Had an additional lecture today, about Nijo Castle in Kyoto. Nihon for 'castle' is jo, so go ahead and say that multiple times aloud, Nijojo Nijojo Nijojo. I didn't fully understand much of what was being said, but he went over changes in the structure of the castle and various additions over the years. Also showed images of the different rooms and explaining their purpose. Every surface within the castle is covered with paintings to different themes. One room was all hawks, meant for the aristocracy to retire into after hunting. Even the kitchen walls were covered with landscape. One room had a pair of large, wooden relief sculptures, and I found their contrast with the wall paintings to be very striking. Nijo Castle is easily access able in Kyoto, I don't think there is even an entry charge. Perhaps this weekend, along with Kyoto museums, I will go there.
After lecture was language. I was a little early, and Yamada-sensei started by asking me what I had done that morning. I told him I had read US-news that morning, then he asked me what the 'big' story of that day was. Obviously election coverage, and obviously the natural disaster in China, but instead I mentioned California and the same-sex marriage ban recently struck down by their Supreme Court. This brought some discussion about State v. Federal, as Yamada-Sensei is always asking us about life in the US. Also Arnold Swarchenegger and political parties. After the lesson, as we were leaving, he asked me to do the same for next week, tell him the 'big' news in the US. He then qualified his request, asking that it be BIGGER than from today, because my news had been very small.
19.5.08
18.5.08
Noh
Today we went to see Noh in Kyoto as part of our Kyoto Art & Culture field work. This is the class where we had the lecture on Kabuki and went to see Mubi Kyogen. Kristine and I took the Hankyu line, then the subway, to get to a theater near Nijojo. We had to be there at 9:30 am, and having been out until late the night before, I was dying for more sleep.
Our professor was waiting for us outside, and directed us to wait for awhile while the rest of the class arrived. The building was very modern, and through some sliding glass doors there was a little shrine and a koi pond with some of the biggest koi I'd ever seen. Around 10 we went into the main theater where the stage in front of us was raised and set to look like a traditional japanese shrine. One of the actors made a presentation about Noh, answered questions, and showed us some pieces of the costume. After this, a group of men filed onto stage and performed a chanted chorus for us while another actor danced in time. They filed back off, and a similar chanted chorus and dance was preformed by a womans choir. These were private performances just for our group and it was very interesting, just the vocals and punctuations by the dancer stomping their foot at points. This Youtube video is pretty similar to their performance, though not nearly as spectacular as live 10ft away. Afterwards we mingled around in the empty theater and viewed the stage from different angles before a break for lunch.
During lunch time I wandered the area. I'd like to visit Nijo Castle, but not today. I found some sushi to eat, then stopped at a bakery for some kind of cheesy pastry. I also found a shrine unique to Japan, instead of guardian dogs, it has guardian boars. The sign is below. I took some pictures of the street and a Johnny Walker sign I found amusing, then a little shrine with a shallow pool of goldfish. If something like this was set up in New England, it'd just be a snack bar for each and every passing animal. I kept seeing posters for a parade that same day, but couldn't read the details about where it was.
The performance started about 1. The theater was not full, but it was pretty crowded with japanese visitors and some foreigners. I thought it a little odd that they didn't sell tickets for seats, it was just a free for all anywhere you found a spot. Most people sat off on the right side, with a straight view of the mural on the wall, but I took a hint from my professor and sat over on the left, closer to the curtain where the actors come onto stage. The first portion was Kyogen. Not Mibu-Kyogen, which is silent, but a loud, expressive, somewhat humorous encounter between two samurai. I couldn't understand a word of it, and that'd part of what made it funny and entertaining was the way they spoke, which the japanese also laughed at the speech and what was being said.
During intermission, tea was served in the waiting hall and the japanese mingled about. Kyogen and Noh are traditional forms of Japanese theater, and the crowd that day reflected this, most being older with a few foreigners and younger couples here and there.
The actual Noh performance started when the womans choir came out on stage and performed an introductory chant, followed by the mens choir. The stage was clear and the musicians came out. There were drums and a flute, but not the way you might think. The drums were unique, the first sounding like it was just a piece of solid wood, and the other having a twang to it, like it was part liquid. This is something like the music, though the flute was not always playing, and there was sometimes additional chant from the chorus. The performances name was Tomonaga, it is a warrior play though unique in that the main actor plays two roles, first as a female inn-keeper, second as the ghost of warrior Tomonaga. I only know this because I was given a sheet in english with information telling me what was happening scene by scene. Wikipedia link.
Noh is known for masks, but it is only the main actor that wears a mask. Everyone else is simply in costume, though not as ornate as worn with the mask. Parts of the performance were very lively, especially when the drums and flute were going, but there was one portion when the female innkeeper had a long monologue and not only myself, but many people in the audience were simply asleep. Japan is funny like that, it's common to just see people sleeping places, and while I think elsewhere anyone sleeping during a theater performance would be seen as rude, not so here. Its a traditional art, and doesn't need to be constantly stimulating or action-packed, it has lasted on other merits. It was an experience to remember.
On the way out and going up the street to the train, ran into the parade I had seen posters for. Lucky. We only caught the tail end, but it was hundreds of men dressed in white carrying bells and ornate objects between the different temples, stopping at each one to cheer and sing.
Our professor was waiting for us outside, and directed us to wait for awhile while the rest of the class arrived. The building was very modern, and through some sliding glass doors there was a little shrine and a koi pond with some of the biggest koi I'd ever seen. Around 10 we went into the main theater where the stage in front of us was raised and set to look like a traditional japanese shrine. One of the actors made a presentation about Noh, answered questions, and showed us some pieces of the costume. After this, a group of men filed onto stage and performed a chanted chorus for us while another actor danced in time. They filed back off, and a similar chanted chorus and dance was preformed by a womans choir. These were private performances just for our group and it was very interesting, just the vocals and punctuations by the dancer stomping their foot at points. This Youtube video is pretty similar to their performance, though not nearly as spectacular as live 10ft away. Afterwards we mingled around in the empty theater and viewed the stage from different angles before a break for lunch.
During lunch time I wandered the area. I'd like to visit Nijo Castle, but not today. I found some sushi to eat, then stopped at a bakery for some kind of cheesy pastry. I also found a shrine unique to Japan, instead of guardian dogs, it has guardian boars. The sign is below. I took some pictures of the street and a Johnny Walker sign I found amusing, then a little shrine with a shallow pool of goldfish. If something like this was set up in New England, it'd just be a snack bar for each and every passing animal. I kept seeing posters for a parade that same day, but couldn't read the details about where it was.
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The performance started about 1. The theater was not full, but it was pretty crowded with japanese visitors and some foreigners. I thought it a little odd that they didn't sell tickets for seats, it was just a free for all anywhere you found a spot. Most people sat off on the right side, with a straight view of the mural on the wall, but I took a hint from my professor and sat over on the left, closer to the curtain where the actors come onto stage. The first portion was Kyogen. Not Mibu-Kyogen, which is silent, but a loud, expressive, somewhat humorous encounter between two samurai. I couldn't understand a word of it, and that'd part of what made it funny and entertaining was the way they spoke, which the japanese also laughed at the speech and what was being said.
During intermission, tea was served in the waiting hall and the japanese mingled about. Kyogen and Noh are traditional forms of Japanese theater, and the crowd that day reflected this, most being older with a few foreigners and younger couples here and there.
The actual Noh performance started when the womans choir came out on stage and performed an introductory chant, followed by the mens choir. The stage was clear and the musicians came out. There were drums and a flute, but not the way you might think. The drums were unique, the first sounding like it was just a piece of solid wood, and the other having a twang to it, like it was part liquid. This is something like the music, though the flute was not always playing, and there was sometimes additional chant from the chorus. The performances name was Tomonaga, it is a warrior play though unique in that the main actor plays two roles, first as a female inn-keeper, second as the ghost of warrior Tomonaga. I only know this because I was given a sheet in english with information telling me what was happening scene by scene. Wikipedia link.
Noh is known for masks, but it is only the main actor that wears a mask. Everyone else is simply in costume, though not as ornate as worn with the mask. Parts of the performance were very lively, especially when the drums and flute were going, but there was one portion when the female innkeeper had a long monologue and not only myself, but many people in the audience were simply asleep. Japan is funny like that, it's common to just see people sleeping places, and while I think elsewhere anyone sleeping during a theater performance would be seen as rude, not so here. Its a traditional art, and doesn't need to be constantly stimulating or action-packed, it has lasted on other merits. It was an experience to remember.
On the way out and going up the street to the train, ran into the parade I had seen posters for. Lucky. We only caught the tail end, but it was hundreds of men dressed in white carrying bells and ornate objects between the different temples, stopping at each one to cheer and sing.
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17.5.08
Jazz it
Went out to a club tonight to experience some nu-jazz. Fun show! At first it was odd, when we walked into the club around 11pm, nobody was dancing, it was like a high-school social, everyone standing around the perimeter, but it wasn't long before people started moving. The band J.A.M came on around 1:30am, nice beat, great performance. It was mostly japanese in the club, but I met a few gaijin including some guy who has run import/export from china for 25 years, and then a trio of florida girls there for two weeks studying some kind of business finance. I guess I've been trying to get into the habit of spattering my talk with broken japanese, and they looked kind of japanese, so it was a little bit of a reversal when I would un-intentionally say something they couldn't understand. Then there were some japanese that spoke good english, probably some of the best, especially the girl who has worked at a youth hostel for a few years.
Smoking is allowed anywhere in Japan, clubs, restaurants, there are a few places with no smoking signs, but always a designated area close by. It's odd though, I'm sometimes bothered by a lot of smoke, but here, because there is smoking everywhere, it seems more spread out. Instead of all the chain smokers, you have a bunch of casual smokers. And the popular drinks for the evening? Long Island's and Red Bull/Vodkas, some things make it everywhere.
Smoking is allowed anywhere in Japan, clubs, restaurants, there are a few places with no smoking signs, but always a designated area close by. It's odd though, I'm sometimes bothered by a lot of smoke, but here, because there is smoking everywhere, it seems more spread out. Instead of all the chain smokers, you have a bunch of casual smokers. And the popular drinks for the evening? Long Island's and Red Bull/Vodkas, some things make it everywhere.
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16.5.08
おいしかつた
Tonight I was invited to dinner at Muraoka-sensei's home. He had mentioned it late April, then again earlier this week. When he was asking me about it, and the food I liked, his eyes somewhat widened when I said I liked sushi. I think it'd be silly to come to Japan and not like seafood or be willing to 'go native' as it were. The japanese eat a ton of seafood.
I met with sensei after school and we drove together to his home. Normally he takes the train, it's not very far, took about 25min to drive (his mini-van was really nice with a screen that showed behind him when backing up). Along the way we talked a bit about teaching. I've explained to quiet a few people at school about how I came to be studying art education and their eyes always widen when I tell them how I used to be a working stiff graphic designer. Today I explained more to Muraoka-sensei about the pressure I felt from working with commodity and commercialization and how I chose teaching because it was more connected and fulfilling. In return, I found out how Muraoka-sensei had started in ceramics as a hobby, then into teaching it part time. The teaching led to more school, where he studied under a master of nihon-ga and on from there. I found out later that he was also able to travel around Europe, seeing Paris, Italy, the Netherlands, London, and Switzerland over the course of a month. Most interesting to me was when I learned of his interest in Celtic art and culture, because of perceived similarities with the Japanese and their belief of 'God manifest in Nature'. He's also been to Ireland a number of times and driven around the island (which isn't much of a stretch with the narrow roads and left-side driving), so we were able to discuss both our travels there (his more extensively than mine.) A final bit of information was his enjoyment of Michelangelo's Rondanini Pietà from his time in Italy. This is Michelangelo's final sculpture, which some say is unfinished, though Muraoka-sensei did not believe so.
When we arrived to the Muraoka household, I met his wife and 8 yr-old son. They were very pleasant and both parents spoke understandable english (and where either party was lacking there were plenty of dictionaries around). The son was shy about his english and a few times whispered in his mothers ear because he was too shy to talk aloud. I found out how the wife had spent some time in Illinois when she was younger, and some of the things she remembered from there. One was the size, all the corn fields and large houses, she asked if I thought their house was super small, but I told them there are plenty of 3-person families living the same in Boston or elsewhere, def small if one was out in the burbs or country, but there was enough space, Muraoka-sensei even had a studio on the second floor, with long lines of pigment in jars. Another, Cherrios! and the long aisle of breakfast cereal. Whenever someone she knows visits the US, she asks that they bring back a box of Cherrios for her.
The food was great, a big plate of shashimi (tuna, crab, shrimp, roe, two others we couldn't really figure out english words for), another plate of avacado and vegetables, a bowl of rice, and nori to put it all together. Also a plate of chicken wings (though served differently as they were room temperature, very salty and without sauce), a plate of meats (which was barely touched), and a plate of japanese egg (they cook an egg omelet but include sugar, so it's sweet pieces of egg). I was also offered some beer or wine (I went for beer because we had stopped to get it on the way there), and my glass would be refreshed whenever it got low (though we really only went through 2x100ml cans). The son was very excited about desert, and we had ice cream and fresh strawberries over coffee and tea (which the son enjoyed because it made him feel more like an adult). After which an Enya cd was put on.
During dinner, talked about a number of things. Life in the US, life in Japan, family, art, food, etc. Also holidays, and while I had known most Japanese celebrate Christmas to some extent as a gift giving occasion, I was curious about things like Halloween, which apparently they do celebrate because Tokyo Disney has introduced it into the culture. I showed some family photos from my Ipod, which went over well, and the son found it particularly funny that my grandfather was also named Seth. I saw the family shrine, which had art objects and male-oriented objects like reproduction armor and weapons. I also saw the carp flag, which the son had made and was flown during Golden week as a signal of having a male child in the household. When my sisters marriage came up, it was asked if she had any kids, and I learned that the mother had been almost 40 yrs-old when they had started a family. Again, discussions of age are fairly common in Japan, and having a family, or getting married, starts much later in Japan than might be common in the US.
I probably overstayed my welcome a little bit. It was never discussed how I would get back, and I had expected Muraoka-sensei would probably insist on driving me home, while I would have to insist on simply taking the train. But Muraoka-sensei brought the subject up by telling me about drunk driving in Japan, he wasn't drunk, having perhaps 1 beer over a few hours, but laws are incredibly strict, with your license revoked for a single infraction, and a hefty fine of $500/person. So if you've been drinking at all, and have four people in your vehicle, that's a hefty fine! It was agreed I would take the train, and we rushed out to the station for the next departure. I was very thankful for the hospitality, and the son followed us partway down the street on the way out. He had told some of his classmates and neighbors that a gaijin was coming for dinner, and so all the families wanted to have a BBQ sometime in June for me and a few of my classmates. I look forward to it, especially because in our rush to catch the next train I forgot I wanted to ask if I could take their photo as a remembrance of the evening.
I met with sensei after school and we drove together to his home. Normally he takes the train, it's not very far, took about 25min to drive (his mini-van was really nice with a screen that showed behind him when backing up). Along the way we talked a bit about teaching. I've explained to quiet a few people at school about how I came to be studying art education and their eyes always widen when I tell them how I used to be a working stiff graphic designer. Today I explained more to Muraoka-sensei about the pressure I felt from working with commodity and commercialization and how I chose teaching because it was more connected and fulfilling. In return, I found out how Muraoka-sensei had started in ceramics as a hobby, then into teaching it part time. The teaching led to more school, where he studied under a master of nihon-ga and on from there. I found out later that he was also able to travel around Europe, seeing Paris, Italy, the Netherlands, London, and Switzerland over the course of a month. Most interesting to me was when I learned of his interest in Celtic art and culture, because of perceived similarities with the Japanese and their belief of 'God manifest in Nature'. He's also been to Ireland a number of times and driven around the island (which isn't much of a stretch with the narrow roads and left-side driving), so we were able to discuss both our travels there (his more extensively than mine.) A final bit of information was his enjoyment of Michelangelo's Rondanini Pietà from his time in Italy. This is Michelangelo's final sculpture, which some say is unfinished, though Muraoka-sensei did not believe so.
When we arrived to the Muraoka household, I met his wife and 8 yr-old son. They were very pleasant and both parents spoke understandable english (and where either party was lacking there were plenty of dictionaries around). The son was shy about his english and a few times whispered in his mothers ear because he was too shy to talk aloud. I found out how the wife had spent some time in Illinois when she was younger, and some of the things she remembered from there. One was the size, all the corn fields and large houses, she asked if I thought their house was super small, but I told them there are plenty of 3-person families living the same in Boston or elsewhere, def small if one was out in the burbs or country, but there was enough space, Muraoka-sensei even had a studio on the second floor, with long lines of pigment in jars. Another, Cherrios! and the long aisle of breakfast cereal. Whenever someone she knows visits the US, she asks that they bring back a box of Cherrios for her.
The food was great, a big plate of shashimi (tuna, crab, shrimp, roe, two others we couldn't really figure out english words for), another plate of avacado and vegetables, a bowl of rice, and nori to put it all together. Also a plate of chicken wings (though served differently as they were room temperature, very salty and without sauce), a plate of meats (which was barely touched), and a plate of japanese egg (they cook an egg omelet but include sugar, so it's sweet pieces of egg). I was also offered some beer or wine (I went for beer because we had stopped to get it on the way there), and my glass would be refreshed whenever it got low (though we really only went through 2x100ml cans). The son was very excited about desert, and we had ice cream and fresh strawberries over coffee and tea (which the son enjoyed because it made him feel more like an adult). After which an Enya cd was put on.
During dinner, talked about a number of things. Life in the US, life in Japan, family, art, food, etc. Also holidays, and while I had known most Japanese celebrate Christmas to some extent as a gift giving occasion, I was curious about things like Halloween, which apparently they do celebrate because Tokyo Disney has introduced it into the culture. I showed some family photos from my Ipod, which went over well, and the son found it particularly funny that my grandfather was also named Seth. I saw the family shrine, which had art objects and male-oriented objects like reproduction armor and weapons. I also saw the carp flag, which the son had made and was flown during Golden week as a signal of having a male child in the household. When my sisters marriage came up, it was asked if she had any kids, and I learned that the mother had been almost 40 yrs-old when they had started a family. Again, discussions of age are fairly common in Japan, and having a family, or getting married, starts much later in Japan than might be common in the US.
I probably overstayed my welcome a little bit. It was never discussed how I would get back, and I had expected Muraoka-sensei would probably insist on driving me home, while I would have to insist on simply taking the train. But Muraoka-sensei brought the subject up by telling me about drunk driving in Japan, he wasn't drunk, having perhaps 1 beer over a few hours, but laws are incredibly strict, with your license revoked for a single infraction, and a hefty fine of $500/person. So if you've been drinking at all, and have four people in your vehicle, that's a hefty fine! It was agreed I would take the train, and we rushed out to the station for the next departure. I was very thankful for the hospitality, and the son followed us partway down the street on the way out. He had told some of his classmates and neighbors that a gaijin was coming for dinner, and so all the families wanted to have a BBQ sometime in June for me and a few of my classmates. I look forward to it, especially because in our rush to catch the next train I forgot I wanted to ask if I could take their photo as a remembrance of the evening.
Trip to the Barber
I've had heard about the meticulous nature of japanese barbers, and today experienced it. Theres a surprising number of hairdressers and barbers all over Japan, and I had been eyeing one down the street from my apartment. It has the traditional red/white barber pole, but you look in the window and it's all green. He has a fish tank, a fountain, and plants on the outside, then when you go in, they're all around. Sit down in the chair and you are framed in green vines and can see goldfish in a tank behind you.
I didn't catch his name, but to my eye, my barber looked like an old hippie, sun-worn skin, long black hair streaked with silver and pulled back tight into a knot. I sat down in the chair, had a blanket placed in my lap, multiple towels around my neck and an apron over it all. There was no chance of getting hair anywhere. I was not up to snuff with my haircut vocabulary, so I mostly gestured around my overgrown sideburns, the top, and repeated the word for little, as I really just wanted a trim and a shave. He started on my hair with a spray bottle, comb and scissors, using hair clips at times to get to the under layers, going slowly and not missing things. When he was done with the hair, he even shaved the back of my neck and around my ears with his barbers blade. Then came the shampoo and I didn't need to move at all as the fully-motorized chair turned me around and tilted me back into the sink. He put a covering over my eyes, and this was no quicky clean. It was more was like a deep scalp massage, then rinse, then another scalp massage.
Next came the shave. I've never actually gone to a barber for a shave, though I've thought about it and wanted to. I'm not a big fan of haircuts in general, but not of shaving either, so having someone else do it sounds pretty good to me! Again the motorized chair leaned me back and a head support came out. After the hot towels, I was lathered up and he went to work. He was thorough, even did my ear-lobes and eye-brows, but still missed spots. I can't blame him because those are spots I always miss, and feeling the steady hand and barbers' blade against my skin was an experience.
After the shave, he sat me up again, massaged some kind of herbal tonic into my scalp, brushed my hair, then a shoulder massage. During the shoulder massage he told me how his daughter had visited Boston last year and how he would also like to visit. He kept repeating the word for 'soup' and when I finally caught on and responded 'chowder' he got all excited. I did lie though, told him the chowda was delicious, though personally I never touch it. Cost of the haircut/shave was about what I'd expect for similar back home, though without all the extra care. Nice guy, I would go there again.
I didn't catch his name, but to my eye, my barber looked like an old hippie, sun-worn skin, long black hair streaked with silver and pulled back tight into a knot. I sat down in the chair, had a blanket placed in my lap, multiple towels around my neck and an apron over it all. There was no chance of getting hair anywhere. I was not up to snuff with my haircut vocabulary, so I mostly gestured around my overgrown sideburns, the top, and repeated the word for little, as I really just wanted a trim and a shave. He started on my hair with a spray bottle, comb and scissors, using hair clips at times to get to the under layers, going slowly and not missing things. When he was done with the hair, he even shaved the back of my neck and around my ears with his barbers blade. Then came the shampoo and I didn't need to move at all as the fully-motorized chair turned me around and tilted me back into the sink. He put a covering over my eyes, and this was no quicky clean. It was more was like a deep scalp massage, then rinse, then another scalp massage.
Next came the shave. I've never actually gone to a barber for a shave, though I've thought about it and wanted to. I'm not a big fan of haircuts in general, but not of shaving either, so having someone else do it sounds pretty good to me! Again the motorized chair leaned me back and a head support came out. After the hot towels, I was lathered up and he went to work. He was thorough, even did my ear-lobes and eye-brows, but still missed spots. I can't blame him because those are spots I always miss, and feeling the steady hand and barbers' blade against my skin was an experience.
After the shave, he sat me up again, massaged some kind of herbal tonic into my scalp, brushed my hair, then a shoulder massage. During the shoulder massage he told me how his daughter had visited Boston last year and how he would also like to visit. He kept repeating the word for 'soup' and when I finally caught on and responded 'chowder' he got all excited. I did lie though, told him the chowda was delicious, though personally I never touch it. Cost of the haircut/shave was about what I'd expect for similar back home, though without all the extra care. Nice guy, I would go there again.
15.5.08
セス
Before going to Tues painting class, I went over to work on my shell study for Wed class. And sumi-e. While I was working, a few different students seemed to come in and out room, wasn't really sure why or what it was they were reading from the board. I had small conversation with one japanese student and we went next store to see what he was working on. They were all working from over-sized busts of heads in preparation for oil painting. Again, skill level varied. I asked if they ever worked from real models, and was told no. This was about what I expected, and I haven't seen a room setup for model drawing, or much at all to show me it's common practice here. The only clue I've seen was a small life-painting in the corner of one of the oil-painting studios, and that could easily have been from a different source.
Also while I was there, Sawano-sensei came in and saw me working. He gave me a gift of a seal that reads セス (Seth in katakana, or close enough, japanese does not have 'th', so traditionally they use 'su', sesu). He also mentioned to me how much japanese art is cultural inheritance and located in many shrines and temples, some with centers of preservation and restoration. He had mentioned this before, and how there would be a future trip to a temple in the area to see some of this restoration. I thought he was referring to the class, or a group of students, but turns out it would be a private tour with him and myself. Date to be determined.
Also while I was there, Sawano-sensei came in and saw me working. He gave me a gift of a seal that reads セス (Seth in katakana, or close enough, japanese does not have 'th', so traditionally they use 'su', sesu). He also mentioned to me how much japanese art is cultural inheritance and located in many shrines and temples, some with centers of preservation and restoration. He had mentioned this before, and how there would be a future trip to a temple in the area to see some of this restoration. I thought he was referring to the class, or a group of students, but turns out it would be a private tour with him and myself. Date to be determined.
14.5.08
Shells and apples
My ideas about still life have changed since I've come here. Maybe it's because for the longest time I've avoided them as much as possible, preferring to do life-drawing or abstracts. I've done some, especially digital, and I remember following the curve of bamboo with my stylus, or being absorbed in the reflections of a sphere and glass of wine, but those were years ago. My only recent still life drawings have been assignments, where my mind would ultimately rebel and add some odd abstract element so I wasn't just making a 'photograph'.
Since coming here, I've been forced to take up more still-life. And not interesting still-life with composition, or symbolism, or weird seldom-seen objects, we're talking two objects. A small green pepper and an onion. A shell and an apple. Separate, not overlapping. Pencil drawings, as preparation for painting. There's a similarity between these sets of objects, one shines with reflection, the other has striation and forces consideration of perspective. I find myself taking a lot of time drawing these objects, perhaps more information than will actually go into the painting. I spent a good 15min with the multiple light-source shadow below my pepper, and none of that went into the painting.
I draw these objects in my 1st year class, and when I look around at other work I see the varying ability. Some students have weak drawing skills, their apple flat and lifeless. Other students have amazing ability. When I look around I make connections and see similarities in the way they're drawing. I don't think they focus on the unique object, they're starting by making a shell, which looks like this, then adding specific characteristics such as crack here, or a stain there to make it look like that. I see this in other nihon-ga, the plants, animals, the objects are all very specific, but it's like they're seen through a fog. Details are created by the artist, with some connection to real objects, but also invented from their head to best effect.
Since coming here, I've been forced to take up more still-life. And not interesting still-life with composition, or symbolism, or weird seldom-seen objects, we're talking two objects. A small green pepper and an onion. A shell and an apple. Separate, not overlapping. Pencil drawings, as preparation for painting. There's a similarity between these sets of objects, one shines with reflection, the other has striation and forces consideration of perspective. I find myself taking a lot of time drawing these objects, perhaps more information than will actually go into the painting. I spent a good 15min with the multiple light-source shadow below my pepper, and none of that went into the painting.
I draw these objects in my 1st year class, and when I look around at other work I see the varying ability. Some students have weak drawing skills, their apple flat and lifeless. Other students have amazing ability. When I look around I make connections and see similarities in the way they're drawing. I don't think they focus on the unique object, they're starting by making a shell, which looks like this, then adding specific characteristics such as crack here, or a stain there to make it look like that. I see this in other nihon-ga, the plants, animals, the objects are all very specific, but it's like they're seen through a fog. Details are created by the artist, with some connection to real objects, but also invented from their head to best effect.
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