Froggie

Emigon loves frogs. She doesn't understand why some people don't like them or are even scared of them. She used to find lots of them in her yard when she lived in Kugenuma.

Tombou

Emigon's work --butterfly

I've decided to hire another inner artist. Her name is Emigon. She's about 8 years old. She likes to draw bugs and animals. I'll be showing a series of her work for a while :)

Another Thursday afternoon

Taking a break from work to doodle.

Thursday in Asakusa

This is how I was feeling that day.

Drum Art Part Two

Went to do another round of drum art, this time with my friend Kei who's studying to become an art therapist. What fun. In contrast to the last time, where I sat literally inches away from the drum as it was being played, I sat a few seats away this time. It think the difference shows in the images-- bit calmer and less wild, don't you agree?
There were a few more participants this time and the energy in the room during the 10 or so minutes of work was pretty intense. Very exciting.

「ドラム・アート」（と私が勝手に名づけてますが）の第二弾に行ってきました。今回はアートセラピーの勉強をしているお友達のケイちゃんと。前回は太鼓をたたくアキさんの真横に座って絵を描いたのですが、今回は少し離れていました。違いが絵に表れていると思うのですが、いかがでしょう？
参加者ももう少し多く、絵を描いている最中の部屋の空気はとにかく熱かったです！

Timid girls

昨夜またドクタースケッチーに行ってきました。今回のモデルは「小心ズ」。ちょっと（かなり）変わってるけど、そしてほとんど脱がないとのことだったので「つまんないかも。。」なんて思ってたけど、おかしいポーズやいっちゃってる顔など、以外と描きがいがあり、かなり楽しかったです。

Went to another night of Dr. Sketchy's. These are a couple of the five-minute sketches. The models, who curiously call themselves the Shoshins (shoshin means "timid" in Japanese), are a couple of odd-ball pantomiming maids who do seem a bit shy but are courageous enough to get up there and share their eccentric routines. Great fun!

Cherry Typhoon

I just love her.

card

I felt like a kid making this card for my dad.

子供に戻った気分でぐりぐり描きました。5月26日は父の誕生日。

peaceful

東京の中で一番好きなところへ行ってきました。
とても静かで、頭が無駄にぐるぐる空回りしていて疲れてしまっているとき、ゆっくり充電させてくれます。
道端でみつけた葉っぱと甲虫。あたりにたくさんいるのに、なぜかこの子たちが際立って見えました。
ニュージャージーに住む、エイミーという素敵な名前！笑　の高校時代からの友人がたまに、いろんなプレゼントをこちょこちょとたくさんつめた小包を送ってくれます。一つ一つ色紙で包んでいて、いつもわくわくしながら大切に開けるの。その中に入っていた小さな色鉛筆のセットを使いました。

Went to my favorite spot in all of Tokyo. Such a peaceful and welcoming place. I go there every time I feel my mind has overspun from excessive, needless thoughts and I need to recenter and recharge.
These guys, I swear, were beckoning me to come draw them.
I had brought with me a set of 12 kid-sized colored pencils I just received in a lovely care-package from an even lovelier high school friend Amy (with a super-lovely name! hee) in New Jersey.

bloom

I let my paint brush do the work and this is what bloomed.

筆にまかせて描いてみました。

Rose

A lovely sign of spring ♪

Drum art

高円寺にある「ぱちか村」というとても居心地のいい、素敵なアフリカン・カフェに行ってきました。そこでの「臨床美術ワークショップ【Baloon】～音のアナログ画～」というイベントに参加。絵をつかったジャムセッションみたいなものをやりたい！と前々から思っていた私は、今日このイベントのことを知り、仕事があるにもかかわらずいきなり行くことに決定。

ぱちか村の村長アキさん奏でるドラムのノリノリなビートにまかせて頭を使わず手を動かし、結果を気にせず思いのままにオイルパステルで絵を描くの、最高に楽しかったですっ。終わった後、かなりハイになっていた私。臨床美術と聞くとなんか難しそうな感じがするかもしれないけど、ただ絵を楽しく描こうぜ！いえ～い！といったのりでしたよ。

そしてオーダーしたチャイとタコスサラダもとっても美味！！！

これから定期的に（ほかの画材でも）やるそうなので、興味ある人がいたら、一緒にいこう！詳しくはこちらを見てね：
http://patika-v.net/blog/566

Went to a super fun gig at Patika Village, a cool basement cafe with an African look and flavor, in Koenji. Holding bright-colored oil pastels, we let go of expectations and simply allowed our hands to move to the groovy beat of live djembe drum played by the　amazing "village head" (i.e. cafe owner) Aki-san.

I got so into it, I couldn't even get myself to stop to take a breather, and after it was over I felt so high it was as if I'd done a full workout. Can't wait to do it again!

star

今日は先日と打って変わって、元気げんき。ラカスタのカタログの紙の色が好きだったので、裏表紙をやぶいてジェッソをぬり、その上からペインティング。青とオレンジの組み合わせ、好きだなあ。

In a sunny mood today, thank goodness. I took the back cover of a catalogue just because I liked its color, covered it with gesso and painted over it. I love using the combination of blue and orange.

Brown Rice Cafe

たまに会う西城さん。今回はずいぶんと減量していて、見違えちゃいました。

Saijo-san is a friend I see every once in a long while. This time he'd lost quite a lot of weight, he looked almost like a different person.

blue

That's how I felt today. It must have been the rain. Or that's almost a full moon. Or the old hag that likes to disguise herself as a little birdie on my shoulder and tell me that butterflies are silly.

今日は気分もブルーです。雨だから？もうすぐ満月だから？
「ちょうちょなんて意味ないもの描いてどうすんの？」ってどこかから聞こえてくる「声」のせいかも。

live show

日曜日に代々木公園で行われていたアースデイ東京に行ってきました。今までほぼ毎年行っていたけど、今年はすごい人でびっくり！！ぎゅうぎゅうでゆっくりお店を見ることがあまりできなかったので、ほとんど一日ステージの前に座ってのんびり日向ぼっこしてました。絵は目の前にいたジーパン姿の男の子。東田トモヒロさんのノリノリのビートを聞きながらがしがし描きました。

Went to Earth Day Tokyo on Sunday. Unlike any of the past years, the place was so packed you could hardly see your way around. So we just plopped ourselves down in front of the main stage and listened to music all day. Got lots of sunshine! A guy in front of me was blocking my view so I decided draw him.

sunshine

Been trying out a watercolor paint set I'd wanted for a long time and received as a Christmas present. I love the beautiful saturated colors.

前からずっと欲しいと思っていた水彩絵の具をクリスマスにもらいました。やっぱりそんじょそこらの絵の具とは鮮やかさが違うね。

green pants

This bird has been appearing in many of my drawings lately. Inspired by the wooden bird Cherry Typhoon, a voluptuous burlesque dancer who models at Dr. Sketchy's events, was holding during her routine as a Hawaiian hula girl.

crimson

The last of a beautiful bouquet displayed at Genesis Art Lounge. Something about the weary look of a half-dried flower I find very appealing.

reading on chiyoda line

sakura

A new friend Yuko came to our Sunday hanami (cherry-blossom viewing) picnic at Shinjuku Gyoen wearing a cool, black-and-red striped kimono.

kyodo-shimo

reflection

movie buff

Kobe-ya

睡魔

Travels

Saturday afternoon

Hiroo Plaza

shiitake

Sofi

Kai 2

A collaboration with my 6-year old niece, Ali.

una 1

songbird

soda

Mido's tea cup

apple

joe

like minds

manhood

new bern

floating

perched

Walnuts

Leaves

Putting myself first.
Something new.
Out the window, the leaves sway to the wind.
They don't mind.
Why should I? Why should anyone else?
We all share this space.
Why not learn from the leaves?

Why must we compete?
We exist because of each other.
It's not about me. Just me.
But it is. I have to be me to be part of the tree.
We first have to have "me" before we can give it away.

Space to be.
Not about tomorrow.
It's about what I need now. Allows me to have a real tomorrow.

Apple guy

Raw