Reaching Out: Day 6 🌸 “Long-Sleeved Kimono"
A One Week Project Where I Reach Out To You - My Readers
🎨 Welcome
About my “Reaching Out” Project:
I’ve taken a week-long break from social media (Instagram & Facebook). I’d like to write here every day this week instead - and share 7 ideas (1 per day) for what I’m considering / sketching out / mapping for my next creative project.
The very act of sharing our art and creative ideas is so full of hope and vulnerability and courage…I could use an extra dose of those things right now.
I’d love to know your ideas - about my ideas - for future creative projects. Read more about the project:
Thank you for being here to read / respond - whatever feels best to you. From one creative spirit to another - I’m sending love to you. Keep going. 🌿
Good journey,
Idea #6: Long-Sleeved Kimono
100 Haiku from my Studies with Fukutomi Sensei in Japan + Japanese Woodblock “Umeko” Lupita Portrait Series
I lived in Japan for 3 years teaching English at a high school in Miyazaki Prefecture with the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program (JET).
It was a life-changing experience. I had my first Lupita Portraits art show there, joined Hirakawa Sensei’s karate dojo, published a bilingual poetry book with Professor Niizaki Sensei, and traveled extensively within Japan.
During my last year on the program, I had the incredible opportunity to study with the Japanese haiku teacher and acclaimed poet, Fukutomi Sensei.
I wrote 100 haiku as part of that experience.
I pair the 100 haiku with a series of my paintings that are an homage to the gorgeous woodblock prints of Japanese artists from the 1700s - 1800s.
The paintings are in my Lupita Portraits style with some modern updates, like in the painting above, she’s wearing glasses and I switched the breed of dog to represent my own dog, Mavi.
The color palette, patterns, and background are all different, but the outline sketch is based on the original woodblock.
The title and artist of the original are included. (Upper left-hand side of the painting.)
My Japanese name given to me by my Karate Sensei is “Umeko” (Small Plum) [Can also mean “Plum Child” but the kanji he chose means “Small”] so that’s the name I use for this Lupita - Umeko.
This is a project I wish I had finished twenty years ago.
“The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The second-best time is today.”
Here I am with some of my fabulous students in Japan in 2004. (Photo below.)
I’d love to hear your ideas. Please share your thoughts with me in the comments.
🦋 New Cappadocia Book
The first Autism Brothers Book - Cappadocia - is now available on Amazon. Purchase here.
👩🏻💻 Social Media
I’m off social media again. The encouragement of my online community here on Substack has been so heartfelt for me. Thank you.
Please help me reach out by sharing this newsletter with someone you think may be interested.
❤️🔥
I like this idea too. This one is probably the easier one to publish as there are presses that publish poetry chapbooks.