ME IN MISHUKU

So last October I was doodling in my sketchbook at a restaurant that caught my eye. Two large fiberglass horses were placed in front of this restaurant and some ambient music wafting about. A large open entrance and interior space brightness seemed attractive on a cool clear day. So I came in, seated myself and ordered a sandwich set. My doodling caught the attention of the waiter, who called over the manager. I gave them my business card and web site address. The went off to their in store computer and immediately had a look. The manager came back and asked me if I'd like to have a show. Within twenty minutes I had my largest solo art show in nine years.

My show was scheduled for middle of May and I got to work in January. In an attempt to fill a large space in the back I began work on a complex drawing that I thought of during new year holiday. I wanted something that represented the accumulation of experience. I have this interest about how to communicate my experience with the environment. I had an image of drinking from a volcano. I decided on using thousands of small line drawings of various ink colors (primarily green and red) that vary from darker to lighter depending of the modeling of the overall shape. For necessity I had to use myself as a model. Then enlarge the image exponentially to a size of nearly 6.5 feet high. Again by necessity without a studio and a car for transport the drawing had to be made in sections to be linked together at the time of hanging.

Another part of the exhibition is the live update section. For each week of the show I update the hanging files with new work that I hopefully had created during that week. The previous hanging files go below and are a document of what I am/was working on in my drawing book during the month. The first week was more difficult than I expected as my drawing hand is tired and my mind not as focused as I wished. But week one was completed and I'm now working on week two.

Yoshiko organized an opening party with our friends and the cafe hit us up with some great food and open bar. It was a night I felt deeply appreciative and tired. The show will be hanging until June 15th, come and see it. Here's a short and incomplete tour:
Some favorites from my web site are hanging as well as some old classics in my personal collection.
From the black and white animal drawings a Whale.
Ah monkey... all these years together and your finally get to be exhibited. A pencil and chalk drawing in orange red and black.
This is the very large involved piece I call Volcano Juice. I had to create holes in the top sections to facilitate hanging. The piece is holding up well by just using tape despite it's size of two meters by one and half meters. Made with fountain pens and colored inks.
Another one that was never shown in public before. You can see in the background a large public park that borders the cafe. Also a reflection of the fiberglass horse. Like Volcano Juice, this drawing was assembled in sections and is nearly two meters tall, though much thinner. Done in fountain pen.
From the live update section a couple of recent drawings from week one. Week two is already up. I'll post some of these drawings to my web site soon. Thank you Joe and cafe Cherir staff who are amazing people and thanks Yoshiko San always.