Here in Japan there have been many special moments. They are fleeting, somewhat poetic and difficult to describe. On Monday we moved into the studio at the residency to continue our work. It took a day to get into a new routine but now I have everything where I need it to be and am pretty settled. My most enjoyable moments are in the evenings at around 10.30pm when everyone else has headed off to bed or are in their rooms catching up with family and friends back home by email. I use this time to be in the studio and for an hour or so, it feels very meditative. I am able to gather my thoughts from the day, sift them and focus on my woodcuts. I switch all the lights off apart from my overhead lamp and for that period of time, it seems that there is nothing but the wood, the image and whatever I am doing to the image. I'm not even really aware of myself whilst it is happening. I seem to be producing very precise work at this time of night, so will be using this time in the future for delicate work that needs the correct mindset.
I took this picture of the moon tonight. It seemed particularly bright. Living in a big city back home, there is too much light to get a moon shadow. Tonight everything was lit up by its delicate rays and I saw my own silhouette on the ground. It was one of those nights when everything was as it should be; timeless and yet rooted very firmly in the present.
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7 comments:
Portrait looks a bit like a Vermeer. I can almost see the mythical rabbit in the moon pounding the elixir of immortality....Sounds like work is coming along quite well....
Your comment nicely reflects my interest in alchemy, which I haven't even touched on in this blog yet.
I am going to do a further update today with images of new work and a bit more about the residency building where we are staying.
that picture just needs a black and white cat to be perfect
Hello! :o)
Thanks for sharing all this, your blog is a very informative and interesting read.
Just wondering, those prints the teachers show you - are they originals? I can recognise Sharaku, Hokusai... I would love to have a chance to see them that close!
Yes, they are all originals..:D We also saw some very rare books the other day which were from the Edo period. All hand carved text on crepe paper and were exquisite. Very small as well. The craftsmanship was of an exceedingly high quality.
The studio (shigoto-ba) seems to be very comfortable (I hope you can manage sitting on the floor) and the view from there is amazing - am sure that will give positive effect on your perception.
I am very impressed by the program as well as the lecturers they offer, too.
Great blog, please continue producing beautiful and precise Hanga! m(_ _)m (=bow on floor :D)
Hi Yasu...yes, that was the studio we were at for three weeks during training times. We have moved back to the residency now so no longer have to sit on the floor.
I hope everything at the Academy is good...see you after Xmas..!
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