バレンタインデーの思い出

今日はバレンタインデー。
昔からあまのじゃくなところがある私、今や商業ベースなこの祝日にあまり縁がない人生を送ってきたのですが、バレンタインといえば思い出す事があります。

それは中学1、2年生くらいの時。
2月に入って、周りの女の子達がバレンタインの話で盛り上がり始めました。私は成長が遅いというか遅咲きというか、その時もまだ小学生気分を引きずっていたので、男の子達のことよりバレンタインで盛り上がる周りの方が何やら興味深い感じで。

親友のA子とBさんはそれぞれのお目当の相手に手作りチョコをあげることに決めていて、私は週末にどっちかの家に行って、彼女達の試作チョコの味見係を務めたような記憶があります。（手作りチョコはなんかベタベタしてて「やっぱり市販ものの方が美味しいなぁ」なんて密かに思った）

当日、盛り上がりもピークを迎えた周囲をよそに、私は普通の一日を過ごし、思いがけず剣道部の後輩の女の子数人からチョコを頂いたりして帰宅。(その頃の私はベリーショートでボーイッシュだった)

そんな風にバレンタインデーは過ぎ去り、あくる月のホワイトデー。誰にもチョコをあげなかったし、ホワイトデーとも気づかず登校した私。一時間目の教科書を出そうとして、机の中に手を入れると、何かがカサっと手に触れた。「？」と思い引っ張り出してみると、それはバラの造花のついた赤いチョコレートの箱。ギョッとしてまたすぐ机の中に箱を戻しました。そこでちょっと考えを巡らせたけど、訳もわからず。だって、私はバレンタインに誰にもチョコをあげてない＝お返しをもらえるはずもない。うっかり者の男子が間違えて私の机に入れたに違いない。でも、どうしよう？

モヤモヤしたまま午前中の授業を終えたお昼休み、廊下を歩いていた私の腕を後ろからC子が掴んだ。C子はそのまま廊下の隅へと私を引っ張り、周囲に誰もいないのを確かめると小声で言った。「ねぇ、もしかしてヨリ子もチョコもらった？」

「・・・もらったけど、どうして知ってるの？」
「実は・・・」

何とC子、好きなD田くんにチョコをあげる際、添えた手紙に自分の名前だけでなく、私の名前も書いたという。照れ隠しなのか、フラれた時のショックを緩和する(?)ためなのか何なのかよくわからんけど・・・一言聞けよ、おい！

許可なく人の名前を署名するなぞ、大人だったら犯罪だぞ。
中学生だから、可愛いもんだで済むけど。

呆れてものも言えず、（何を言おうともう後の祭り）私はいわく付きのお返しチョコを持って帰宅、ことの顛末を母に話しながらおやつを食べたのでした。確かもらったのはAlmond Rocaで、チョコ好きの母が喜んでいたのを覚えています。

私も中学生だったから気楽なもんで「得したー」くらいにしか思わなかったんだけど、今思えば、例えばもしD田くんが私の事がたまたま好きで、それをきっかけに私達が付き合い始めたりしてしたら、C子にとったら結構な悲劇だったよな〜とか。まぁそれも彼女自身が撒いた種だけど。

なので皆さん、バレンタインデー、本命の人がいるなら、ラブレターの署名は自分だけにとどめておきましょうね。くれぐれも他の人の名前を無断で連名しないように。ややこしいことになりかねません。

Happy Valentine's Day！

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.

Group Show at the Consulate General of Japan in New York

I will be showing one of my paintings alongside a group of wonderful local artists at a gallery inside the Consulate General of Japan in New York from Dec. 4-19. If you're in Midtown, please stop by!

"LOVE, FAMILY and FRIENDS"

December 4 – 19, 2018

CONSULATE GENERAL OF JAPAN IN NY | JIC GALLERY

299 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10171

18th Floor

(between 48 St and 49 St)

Hours: M-F  9:30am-  4pm

Closed Saturdays and Sundays

There will be no reception as it's inside the consulate (those uptight Japanese!), but friends, if you let me know you are coming, I'll try meeting you there. 

Group Show in Union Square

I will have a few new paintings in a group show in Union Square next month.

This year, a textile exhibition—of newly innovated sustainable fabric made from Kudzu plant—will be held by a group of students from Tama Art University (Tokyo, Japan; the art school I attended before coming to the US) at the same time.

If you are in the area, please stop by to see the show!
There will be some live music at the opening as well :)

Home Away From Home XIV 

October 22 – November 3, 2018

Opening reception: Thursday, October 25 from 7-9pm

TENRI GALLERY  map

43A West 13th Street, New York

Hours: M-Th 12-6, Sat: 12-3, Closed Fri + Sun

Our Okinawa trip

Hello! I took July off to spend some time with my family back in Tokyo, Japan.

This trip was a bit special as we decided to go to Okinawa, a group of small islands located in the very south end of Japan, close to Taiwan. (Usually I stay around Tokyo area.)

Okinawa used to be its own kingdom and has a very unique culture and language, nothing like the rest of Japan. We enjoyed swimming in the clear waters, the local food (Sohki soba—Okinawan noodle soup, sort of a cross between ramen and udon—is so delicious!), visited Shuri Castle, and my Mom and I challenged snorkeling for the first time and fed the tropical fish!

Here's some pictures from our trip. Hope you enjoy them.

Flying over Yoron Island, one of the islands of Okinawa.

Fu-champuru and Soki soba, local food.
At Kuko Shokudo at Naha Airport.

The best travel buddy: my sister.
She is so good at finding great local restayrants.

Tofu Champuru.

Kohreh Gusu: an Okinawan condiment.
REALLY spicy!!

Shuri Castle.
Sooo hot!

Warm and blue water.

Waiting for the noodles with people I love.

With my daughter under Banyan trees.

Took an workshop and made a Shisa (guardian lion) ornament.

Got my teacher's approval!

Sandanka: an Okinawan flower.

To the Blue Cave, here we come!

So blue and much deeper than I thought!

Inside the cave with Mom.

Getting the hang of it.

Feeding the fish!