I said how did you how did you capture these these people?
00:34:08.559 --> 00:34:16.400
I painted the figure first first wow yeah and then like figure out what things I need to include.
00:34:16.880 --> 00:34:46.079
Oh I love that's a great tip Ayako oh wow yeah like it's it's like uh yeah paint uh that figure I painted at park it's I find it like those people are attracting to me so I that connection is important like even though I could not finish that on site that painting site I brought back to the studio I still remember those people and I wanted to include in the painting.
00:34:46.320 --> 00:34:49.679
Amazing that is important for me.
00:34:49.920 --> 00:35:30.559
I love that wow yeah that's a flex that's hard it's hard but yeah it's hard what you're accomplishing yeah if you have uh enough paint you can you know fix that I go it's striking me what you what you're saying because I'm I'm really into maybe maybe this is what I'm reading into the work but um because you're Japanese and Shinto's the predominant religion or or traditional religion there and it's all about nature right and you're drawn to nature and drawn to plenary is there a connection there with maybe your upbringing I'm not religious but I guess because because yeah I I do appreciate nature so much.
00:35:30.800 --> 00:35:49.119
Yeah and the reverence yeah that's that's in everything right that everything has a spirit right that uh that the rocks have spirits that the trees have spirits that I just love that yeah and also like while I'm painting outside I feel like I'm be a part of the nature as well.
00:35:49.519 --> 00:36:02.800
It sounds crazy but I love that yeah it's yeah like I talk to nature and also MB a part of the nature so that's why like figure is also like be a part of yes nature.
00:36:03.280 --> 00:36:11.760
So when you're painting do you feel like you become you become one with everything that's a oh I love that I absolutely love that that's beautiful.
00:36:12.079 --> 00:36:24.800
So I sometimes I feel the same way when I painting steelwives like I guess Elene's said the same thing maybe but the like talk to motifs.
00:36:25.119 --> 00:36:29.599
Yes you know that's that's mind is all I guess same concept.
00:36:30.000 --> 00:36:39.119
Yeah well I I what I'm it's interesting what I'm hearing here is that distinctions kind of dissolve when you're painting right then you you feel like you're part of the environment that you're painting in.
00:36:39.199 --> 00:36:43.599
And then also even the language that we're talking about that when you're painting you're we're really drawing.
00:36:43.679 --> 00:36:50.480
So things kind of just dissolve and simplify into their basic elements, you know and uh that's a really interesting thought.
00:36:50.639 --> 00:36:59.119
Um you mentioned your still life that's something that I when I first discovered your work that's you were painting more still life and I absolutely loved your still life.
00:37:00.079 --> 00:37:21.840
I know you won't be showing it in this in your solo show but I hope you'll continue doing it and that you'll do um yeah you do plan on having yeah I yeah when I answer your answering thinking about your questions and I looked back like Linar Anderson's work UNU Glow's work makes me think of oh I need to paint still life.
00:37:22.079 --> 00:37:30.400
Yes and I I also have a like a schedule to show my work which is in next spring.
00:37:30.559 --> 00:38:40.079
Oh wow so what will the work be for that will it be still life yeah and it's not the galley but the nail sal ne nail salons still an exhibit still counts it's their own store I mean but I mean you know like fancy nail cells yes I cannot afford that so it's expensive but well but the the owner asked me to show my steel life painting that's wonderful are you gonna do some nail polish bottles as well oh that's a good yeah oh yeah that's I bet you would sell yeah she yeah she she yes she yeah she wanted me to paint steel life uh yes and and also I wanted to paint like interior steel life in the oh I love that that's what I'm doing now for my my show oh I love that yeah it's really interesting because when you're you know when you're when you look closely it's a it's a still life and when you pull away your vantage point it becomes a domestic interior right and that just blows my mind like I just love that thought.
00:38:40.239 --> 00:38:46.239
What's that line you know where it goes from still life to interior that's a really exciting thought.
00:38:46.480 --> 00:38:58.239
Yeah and interior is a kind of between landscape and yes yes yes yes so potential yeah so this is another chance for the next year.
00:38:58.639 --> 00:39:00.159
Yeah oh that's so cool.
00:39:00.320 --> 00:39:03.440
Well these sound like some great goals for you for the new year.
00:39:03.519 --> 00:39:11.760
What else I mean we are talking the new year so is there anything else that that you you'd like to share with us besides this other show you have a lot here you have the Opa gallery.
00:39:11.840 --> 00:39:14.880
What is the opening for that we should say is will there be a reception?
00:39:15.119 --> 00:39:22.960
Uh no so we don't have a you don't do that okay yeah but uh yeah how long will it be up this exhibit?
00:39:23.119 --> 00:40:08.320
It's it's just uh one week one week okay so uh yeah people need to get there soon yeah I am sending a postcard to my friend and yeah fantastic yeah yeah so a still life show also down the road is there anything else that you want to try uh any other ambitions you have competition yeah yeah and like I applied like a Japanese art competition fantastic and also like I also applied elastin competitions yes because I wanted to try you know find a way yes and and then also I'm looking at the like overseas art competition like including US or UK.
00:40:08.880 --> 00:40:09.360
That's great.
00:40:09.440 --> 00:40:43.599
I'm sure you'll get into a lot of this yeah I tried many times but the most three failed but well that's that's the whole game you know I I think it's you know we don't get into everything that we apply to and and I think a lot of people I I came across an artist uh on on Facebook in just one of the um you know one of the comments and she she said she showed she showed three pieces and she said um you know I've applied to things and I haven't gotten into anything I applied to and so maybe I need something more um what was the word more unjuried or or basic and I said your work is beautiful like just keep applying because that's part of it.
00:40:43.679 --> 00:40:45.599
You know you don't get into everything that you apply to.
00:40:45.679 --> 00:41:56.159
So uh I think it's important for us to remember that right and last year I mean this year sorry uh I applied uh at competition I mean illustration competition last year and then one of the Julie he is a designer um called me and like uh like um like you do your can you can you make a painting for the book cover wow oh that's right yes please share about that yes so it's it's uh so even though you failed yes so it's a you know it's good to wow what an opportunity Ayako that's amazing yeah that's very encouraging yeah thank you for sharing that that is amazing that's that's actually on my bucket list I would love to I'd love to do a book cover that's great and it's it's interesting there because in Japan there's so much illustration right and illustration can fall into more realism or representational work so I can I can see why you would be applying to both yeah and also like fine artists like there's a artists who have welcome like both you know welcome illustration and also fine art.
00:41:56.320 --> 00:42:01.599
Yeah so I still figure out which one which way I should go.
00:42:01.920 --> 00:42:09.599
But now I feel like like my like my you know my big influence like El and Edel they are fine art.
00:42:09.760 --> 00:42:18.239
And then and then now looking looking back my artwork they are I feel more comfortable in uh fine art.
00:42:18.480 --> 00:42:25.440
So maybe next year I might be more like take time working on like those side.
00:42:25.760 --> 00:42:26.000
Yes.
00:42:26.159 --> 00:42:28.960
Yeah that I think that's smart you know to have different streams of income.
00:42:29.119 --> 00:42:34.159
Uh but it's it was good to sing those illustration they are there.
00:42:34.960 --> 00:42:37.360
Yeah I mean they're so smart.
00:42:37.599 --> 00:42:46.719
Yeah oh wow I mean it's it's in almost impossible to compare, you know well maybe we could talk a little bit more about the still life.
00:42:46.800 --> 00:42:52.400
Uh yeah you know I would love to talk about that you know what what are you drawn to in terms of your subject matter?
00:42:52.559 --> 00:43:04.159
I see similarities there because um elements of your of your children will creep in right there's little objects or toys that that also allude to your life your domestic life can you talk about that?
00:43:04.480 --> 00:43:16.079
Yeah I use I I picked up motifs from like memories yeah like for example I made a paint life painting this year.
00:43:16.400 --> 00:43:32.960
The motifs are from like Summer Festival which is bar balloons and also the toy from the festival and I also include a front which my kids are taking care of it.
00:43:33.199 --> 00:43:34.239
It's it's gone.
00:43:38.639 --> 00:43:43.039
Yeah it's it's fun to paint like from my like life.
00:43:43.280 --> 00:43:53.280
But but sometimes I if I don't have a I any idea or I don't want to paint like my memory because it's so close to my life.
00:43:53.519 --> 00:44:04.079
If I want to escape from like my life or if I want to forget about this, I I yeah, I this idea from Edo's workshop.
00:44:04.159 --> 00:44:10.719
I looked up old master old master's painting, like uh like tintu auto or yes, yes.
00:44:11.119 --> 00:44:14.079
Yes, I think the Brits referred to that as making a transcription, right?
00:44:14.159 --> 00:44:14.960
So making a copy.
00:44:15.280 --> 00:44:15.599
Yeah.
00:44:15.920 --> 00:44:20.639
And then not not copying, but like copying, make yeah, in your own way.
00:44:20.880 --> 00:44:21.039
Yeah.
00:44:21.440 --> 00:44:21.599
Yeah.
00:44:22.400 --> 00:44:22.559
Yeah.
00:44:22.800 --> 00:44:29.199
So this is another things I do often when I don't want to paint from my memo.
00:44:30.000 --> 00:44:32.000
Oh, oh, I I'm I'm understanding now.
00:44:32.079 --> 00:44:37.039
So you you're not doing a a copy or trans transcription, you're using it as inspiration.
00:44:37.199 --> 00:44:43.519
So if there's a still life that you see that you like, then you're putting in your own objects that kind of allude to that still life.
00:44:43.760 --> 00:44:44.079
I see.
00:44:44.239 --> 00:44:44.400
Okay.
00:44:44.800 --> 00:44:53.599
Like maybe like this cop might be the like woman from the Oh, I love that.
00:44:53.679 --> 00:44:54.079
Yeah.
00:44:54.320 --> 00:45:04.480
Like if I saw like the painting, like feeding, like feeding the kitchen where I might be picked up like the food for kids.
00:45:04.880 --> 00:45:05.119
Yeah.
00:45:05.280 --> 00:45:06.159
Oh, I love that.
00:45:06.239 --> 00:45:06.559
Yes.
00:45:06.800 --> 00:45:09.519
Yeah, I painted the McDonald's.
00:45:09.679 --> 00:45:13.119
Uh like yeah, with toy.
00:45:13.519 --> 00:45:13.760
Yeah.
00:45:13.920 --> 00:45:19.599
One of my favorite painters, Antonio Lopez Garcia, the Spanish painter, uh, he did the drawing, right?
00:45:19.679 --> 00:45:20.400
Yeah, he did a drawing.
00:45:20.480 --> 00:45:21.599
It's called Remedios.
00:45:21.679 --> 00:45:22.960
It's just like leftovers, you know?
00:45:23.360 --> 00:45:25.280
Yeah, the bones.
00:45:25.519 --> 00:45:26.159
Yes, exactly.
00:45:26.239 --> 00:45:26.480
Yeah.
00:45:26.800 --> 00:45:34.079
It's so yeah, it's it's bomb, but it feels makes me so, you know, like fascinating.
00:45:34.400 --> 00:45:37.519
Yeah, again, that documentation, that's a strong vein in your work.
00:45:37.679 --> 00:45:38.320
I love that.
00:45:38.480 --> 00:45:40.559
It's it's almost like it's like a biography, really.
00:45:40.719 --> 00:45:44.000
Like you're you're writing the biography of your life in in each painting.
00:45:44.239 --> 00:45:52.559
Yeah, and and another idea for still life, I sometimes make a setup from a book I led.
00:45:53.119 --> 00:45:59.599
So I last year I led uh Paul Paul Auster, he American writer.
00:46:00.079 --> 00:46:12.719
Um and I I you know the the item in a soul the I picked up the item from the Soli and then rang up the Wow, so cool.
00:46:12.960 --> 00:46:13.519
So yeah.
00:46:13.920 --> 00:46:22.719
This is another way to do I that's very creative, it's it's like a yeah, it's yeah, it's like a stage.
00:46:22.960 --> 00:46:24.480
That never occurred to me.
00:46:24.880 --> 00:46:29.199
It never occurred to me to do a composition based on literature or a story.
00:46:29.360 --> 00:46:30.320
I love that.
00:46:31.039 --> 00:46:33.440
It's it's going to another wall, you know.
00:46:34.000 --> 00:46:34.400
Yeah.
00:46:34.639 --> 00:46:34.960
Yeah.
00:46:35.360 --> 00:46:36.719
Oh, that's fantastic.
00:46:37.039 --> 00:46:40.480
Do you ever work in another medium or is it all oil?
00:46:40.719 --> 00:46:44.079
Are you ever working in gouache or watercolor?
00:46:44.639 --> 00:46:52.880
I I tried b those media, but then now I primarily working on oil.
00:46:53.199 --> 00:47:01.760
And yeah, I yeah, I I sometimes uh use alcoholic gouache for like sketching.
00:47:02.079 --> 00:47:07.119
Yeah, I I use both like um alcoholic gouache and pastel.
00:47:07.440 --> 00:47:09.360
So for highlighting.
00:47:09.679 --> 00:47:11.519
So dry pastel or oil pastel?
00:47:13.760 --> 00:47:18.639
But the next next year I wanted to do the woodcut pointing.
00:47:19.039 --> 00:47:20.480
Oh wow, yeah.
00:47:21.039 --> 00:47:29.360
I yeah, I it's it's it's a good way to because uh I made a catalog this year.
00:47:29.519 --> 00:47:42.639
I find it it need to something yeah, the catalog need to the things I the things I made by myself or like with hand, you know.
00:47:42.960 --> 00:47:43.599
Oh wow.
00:47:43.840 --> 00:47:50.800
So m maybe next year I wanted to make a catalogue with some with cut printing.
00:47:50.960 --> 00:47:51.360
Yes.
00:47:51.599 --> 00:47:54.159
So maybe it's getting more, you know, special.
00:47:54.719 --> 00:47:54.960
Yeah.
00:47:55.119 --> 00:47:57.519
Would you consider making your own book then?
00:47:57.679 --> 00:47:59.440
Like are we talking bookmaking as well?
00:47:59.599 --> 00:48:00.719
Like bookbinding?
00:48:01.039 --> 00:48:01.360
Yeah.
00:48:01.599 --> 00:48:01.840
Yeah.
00:48:02.000 --> 00:48:03.760
Like yeah, making like a book.
00:48:04.000 --> 00:48:04.320
Yes.
00:48:04.719 --> 00:48:05.199
Yeah.
00:48:05.599 --> 00:48:06.239
That's wonderful.
00:48:07.840 --> 00:48:08.800
I wanted to try.
00:48:09.119 --> 00:48:09.679
Yeah.
00:48:10.000 --> 00:48:18.320
I have a um I took a course at in college in art school and it was bookbinding, and and I I'm thinking there was a Japanese bookbinding technique that we did as well.
00:48:18.639 --> 00:48:20.480
It's it's it's so hard.
00:48:20.960 --> 00:48:21.519
Yes.
00:48:22.079 --> 00:48:23.199
It's hurting, you know.
00:48:23.599 --> 00:48:24.639
Yes, yeah, right.
00:48:24.880 --> 00:48:26.400
What's so beautiful?
00:48:26.880 --> 00:48:27.519
Yeah.
00:48:28.079 --> 00:48:29.679
You'd make one of those, right?
00:48:29.760 --> 00:48:32.400
You wouldn't make a hundred of them to hand out to people.
00:48:32.800 --> 00:48:37.679
Um it's gonna be experts.
00:48:38.159 --> 00:48:39.360
Yes, almost definitely.
00:48:39.519 --> 00:48:39.920
Yeah.
00:48:40.239 --> 00:48:53.039
I I no, I wouldn't do I just order printing company and then add like I I cut a little bit, and then you can, you know, hold hold uh uh woodcut printing.
00:48:53.280 --> 00:48:53.679
Yeah.
00:48:53.840 --> 00:48:56.400
And what subject would you do in that in the woodcut?
00:48:56.639 --> 00:48:57.679
What are you envisioning?
00:48:57.920 --> 00:49:00.000
Um TLI paintings.
00:49:00.480 --> 00:49:02.800
Maybe like simple simple one.
00:49:03.280 --> 00:49:03.679
Yeah.
00:49:09.920 --> 00:49:10.480
Yukiyo?
00:49:10.800 --> 00:49:11.119
Uh yeah.
00:49:11.360 --> 00:49:12.079
Yes, okay.
00:49:12.400 --> 00:49:17.280
So um yeah, with c printmaking is uh quite popular in Japan.
00:49:17.519 --> 00:49:17.920
Yes, yes.
00:49:18.719 --> 00:49:28.960
I find it when I move back from US that people are so interested in printmaking, like lithograph or silk screen.
00:49:29.360 --> 00:49:29.760
Yes.
00:49:30.000 --> 00:49:39.199
With cut screens, even like paper yeah, like people use pap paper for printing.
00:49:39.679 --> 00:49:40.480
Yes, yeah.
00:49:40.719 --> 00:49:41.280
Yeah.
00:49:41.599 --> 00:49:45.039
So yeah, I I I'd like to try.
00:49:45.360 --> 00:49:51.440
Yeah, and it's been popular for hundreds of years, which is a really interesting lineage there, interesting tradition.
00:49:51.760 --> 00:50:06.000
Yeah, and and also, yeah, I I wanted to try still life, and also I wanted to make a uh woodcut print from my landscape painting, like based on my painting.
00:50:06.239 --> 00:50:07.840
Yes, oh I love that, yeah.
00:50:08.079 --> 00:50:16.400
So it might be interesting to see like both, you know, like oil painting and this one is definitely, yeah.
00:50:16.719 --> 00:50:18.719
A reinterpretation of the subject.
00:50:18.960 --> 00:50:19.280
Yeah.
00:50:19.440 --> 00:50:20.159
Oh, I love that.
00:50:20.320 --> 00:50:21.039
That's very exciting.
00:50:21.199 --> 00:50:21.679
Ayaka.
00:50:22.639 --> 00:50:24.559
There's so many things I wanted to do.
00:50:24.880 --> 00:50:25.760
Oh, that's great.
00:50:25.920 --> 00:50:26.480
That's wonderful.
00:50:26.719 --> 00:50:27.519
If I have time.
00:50:27.760 --> 00:50:28.880
Yes, of course.
00:50:30.719 --> 00:50:34.239
Is there anything else you'd like to share with the with our audience?
00:50:34.400 --> 00:50:40.719
Or maybe you could tell them where they can find you, like what's your website and your Instagram handle and and all of that.
00:50:41.039 --> 00:50:46.239
Yeah, I I yeah, I I have a home website.
00:50:47.119 --> 00:50:50.880
I I update my painting on Instagram mostly.
00:50:51.440 --> 00:50:53.760
So yeah, if you find me.
00:50:54.400 --> 00:50:57.440
Yeah, and it's it's Shimara Ayako on Instagram, right?
00:50:57.679 --> 00:51:00.400
Yeah, Ayako Shimada Pipe Cell.
00:51:00.719 --> 00:51:01.119
That's great.
00:51:01.360 --> 00:51:04.320
Are are you on any other platforms like TikTok or anything like that?
00:51:04.559 --> 00:51:04.719
YouTube?
00:51:05.119 --> 00:51:17.920
No, uh it's I mean, like uh for this year I try to uproar my artwork once at some yeah, like try to uproar once a week.
00:51:18.159 --> 00:51:25.039
But uh like I think being a pa yeah, approlling my artwork as a job, you know.
00:51:25.760 --> 00:51:28.079
It's not like photo of kids.
00:51:28.320 --> 00:51:28.639
Yeah.
00:51:28.880 --> 00:51:32.639
So yeah, like as a pre professional, I we don't know.
00:51:32.800 --> 00:51:34.400
I'm not I I yeah.
00:51:34.880 --> 00:51:38.880
It is it's there's a lot going into being a professional artist, you know.
00:51:39.039 --> 00:51:41.360
There's in the job never ends, right?
00:51:41.440 --> 00:51:49.280
So what you're talking about, like even you make the painting and then you have to promote the painting on on Instagram and on your website, and yeah, you know, yeah.
00:51:49.519 --> 00:51:57.360
And then sometimes I makes me like doing the Instagram is that I should pay more, yeah.
00:51:58.559 --> 00:52:02.960
And at the same time, you you have to show your work, yeah.
00:52:03.280 --> 00:52:05.679
So to expand the opportunity.
00:52:06.159 --> 00:52:07.360
Most definitely, yes.
00:52:07.599 --> 00:52:09.199
So I try to balance again.
00:52:09.440 --> 00:52:11.199
Yeah, it's a balance, yes.
00:52:11.840 --> 00:52:13.519
I struggle with that myself.
00:52:14.320 --> 00:52:16.159
Yeah, I hear you.
00:52:16.400 --> 00:52:18.960
Oh, Ayako, this has been absolutely fantastic.
00:52:19.119 --> 00:52:28.079
I'm so grateful to you for speaking to me today, and um, I'm really looking forward to seeing uh seeing the work in the future and all the things you talked about.
00:52:28.320 --> 00:52:30.079
Um, thank you for coming on the podcast.
00:52:30.159 --> 00:52:30.320
Thank you.
00:52:30.800 --> 00:52:32.320
Thank you so much for having me.
00:52:32.400 --> 00:52:37.360
It's really yeah, great to talk with you and also share my experience.
00:52:37.679 --> 00:52:38.320
Thank you so much.
00:52:38.639 --> 00:52:39.440
You're very welcome.
00:52:39.519 --> 00:52:40.000
Thank you.
00:52:40.960 --> 00:52:44.639
There's a subtle autobiographical thread in the work of Ayako Shimada.
00:52:44.960 --> 00:52:49.599
In her paintings, she gives us a glimpse into her personal life, which I find delightful and affecting.
00:52:50.000 --> 00:52:52.320
Especially the paintings that hint at her role as a mother.
00:52:53.039 --> 00:52:56.400
Here are some of the gems from this conversation that you can use in your own creative practice.
00:52:57.519 --> 00:53:02.639
Ayako shares that when she first began landscape painting, she would travel to find something interesting to paint.
00:53:03.440 --> 00:53:12.239
But eventually she realized that if she just stayed closer to home and painted in the areas where she lived, it was both more convenient and she often felt more of a deeper connection to these locations.
00:53:13.760 --> 00:53:19.119
When painting, Ayako uses a palette knife predominantly, especially during plenaire, which allows her to paint quickly.
00:53:20.079 --> 00:53:21.440
And here's a great tip from Ayako.
00:53:22.079 --> 00:53:27.360
When painting a plenaire scene with figures in motion, paint them in first and then build the composition up around them.
00:53:28.480 --> 00:53:35.199
On the topic of applying to art competitions and not getting in, Ayako shares that sometimes opportunities can arise from not getting selected.
00:53:35.840 --> 00:53:44.079
Ayako had exactly this experience happen to her when she was later contacted by a judge from a competition that she did not get into, who hired her to illustrate a book cover.
00:53:44.800 --> 00:53:46.079
And she shares a sage advice.
00:53:46.800 --> 00:53:48.639
You have to share your work to expand your opportunities.
00:53:50.000 --> 00:53:54.400
Ayako often talks about painting from memory or painting from a combination of memory and observation.
00:53:55.440 --> 00:53:59.920
She will sometimes take on the challenge of reinterpreting master paintings by substituting her own subjects.
00:54:00.960 --> 00:54:04.960
This allows her to build upon an already successful theme or composition in her own unique way.
00:54:05.599 --> 00:54:11.679
In a similar exercise, Ayaka will respond to literature or something that she has read and translate or interpret it into a painting.
00:54:12.800 --> 00:54:17.760
She also talked about her plans for reinterpreting some of her own paintings in another form, such as woodblock prints.
00:54:18.639 --> 00:54:24.079
And I think the juxtaposition of the same motif in two very different mediums would make for a really interesting exhibit idea.
00:54:25.039 --> 00:54:27.599
I think all these ideas are excellent and something I would try myself.
00:54:28.800 --> 00:54:31.599
In this conversation, we also hit upon a deeper thread of contemplation.
00:54:32.000 --> 00:54:33.840
The notion of limnal or in-between states.
00:54:34.719 --> 00:54:38.880
This is because distinctions often dissolve when you are painting, like the line between painting or drawing.
00:54:39.519 --> 00:54:46.159
Or what separates a still-life subject from an interior, or that feeling of being absorbed into what you are observing when you are working in a flow state.
00:54:47.199 --> 00:54:50.880
We also talked about the blurred line between art and subculture and fine art and illustration.
00:54:51.679 --> 00:54:56.239
In Japan, these distinctions seem to be less important, and artists feel more free to associate with both.
00:54:57.119 --> 00:55:01.199
Ayako also mentioned several painters that have inspired her work or her way of working.
00:55:01.440 --> 00:55:05.039
I will list them in the show notes, along with links to her website and Instagram page.
00:55:05.199 --> 00:55:06.400
So please look for them there.
00:55:07.119 --> 00:55:10.159
I want to thank Ayako Shimada for this wonderful conversation.
00:55:10.400 --> 00:55:12.559
I truly enjoyed speaking with you, Ayako.
00:55:13.039 --> 00:55:16.480
To the rest of you, thank you for spending another hour of your day with me.
00:55:16.719 --> 00:55:18.800
Until next time, creatives.
