Thank you for your supports in 2009, and I wish you a happy new year.
Dec 28, 2009
Dec 21, 2009
Animated images added to E-cards
Currently in Japanese only...
無料グリーティングカードのコーナーに動画を追加しました。どうぞご利用ください！
Dec 1, 2009
Snap to Grid 2009, shots of reception
Here are some shots of the reception on 11/27/2009. I wish I could've been there.
"The reception was an absolute smash, the crowd was enormous. The work was exceptional this year, there was lots of great art and photography by many kinds of people. Our attendance for the run has been quite good, more people than usual have been stopping by the gallery to view the exhibit." - Rex Bruce, Director, Los Angeles Center For Digital Art
Nov 25, 2009
Free Christmas E-cards added
Currently in Japanese only...
無料グリーティングカードのコーナーにクリスマスカードを追加しました。どうぞご利用ください！
Nov 16, 2009
"Snap to Grid" is now showing
at lacda (Los Angeles Center For Digital Art)
located in the Gallery Row area of downtown Los Angeles,
107 West Fifth Street between Main and Spring.
November 12-December 5, 2009
Gallery Hours: Wednesday-Saturday 12-5
http://www.lacda.com/exhibits/exhibitshome.html
Nov 9, 2009
Oct 22, 2009
Season's Greetings Card Designs
Before I get busy, I want to put some greeting cards up in my free E-cards site. These are going to be up soon. Also I got to find an English site!
Oct 20, 2009
Oct 19, 2009
Icelandic Butterflies
Gallery: A People's Guide to Icelandic Butterflies http://www.icelandicbutterflies.com/index.php?/gallery/
I found another interesting project, in which my daughter and I could both try. It is about drawing / designing Icelandic Butterflies-to-be. Butterflies are never found in Iceland yet, but are expected to arrive in the near future because of the global warming phenomenon.
I've never painted a butterfly elaborately, in another words, I have never studied their physical figures, (yes, a bit gross to me to be honest) but they are amazing creatures. And it is a great exercise to draw symmetrical, too!
Attached are our butterflies. We are both into colorful butterflies.
Oct 16, 2009
Snap to Grid
I once lived in one of those artist lofts in the early 90's, where I created the most of my artworks, to look back. But I couldn't stay too long and moved to Redondo Beach, which was nicer to live, but ended up less stimulative for creating art (for me).
Too bad I can't be present at the show this time. I wish to visit L.A. more frequently in the near future, though!
Oct 7, 2009
Making the most of Napa Valley
As we spent our next morning in the relaxing mode, taking the famous mud bath treatment and swimming in the pool, we started a bit late for wine tasting tour. In such limited time, we decided to skip lunch and visited 2 wineries: BV and Provenance. I love BV wines especially Chardonnay, which does not seem distributed widely in Japan. As per Provenance, it was my lucky discovery that they used to be Beaucanon, which I fell in love with in my early age for wine pursuit. As the winery was hard to find as well as their wines in the market, often I overlooked their modest sign, and was only successful for a few times I stopped by. I am not a specialist in wines, but I did recognize the same old flavor that I liked in the tasting. Luckily, I found reasonable half bottles, which I had to bring some home, for all these years I had missed the taste.
For our late lunch / early dinner, we came to Bistro Don Giovanni, my favorite restaurant. It is one of my happiest places to dine not only because they serve great food, but their joyful atmosphere always made me and my guests feel happy. And this time was no different.
Their reputation must have grown over the years, and the place was already packed when we arrived, which was not even 6pm. We waited in their nice lawn garden by the fountain, only to be seated an hour later in the busy bar area. I got a bit nervous because I wanted to make this dinner a fantastic one. But soon a local wine and appetizers were brought to the table, and it turned out to be a very merry dining, to make a nice contrast from the quiet and slow setting the night before. I got to try my usual favorites like Pizza Margherita and Caesar Salad, and also discovered some new tastes like Stilton Cheese and Orata. Other than dining, my daughter had a great time observing people as seen in the shot above from her POV, "why big people blabber over dinner?" in my interpretation.
Oct 4, 2009
The First Feast
Outside dining at CALISTOGA INN was wonderful. We sat at the corner of cozily illuminated patio by the river, comfortably distanced from other guests and a jazz guitar player. Everything seemed so special especially this was our first feast of the trip, and moreover, the first toast ever since we departed Japan. And it was the perfect place we could ask for! I was in heaven tasting Cobb Salad and Crab Cakes, as I was really looking forward to enjoying California Cuisine, and of course, California wine! The local cabernet was great (Hans Fahden Mountain Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon ’06). We sat there and enjoyed food, wine, desert, and conversation, and when we finally rose from table, we found ourselves the last customers at the restaurant.
Oct 1, 2009
Sunset in Napa
Then we were off to Napa, another top favorite place of mine. We were very quick to drive through Sacramento in the traffic hour, whereas we got stuck the day before on the way to Roseville, and ended up arriving way late at the reception! Thank God we made it before it was over..
Anyway, the drive through the vineyard in the sunset was wonderful. I should try the famous Wine Train to catch sunset next time! We enjoyed watching ever-changing sunset scenery as we headed to Calistoga, where my special old friend was awaiting.
Sep 30, 2009
Miraculous Lake Tahoe
The first sight of Lake Tahoe from the south route was very impressive, however, the more impressive, or rather breath-taking sight was Emerald Bay. I still remember how the field of view opened up after a couple of hairpin curves, and suddenly overlooking blue-green lake on both sides. I was lucky enough to reexperience the drive with one of the crew back then.
Bathing at Emerald Bay was so peaceful. I felt pure oneness with the nature.
Then a miracle happened. It was quite a long hill going all the way down to the shore, and it seemed reckless for us to go without a full bottle of water. It was quite hot, too. But strangely enough, going back up was so easy! We all felt so light going uphill all the way, not even getting thirsty nor having short of breath. We must have been filled with Tahoe energy!
Sep 28, 2009
Promise-2
Thank God, my assumption was right! When we pulled to the side by a well-lit bar on Pony Express Trail to check street address, we were so surprised how dark it was around there. So dark that we couldn't see the sign next door nor across the street. So I got off from the car to walk closer. It was so dark that I couldn't even see my feet on the ground. Then I looked up to the sky, and Yes! Above me was a strip of thousands of stars glittering! Look up there! Lots of stars! Mommy promised you...
The only thing was that I'd forgotten to count those tall pine trees in the star-watching plan.
Sep 27, 2009
Promise
Lake Tahoe has been always my special place, with or without snow. Whenever I visit there, I feel like I become one with the universe, in another words, I become "nothing", which is ideal as far as ego is concerned. The place has such positive and vibrant energy that instantly lifts my spirit.
As my friend also loves Tahoe, it was very quick that we added the destination in our plan. Since we are driving to Roseville, Lake Tahoe is only a few hours away.
Although I took my daughter to Tokyo where we started our new life together this summer, I didn't get to take her to any special /fun places but to a small local planetarium. As the innocent 6-year-old really enjoyed it, I promised her the real stars as many as she saw in the planetarium.
So I planned to stay overnight near Eldorado National Forest before Lake Tahoe. And of course I wanted to save the fun part of driving through the forest in the morning with anticipation of the first glimpse of the great blue lake.
Sep 26, 2009
Drop Thinking
As I believe that we all create our reality by imagining, I imaged myself in California, feeling the crisp air, the sunshine and the refreshing breeze, etc. in my morning meditation. I used to try to THINK too much to get an answer, but recently I learned about ego by a great book, "A New Earth" by Eckhart Tolle, and I discovered that drop thinking but feeling works better. However, it has not been that easy for me. It is as if through the darkness, I barely followed the path lit before me. Then here I was, it all came true!
Sep 25, 2009
Winning the trip, the chance
I visited California after long years of absence. I just can't explain how happy I was... as if the whole cells in my body were dancing in joy. YES, I AM BACK!
This is the beginning of my journey to my true self, as a free soul, a single mother, an independent person, an artist... whatever you may call it.
I have been in pursuit of spiritual growth for more than 2 decades, most intensely in the eleven years when I lived in California. What I have encounte
red there was simply amazing.
This time, I brought my beloved daughter along to explore. Also a good old friend of mine accompanied us.
First of all, the idea for the trip was to attend the opening reception of an art event in Roseville, ("Lottery for the Arts" by Roseville Arts!) where my artwork got in. It seemed impossible when I first dreamed of it. No
such freedom was allowed in the controlled marriage relationship....
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