Northern light piece

This was one of those moments where you go, "wow, I need to paint this...!"
It's a pile of books, in case it's hard to make out.

Fiddling around

An experimental piece. Trying out some different approaches.
The image is based on one of my small pen & watercolor sketches.

First oil painting in a while

Pulaski Square is one of the numerous squares in Savannah.
Slowly, I am trying to remember how to 'paint' again.

Red bicycle by the windows

Her story

All people live unique and different lives and moments, and their lives go on regardless of whether they are noticed.
Every single one of us has different stories.
The young woman who was walking her dog through the park as she talked on her cell phone. What was, and is her story? 　

Atlantic in December

It was 79 degrees, absolutely clear sky, no humidity. I drove my roommate's car to the nearest beach and spent the early afternoon there, walking and sketching about on the almost desolated beach in December.

Grading papers

Tybee leisure

7:00am Sunrise on the beach

September Afternoon

A late summer afternoon on the beach on Tybee Island.

Distracted

Pulaski Square, Savannah

It will get dark soon.
I just got out of class. I am tired and hungry.
but I need to draw this
as I'm feeling as though, maybe, I can capture it this time.

Foliage in progress

The days are getting shorter and shorter and the leaves are starting to change colors slowly. Feeling the autumn in the air, my heart longs for Vermont.

Masumi does illustrations

Recently, I was privileged to do some illustrations for another book. The process can be very meticulous at times and very different from when I aproach my usual watercolor work in many ways, but I very much enjoy and embrace the discoveries that the different experiences bring me each time.

TREES

When you come to Savannah what you see is the trees.
These are the trees at Chatham Square, one of the numerous squares in the historic district.

Layers

A view of one of the numerous absolutely beautiful backstreets in Savannah. This one is near the corner of Whitaker & York St.

...and I'm back!!

One morning in August, 2007.

There are a couple of freshly picked tomatoes in this kitchen in an apartment in Savannah, GA. This kitchen is shared with two photographers, one animator, and one painter

Sweden Hills early afternoon

Sweden Hills East Main Street

Sweden Hills East

Sweden Hills East side of the town. Looking down the fields of Tobetsu.

Saratoga Springs, NY '05

Congress Park in Saratoga Springs.

Hokkaido farm field at dusk

Hokkaido, early Summer field

Hokkaido is widely known to be a nice place to hang out, especially in summer. It's got a nice climate, hot days and cool nights, lots of opportunities for outdoor activities, good foods, and beautiful landscapes that nature provides.

I almost wish that I were born and grew up somewhere else just so I could maybe see more good and beautiful things about this land that the people from elsewhere seem to be better at spotting.

real life

An old chestnut tree stands on top of the hill is one of the only trees that remained on the hill after the housing developpers cut down many many trees around here in recent years.

Two houses and a dandelion field

Another small sketch of the Sweden Hills neighbourhood. (East side) On an absolutely beautiful midsummer day.

Fiction

One early summer day, I sat myself on the porch
reading a book that once seemed too difficult to comprehend
And recalling the girl who I once was

I may still be who I thought I was
But all there is is myself on the porch
and the Sun that's starting to rise again.

windy day in June

The wind blows and clears the sky.
The Sun shines and warms my skin.

On the road to NC

MAY 25, 2007

"ONLY EIGHT MORE HOURS TO GO, WILL? SWEET!"

Spring in Japan

It had actually been a whole decade since I last visited Kyoto, the old capital of Japan, as a school trip in high school. Feels like a long time ago... It IS a long time ago...!
Since I only had a day to explore the city and indulge in the memories of my youth on this viist, I walked about very fast trying to see as much as possible. It was a beautiful day and this was the first sketch I did this day.

Historic City District of Kurashiki

In Edo period(early 17th- mid 19th c.) city of Kurashiki used to play an important role as a center city of rice storing. Many of the storehouses are still standing along the old canal, presenting the picturesque scenes for the visitors.
There is also an Art Museum in the district, called Ohara Museum of Art and it contains a big collection of European Art (El Greco, Monet, Toulouse-Lautrec, Picasso, Rodin and more), as well as some modern Japanese and Far Eastern Art. It was definitely worth a visit.

Akashi Kaikyo Bridge

From the wee beach area in Tarumi, near Kobe in Hyogo prefecture, the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, the longest suspension bridge in the world, can be seen right in front you.
It was raining hard for several minutes before I started sketching there and no one was around on the beach. The rain stopped and the sun started shining from the west a few minutes later and I saw a rainbow in the eastern sky.

work corner at night

A Back-deck in Spring

HOME

BackDeck -Early evening

another scene from Sweden Hills

A sunny day in Sweden Hills.

The snow plowing job in this town is known to be really reliable and high quality. The people who maintain the golf course over the hill during the summer do the plowing during the winter season. Just look at the edges! They know what they are doing.

mild winter

A weekend in January,

We've been having a mild winter this year in Hokkaido. It doesn't get real cold. It doesn't snow very much. Although, we all have to remember that the winter won't be over until March. I should go knock on wood now. I like snow, but I don't like the cold!

Burano?

January 13th, 2007

Not 10 minutes away from our house, I spotted a very colorful row of houses in the town of Futomi. Though it was snow instead of water that was surrounding them, and a cloudy sky instead of blue this time, the sight reminded me of Burano, Italy.

The purple hill behind the row is where our "Swedish town" is on.

burano, summer of 2003

This is one of the little paintings I made while in Brano three summers ago.

Skies of Hokkaido

Living in Hokkaido somehow makes me see the skies quite a bit.

and the landscape here seems to emphasize their existence.

I'm painting a lot of sky these days.

2007, l will keep relying upon coffee

A new year has began.

This year, I'm going to travel, and keep trying to find a way to do what I like to do for living.