Christmas Show

シロタ画廊の「One For You, One For Me」に出品させて頂きました。
12月25日までです
よろしくお願いします！

枝香庵クリスマス

明日から、ギャラリー枝香庵のクリスマス展に参加します。木口木版の新作も出品しました。
クリスマスプレゼントを探している方、または同時にいっぱい作品を見たい方におすすめです。
http://echo-ann.jp/#/exhibitions/schedule/xmas

明日（５日）１７時半からオープニング・パーティーもあるので、宜しくお願いします！

三菱商事アート・ゲート・プログラム第２５回チャリティー・オークション

報告遅くなってしまったが、
今表参道のGYREで作品２点を展示して頂きました。

三菱商事アート・ゲート・プログラム第２５回チャリティー・オークション作品展示
11月24日〜12月４日
11:00 ~ 20:00
EYE OF GYRE (ジャイル3階）

来週のオークションにも出席します！

宜しくお願いします

Happy Halloween!

On a lighter note, Happy Halloween everyone!

Learning

It seems like there are so many difficulties recently. In the world in general, and also in my own life. Sometimes it's hard to stay positive, hard to see the good things everyday, hard to find joy. I started learning wood engraving. It's challenging and adds a bit of interest to my daily existence.
Gotta keep learning...

Hmmm, what was supposed to be a positive statement turned negative pretty quickly. Oops!

Fall

So no solo or group exhibitions lined up, but I am still in the studio as much as I can be. Unfortunately, not as much as I'd like.
When I am not at work or in the studio, sometimes I can be found catching frogs and other slimy creatures in my local park.

 Why hello there!

And a sneak peak at a small linocut I just finished. This is at 2 colours out of 5.

Bimpe catalogue

The BIMPE VIII catalogue is online!
Many beautiful prints to be seen!
For those unable to go in person, please take a look.

大野城まどかぴあ版画ビエンナーレ

第９回大野城まどかぴあ版画ビエンナーレに一点入選できました。
入賞・入選作品展は１０月５日１９日までです。
福岡に暮らしている方、または行く予定のある方、是非会場まで足を運んでください。
詳細はウェブサイトへ

第3回 FEI Print Award

久しぶりに日本の版画公募展に出品した。
第3回 Fei Print Award入選作品展は今横浜で展示されています。
今日オープニングに行ってきた。なかなかいい感じなので、近くの方におすすめ。
ウェブはこちら

Glebe

One of my close friends will be showing some art at the Glebe Fine Art Show this weekend, and they are bringing along some of my (not so recent) prints. Anyone in Ottawa looking for some art to hang on their walls should definitely check it out.  At the Glebe Community Centre Sept. 20-21.

IMC

Last week, I helped out at the International Mokuhanga Conference 2014. I was there as an interpreter/translator. While I am not a mokuhanga artist, it was a really great chance to meet an energetic bunch of printmakers from around the world and learn a bit more about mokuhanga.
This was only the second conference, but there are bound to be more in the future, so printmakers take note.

http://mokuhanga.jp/satellite/
http://www.mokuhanga.jp/2014/

BIMPE VIII

Once again I am participating in the BIMPE mini print exhibition. It's coming up soon, so all those living in or around Vancouver, go look for my prints!

Summer

The heat is here! I had a great 3 days in Niijima, an island south of Tokyo, to kick off the summer! Swimming in the ocean, onsen, eating and drinking lots... perfection! The next day I spent the whole day in the studio! I love summer vacation!
3連休に新島に行ってきた。海、温泉、おいしい食べ物や飲み物、完璧の夏の始まり！東京に戻って、平日なのに一日中アトリエで制作出来た．．．夏休みって最高だね！

FIFTH INTERNATIONAL BIENNALE JURIED EXHIBITION OF MINIATURE PRINTS

5th International Biennale Juried Exhibition of Miniature Prints at the Ottawa School of Art. Whew! That's a long title.
I sent a few prints for the show at OSA's main campus gallery from April 24 to June 1.
It's already over, but you can see photos and download the digital booklet here.
You can also see my print "Spaghetti" which was one of the purchase prize winners in 2010.

Biography

My bio and works are listed on Japan Today.

Take a look.

Job and career

Recently, I have been struggling to juggle a job as an English teacher and a career as an artist. How do people manage to find a balance where they can earn money to live and be able to continue doing what they love? I am not finding the time or energy to create, learn and communicate with other artists, which is what is most important to my life.
Life is too short not to do what you love.
Time to make some changes.

Back to school

Not as a student. I will be returning to my part-time job as an ALT (assistant language teacher) tomorrow. I'll do my best to make it to the studio regularly.

I was working on some new stuff in my itty-bitty studio yesterday and it made me realize just how amazing the studio in Guanlan was. Can't wait to go back next year!!!

Jogja Miniprint

I have 2 works included in the Jogja Miniprint Biennale 2014, from June 6-30 in Indonesia.

They will release the names of the winners at the opening on June 6. Looking forward to seeing the catalogue.

Guanlan Original Printmaking Base Residency

I was lucky to be invited as an artist in residence at the Guanlan Printmaking Base after being accepted for the biennale last year. I was first invited to go last summer, but due to work, I postponed the trip until this April. From April 1 - 25, I lived and worked at the base, making lithos, meeting other artists and experiencing a little bit of China.

The artists all stay in these 300 year old hakka houses. It's a bit like living in a history museum, especially when you compare it to the surroundings. Guanlan is a suburb of Shenzhen, and although the base is calm and quiet, things are starting to get quite built up around it. They are in the midst of building a printmaking museum, which is supposed to open later this year.

The print studio itself is very new... And spacious! They have woodblock, intaglio, silkscreen and lithography (both stone and PS plate). I chose to work with stone lithography, as it had been almost 5 years since I worked on stone. On the second floor of the studio there were small individual ateliers for the visiting artists. There were a few too many of us, so I shared an atelier with a Korean artist who I met before in Tokyo. Small world!

The base has Chinese printers, who are also artists themselves, there to help print your work. It was my first time working with someone and not printing everything myself, so I was a bit apprehensive. Luckily, the lithography printer, Shu, was very skilled and did a great job.

Over the course of the 3 weeks, I made 3 new lithographs. One of them was inspired by the local food. We had breakfast, lunch, dinner, at 8, 12, and 6 respectively, everyday, with everyone together in the canteen. Always similar, but not quite the same. It's like they had a rotation going, with 5 items, rice and soup every meal.

One of my favourite things was this huge roll of BFK. I hardly ever indulge to buy it in Japan, so it was a treat.

Overall, I had a great experience! Thank you Zhao for inviting me!

*Now, for anyone who is thinking about going to do a residency in Guanlan, let me give you a few tips. Don't forget to pack floss, because you can't buy it there. Prepare lots of movies, books, entertainment to bring with you, as there is nothing much to do around the studio when you feel like a break.

Request a fridge before you go. One of the hardest things was not being able to drink a cold beverage for almost a month. If you like coffee, bring some with you, as there is only instant.

If you are visibly not Chinese, people will stare at you, and sometimes stop and take your picture. It can be invasive at times. 

There are a variety of restaurants not too far from the base, so if you want a break from Chinese you can just take the bus and go out. I enjoyed pizza, pasta and korean food during my trip. 

And finally, be sure to go to karaoke with Zhao. You will have a lot of fun!

100 prints 2014

I donated 1 print for Open Studio's 100 Prints this year. The annual fundraising event for the Toronto print studio will be held on May 15. You can see all 100 prints here

Guanlan Original Printmaking Base

I am heading off on April 1 to Shenzhen, China to be an artist in residence at the Guanlan Original Printmaking Base.
I will be out of touch and unable to update from next week until I return at the end of April.
Wishing everyone a great early spring and Happy Easter.

来週から中国に行ってきます！4月1日からGuanlan Original Printmaking Baseでアーティスト・イン・レジデンスやります。しばらくブログなど更新出来ないので、帰ったら、中国の写真を必ずアップします。
みんな素敵な花見を

2013 linocut series

I know I posted a link to a great panoramic view of my January show, "Undigested", but here are a few pics of one of the series I created in 2013.

Update

I am currently on vacation!

I have 2 months off before my next contract starts, so I am going to go to the studio as much as I want! Hurray!

In other news, I will be doing an artist in residence program next month. Last year, my work was selected to be part of the 4th Guanlan International Print Biennial, held in Guanlan China. The Biennial also runs a printmaking base and they were kind enough to send me an invite.

The plan is to go from April 1-25 and work on some stone lithography.... for the first time in 5 YEARS!!!!! I majored in lithography at Geidai, but I worked with ball grain plates and not stone.

I still have to work out the visa situation with not much time to go.... so wish me luck!

最近あまりポストしなくて、すみません。
今週から、次の契約まで2ヶ月の休みもらった！！！イェーイ！！！
よくアトリエに通って、作家としての本業に少し戻れる。来月も中国の深圳にあるGuanlan 版画工房で3週間アーティストインレジデンスに行きます。５年ぶりの本当の石の石版画。芸大ではリトグラフ専攻だったが、いつもアルミ版に描いていた。とても楽しみにしている！
まだビザ獲得出来てないので、うまく行くように頑張るよ；）

Thank you

Almost a month has gone by since my show ended! I am very late in saying this...
Thank you! Thank you so much to everyone who came to see the exhibition, thanks to everyone who supported my from afar. I couldn't have done it without you!

展示が終わってからだいぶ時間経ってしまいました。
展示に見に来てくださった方、遠くから応援してくださった方、ありがとうございました。これからも制作頑張りたいと思います。

For those of you who couldn't be there, check out these amazing panoramic shots of the show!
見れなかった人、もう一度見たい人、パノラマショットどうぞ

http://www.jpartmuseum.com/jam_live/mizenka03/

Undigested

Tomorrow will bring 'Undigested', my solo show of new prints, to a close.
If you have time, I will be at the gallery and would love you to stop by and say hello.
Open tomorrow until 17:30 at Mizenka Gallery.

バレリー・サイポーズ個展開催

いろんな人に作品について語って、製作過程で言葉にしないアイディアを交流して、展示は作家にとって大変貴重な経験です。また今週の週末、2月2、3日に会場に居るので、気軽に声をかけてください。

2013年1月２５日からMizenka Gallery で個展「Undigested」を開催します。
新作と旧作、心を込めて作った３１点の版画を展示する予定です。

2013年1月25日〜2月2日
12:00~19:00 (最終日17:30まで)
Mizenka Gallery
東京都港区西麻布4−3−3
三和西麻布ビル3階
03-6427-6506

Undigested

This coming Saturday... Undigested!
A solo show of new and recent works.

Jan 25 ~ Feb 2, 2013
12:00 ~ 19:00 (closing at 17:30 on the 2nd)
MIzenka Gallery
#301, 4-3-3 Nishi-Azabu, MInato-ku, Tokyo
03-6427-6506

Don't miss it!