Cherry blossoms, not yet But hooray ceremonial peach tree!
Wedding present from the city Peachtree – this one and it’s smaller friend both need moved due to impending construction
On way to dentist First, drop Stan at school See tree Ryoko trimmed up (with a variety of saws) To the delight of the teachers
Ryoko trimmed this tree at the preschool to the amazement of all
Egg salad sandwich at konbini to take with medicine
Mailed a package with treasures – via Utah to Kyoto somehow, with evidence of four legends intact – from a different than my usual local post office. Somehow it felt like cheating / always remarkable how all #JapanPost employees are all so well put together, chipper & efficient
Postbox at the post office, first time at this location
Contents of the package containing evidence and artifacts from/of:
Edward Abbey R. Crumb Doug Peacock Ken Sanders
(Not my photo, recent from Albuquerque, I made it into a postcard, yes the back is decorated but I can’t show you)
this is the important one, For Stanley (so he knows the emotions and adventures of his Papa), For me (for hanging in there in the rough patches), and For Pals (that’s you, for supporting me and listening to my rambles)
Not able to work on poem book today but snapped shots yesterday as part of my “meta-documentation“ / in this case, Shodo-style mantras and reminders + an up-dated blackboard “next steps” list.
its seems *obvious* but to keep in my flow with inertia and momentum, i write everything out
Also keeping a notebook of records listened to in the process. #Circumnavigation
yes, one is hidden because its about ghosts / this part of the bench is quite messy as full of projects to come after the book project (which is happening on the other bench)
In April 2021, we visited a shodo calligraphy exhibition at a saké distillery with special floral arrangements made by Ryoko’s frequent collaborator in arboristing & other natural arts, Oka-san (true salt of the earth tough guy with a deep gravel voice, leathered by perpetual smoking with a heart of gold and an artistic sense of nuance and splendour), who showed us around – along with his wonderful young daughter Momoka.
This dossier is a round-up of shodo art pieces on display by ShimizuHian for my (and possibly your) memory, inspiration and edification.
A few notes about the artist: {actually not finding much of anything in English aside from archival auction sites and living years of 1883-1975, i'll work on this} Here's another one of his works listed at Japanese Modernism and another out-of-date auction listing.
I enjoyed his “less formal and more whimsical than usually seen” style and mixing of words and images seamlessly. Form is meaning and meaning has form.
Also variety of techniques moving beyond the “usual” few bold kanji on white.
The exhibit was on display at his historic sake distillery where we purchased a couple of bottles to go – as is the custom – after enjoying tea with the family.
Takeaway: here is a collection of most of the pieces, in a handy collage to keep close to your heart.
If you know more about this artist, please drop a comment and thanks to exceptional shodo master Yoshiko Yoshida for assistance getting this far. And take a moment to explore the area with us.
The important part is to enjoy tea {and the tools} +
Series of 9
Bound for the post office forthwith (tomorrow is a holiday in Japan hence closed) with a new batch for (some of) the “postcard as a service” subscribers… Each handmade on washi paper with ink sketches of different elements used in tea ceremony with specific narrative on the back.
Yep, 9 indeed
Just think: If all these folks got together one day, each with their card in hand, together they would have a (in)complete guide book to tea ceremony ;)
The tea cards anointed with these most wonderful Japanese remixed woodblock print stamps
[Update] Arrived at my favorite little post office, Shinogoze, with 11 minutes before closing the day before a holiday – they were, as always, excited to see my new creations – rather surprised that I make these things mail all over – and indulge me picking out *just the right* stamps + managed to squeeze up a few quick snapshots before they went into the chute of adventure.
The bonus/sundry assortment where adorned with the cute little Postal bear off on an adventure in England it seems
Bonus round: A few from the standard and experimental stacks also went out for various purposes including:
* train station in Tripunnithura, Kerala India (going back to India) & * post boxes in Kathmandu (foreign, domestic, regional) – in memorium
* telegrams (concerning roast beef, smoking jacket and a barman named Sunday) from the Majestic Hotel in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia / protip: find the poem written from this very experience elsewhere in this archive (snap too #evidence)
On the left is from DT Suzuki Zen Museum in Kanazawa, on the right is from Yumeji museums in Okayama / Both adorned with far more expensive stamp than necessary for the postal rain but seem to really fit the aesthetics. What is a few yen between magicians anyway?
* Two very important health of various kinds of practitioners celebrate birthdays (constantly enough, the same age milestone) and though they’ve been in close navigation to each other, I’ve never met… Anyway, pulled from the high value/not by me file for special wishes & gratitude
* assortment of pocket knives (with metaphor included) and even more metaphor with the importance of Scaffolding in most any construction/project, so often forgotten, no matter how sturdy (on a enotepad from some government office)
Art by DaveO, Photo by Miranda Lievers who says, “Yay! Finally received our Dave Olson mail from around the globe. Thanks for sharing a few pieces with our fam, friend! 11 years on from this Northern Voice talk… I needed this reminder in particular (some days more than others). Fuck stats. Make art. Thank you, Dave!”
Strange as it goes as feels sometimes like i was writing messages to a future self as i reflect back on words i wrote then but need moreso now,
ergo:
Art makes the future, make for yourself first – if you don’t “feel it” don’t waste your time. Channel a mix of joy and anguish and mix with honesty.
Don’t cheat yourself or any potential audience. Don’t pander and don’t “give em what they want” – this process might get lonely, you will see other “enjoy” the buzz of immediate attention but this is a sugar-rush which likely doesn’t last long. Instead, prepare yourself for the long haul of making creations which will inspire the generation behind you.
There are wee doppelgänger of you growing up, struggling with identity and understanding – maybe in school or maybe in retirement – you seek (unwittingly perhaps) exactly what you are capable of creating.
Visualize them if you desire an audience and then share your work, standing behind your creation with integrity, and let the audience breathe life and meaning into your offerings. Your rewards will come in mysterious ways.
But the reward isn’t the point – self-fulfillment and endless giving of creativity is your compass.
Mae Maes Christmas concert (plus fresh poster for a show in Tamano featuring Ryoko’s painting & design).
On Dec. 22nd at a store in Tsudaka, Okayama, Ryoko and her Mae Maes bandmates held a Christmas concert with 2 shows which included their originals, some festive standards including some sing-a-longs. I rolled out with M-i-L and met up with some of the usual fans, enjoyed some conversations and coffees.
The ladies were in fine form and their new pianist Kazuko-san getting more comfy each gig.
While dispatches and re-caps of various outings and events exist elsewhere in this archive, life is so wonderful right now i don’t want to miss a thing or fail to appreciate the glorious mundane details of just existing.
As such, what follows are bits and pieces which don’t fit elsewhere, a round-up of miscellany and odds and ends and mild annotations.
Starting with the pleasantness of stopping for a coffee and receiving a free lil sandwich plate (and seeing Ryoko’s adorableness :)).
The internets instructs food photos be posted with frequency.
I tagged along with Ryoko and her Mae Maes band for a gig in Setouchi at a community centre. There was an autumn arts festival of some kind with musical performances, a few food stands and an exhibit of crafts, arts and tea ceremony. Such pleasant slice of life, just being part of the local scene.
Mae Maes played a short-ish set but a song i hadn’t heard before, Ryoko laid out some good stage banter and the room was small and more acoustically pleasing than the big convention hall the day before.
The band (usually a 4 piece) had 2 guests, frequent supporters/collaborators Yano-san (who is a noted player, arranger, teacher and has released a few albums) on an acostic-electric bass ukulele – great sound! + Mitsuko-san on congas and percussion, she rode with us and is such a charming elegant lady.
