Shop Window at DaVinci Artist Supply in Chelsea: Now – Feb. 24

Happy New Year! ... It's late, but better than never.

For email/SNS new year greetings, I made this watercolor of running boars as it is the year of the boar (the pig in China), out of the twelve Asian zodiac signs.

This led me to design the shop window of DaVinci Artist Supply—a local art supply store I frequent because I love their range and the helpful staff—for their Winter Back to School Sale, which has been quite exciting.

Installation complete!
Yay!

If you are in the Chelsea area between now–February 24, please stop by and take a look!
DaVinci is located at:

132 W 21st Street

New York, New York 10011

Map

Mark and Kevin: two of the many nice people at DaVinci's!
Kevin is an illustrator.

A big thank you to Mark, who is in charge of marketing/promotion/design at the shop, who invited me and helped me throughout this process! He and I became friends last year or so while chatting about Japan and kendo. (I used to practice kendo waaay back when.) He is also a swordsman at Kenzen Institute who obtains the forth dan, and a talented representational painter. You can take a look at his work on his Facebook.

Window lit up in the twilight.
The lit-up snow drifts are Mark's idea. Beautiful.
These cutouts are available for sale.

Kaiju Big Battel in Queens

We finished another successful Kaiju show at La Boom in Sunnyside, Queens.

For those who doesn't know, Kaiju Big Battel is a monster fighting spectacle my partner Randy has been doing for 20 years. Randy also has been doing a fundraising show for NYC public schools since 2 years ago with a help from Tara Altebrando, my friend, a NYC parent, and a writer.

This time it was a fundraiser for three Queens charter schools: Our World Neighborhood Charter School, Academy of the City, and Growing Up Green! We donated 100 tickets to each school and tickets were sold out! That's 300 people right there and Randy also sold his own tickets to the public so we had about 700+ loud audience!

Big thanks to my friends Kazuki and Michelle for helping me with the merch table! You guys make the best team!!

Half-time dance show by kids from NYC schools.

With BFF Kazuki (left) and Michelle (right).
They both happen to be fashion designers.
I am a fashion designer magnet :)

Happy New Year!

Last year just zoomed by for me - I thought we just had the corporate holiday party for year 2013 & 2014 came just like that. I guess I was busy.

Anyhow, wishing you all a very happy new year filled with fun, love, and good health!

この間、職場の忘年会があったような気がして、6月には仲間と「もう半年過ぎちゃったねェ。ヤダヤダ」なんて言ってたのもつかの間、１１月に入り「えぇーもう今年も後一ヶ月？」と思っているうちにあっけなく明けてしまった2013年。なんだかやけに早かった。家族に「充実してたんじゃない？」と言われたけど、果たしてそうなんだろうか。

とりあえず、家族全員が無事に過ごせたことに感謝して、今年もよい年でありますように。

皆様にとっても、健やかで楽しい一年となりますように！

Dream freely.

Little Break before the Holidays

Last week, I took a little break after vending at the lovely 6th Borough Market. It was not quite the perfect day to stand outside for 6 hours when the temperature is hovering around 31F. It was great to talk to my customers & other nice vendors and feel the holiday spirits in the air with better sales, but the bitter-cold really does it when you are not 25 anymore.

Still went to work, took a yoga class, sent out some orders - when you are tired, I think the best remedy is to stick to your basic & minimal routine and not add anything that doesn't have to get done.

And now, time to produce some again!
Well, I guess I have to straighten my desk first...

Holiday Bazaar!

yoriko New York

Kaiju Big Battel

The Chocolate Swirl - my neighbor!

Freesoul by R

Miwako Kimura

Love Factory

New seasonal designs

Some new, holiday-limited editions are out at my online shop!

I'll also be bringing them to the Holiday Kids' Bazaar in Astoria, so please come by.

Forest Tote - holiday version.

Inspired by winter's beauty.

All these goodies are waiting for you!

Holiday Kids' Bazaar in Astoria

I am so excited to announce that my good friends babyNOIR & the Story Nook are presenting their first holiday event: Holiday Kids' Bazaar in Astoria!

This will be a great opportunity for browsing through amazing selection of products from local artisans and designers. This event also benefit Queens Library Foundation. Buying products here will support our local economy & the artists, too!

Astoria is one of the most rapidly growing, exciting neighborhood in NYC. I feel like more and more creative people are moving in and this event will help you dig your local talents!

Come visit us!

Randy's Kaiju Big Battel & my yoriko New York will be part of it, too!

I'll be bringing some holiday editions of popular products.

It says "kids'", but some venders will carry grownup stuff such as hand-crafted jewelry and women's and men's fashion.

Please come and cheer! There's something for everyone!

My daughter's and my first protest

I went to a protest in front of the Brazil Consulate in Manhattan with my daughter.

This dam will affect people I know indirectly through my sister, who works for Rainforest Foundation Japan (RFJ) which supports the indegenious people in Amazon. （RFJの日本語サイトはこちら）

I've never been so active politically before, but what happened to Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant changed me a bit. I've always tried my best for living environmentally responsibly, and believed nuclear plants have nothing good for mankind. But I realize, after the accidents at Fukushima plant, that just believing in something is not enough. If I want to change the world, I have to change myself. If you believe in something, your action needs to follow it and express it. Otherwise, how would people know? How does the government know?

You can sign a petition at Amazon Watch's website. Please take a minute and save the homes to those on the video, the animals, and the forest that produces a third of oxygen on this planet. 

ベロモンチ・ダム建設反対の署名はこちらでできます。

プロテスト当日のことが書かれたRFJのスタッフブログはこちらです。

Stop Belo Monte!!

Fundraising for Children

This coming Saturday, April 10th, I'll be selling my greeting cards as a part of fundraising for children who have lost parents in Japan's Tsunami & Earthquake. My friend will be selling cute baby hats she knitted. Map & information below. (Please scroll down for English.)

Hope to see you there!


View Larger Map



LOVE and HOPE from NY: For Children in Japan

Charity Fundraising for children who lost parents and families in the Earthquake and Tsunami.

Please come to join NY Japanese Moms’ charity fundraising for a fun-filled day of Japanese-themed kids’ and grownup activities!

All proceeds will go directly to Earthquake/Tsunami Relief by Ashinaga, a NPO dedicated to supporting children who lost parents.

Date: April 10th (Sun) 1pm to 4pm
(rain day is April 17th , 1pm to 4pm)
Place: St. Marks Church in-the-Bowery
131 East 10th Street, NY, NY 10003 (E. 10th St and 2nd Ave.)

Activities

Fun for Kids!
●Send a card in English or Japanese to a friend affected by the Earthquake
●Learn how to fold origami
●Decorate a fan with Japanese Washi paper
●Try Ikebana (Flower arrangement)
●Try calligraphy
●Kami karakuri (Paper trick arts) show
●Songs and story time
●Puppet show

Performance
●Music (traditional and others)
●Kendo (martial art)
●Dance and more!

Charity Sale
●Greeting cards, kids’ items, accessories, stationery, Japanese decorative items, pottery, T-shirts, baked goods and more!

Silent Auction
●Gift cards from restaurants and businesses
●Kids classes of Ballet, Yoga, etc!
●Acupuncture/Massage treatments
●Sweets sets
●Japanese ceramics and crafts
●Bags and apparel
●And MORE！
Open Bid：1pm to 3pm

NY Japanese Moms: http://nymoms.exblog.jp/　NYmamama@hotmail.com　
Special thanks to St. Marks Church in-the-Bowery
- Love and Hope from NY

From New York with Love

宮城や岩手、福島には友達のおばあちゃんや親戚、Kaijuのお人形を作ってくれたファンの方もいる。仙台からオンラインでお買い物して下さった方もいた。海外で何もできないけど、せめてみんなに元気を送りたい。

前出のKaiju Big Battelの「 Kaiju loves Japan」Tシャツ、なんとか来週末のタイムズ・スクエアでのショーに間に合いそう！このデザインの販売利益は全て日本国際交流センターを通し、Give Oneの東北関東大震災/緊急支援パッケージに寄付されます。とりあえず、初回生産の60枚を売り切ることが目標。たくさんのニューヨーカーに買ってもらい、ヨレヨレになるまで着てもらいたい。

ニューヨーク近郊にお住まいの方は是非ショーへ！

怪獣と一緒に、日本へ思いを届けられたら。

【Kaiju Big Battle Presents: "When Danger Comes to Town"】

日時：2011年4月9日（土）5時開場・7時開演

場所：B.B. King Blues Club & Grill,  237 West 42 St,  Manhattan,  NY. （地図）

チケット： $15.00 in advance, $18.00 day of show. All Ages Admitted.

More info: kaiju.com

なぜかいつもより早めの時間帯。
ゆっくり座って食事しながら観たい人にはブースもあるらしい。（チケット高いけど）
NYの人は結構知ってるみたいだし、どんなところか楽しみ。

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Kaiju supports Japan

Concept design by Randy Borden and drawn by me.

Kaiju Big Battel is releasing a T-shirt design to raise fund to help those who are affected by the tragic Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami disaster. We are hoping the printing will get done and be ready for our upcoming show at B.B. King in Times Square on April 9th. 100% profit will proceed to  Earthquake Relief & Recovery Fund at Japan Center for International Exchange. More of you buy, more we can donate. Right now, we are thinking of making 60 shirts, and if there's any leftovers, we'll sell them online at our mall at kaiju.com. So please watch closely. The design may undergo some change or we might make two versions.

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