Growing up in Tokyo I was fascinated by the watercolor and oil paintings of Japanese artists, both contemporary and historic, Master woodblock printmakers.
My subjects are found in ordinary surroundings, street scenes, city scapes and people going about their daily routines. My scenes are representational, graphics, detailed and captivating. Yet, there is a softness to them from the unexpected nature of watercolor's infinite possibilities.
In recent years I have been painting using a pouring technique which improvises strong value contrasts, as I am captivated by the intense light and shadow contrasts that play in the subject's various forms. The pouring technique requires many layers of glaze and numerous applications of a masking process. The resulting improvisations may free me from making color choices, yet, they capture the striking beauty of the scene.
My hope is that my painting will evoke joy in viewer's heart as it gives me great joy and pleasure to paint. I am thankful to our Creator for giving me and experience such joy.
I am a Signature member of Baltimore Watercolor Society, Pennsylvania Watercolor Society, Missouri Watercolor Society, Potomac Valley Watercolorists; and member of Rockville Art League, The Art League of Alexandria, and Gaithersburg Fine Art Association.
Awards/Notable
2024 - "Arrival of Spring" was selected for the Missouri Watercolor Society's Annual International Exhibit.
2023 - Baltimore Watercolor Society"s "Watermedia Master" status was received
2023 - Merit Award for "Searching the Light" at Baltimore Watercolor Society's Mid Atlantic Regional Watermedia Exhibition.
2023 - Honorable Mention for "Remembering Venice" at Potomac Valley Watercolorists annual show at St. Andrews.
2023 - Honorable Mention for "Gelato Anyone?" at Gaithersburg Fine Arts Association" annual juried show.
2023 - First Place for "City Bikes 3" in Watermedia category at Rockville Art League Spring Juried show.
2023 - Best in Show for "Morning City Walk" at annual fundraiser's exhibit at the Art League in Alexandrea.
2023 - Honorable Mention for "Let the Vacation Begin!" at the Art League monthly Juried Show.
2022 - Third Place for "Quiet Day in Provence" in Watercolor Category at Rockville Art League Fall Juried Show.
2022 - Memorial Award for "Copenhagen Moment" at Philadelphia Watercolor Society's International Juried Exhibition.
2022 - Third Place for "Memory of Venice" in Watercolor category at Rockville Art League Spring Juried Show.
2021 - Honorable Mention for "Good Day Sunshine" at Rockville Art League Fall Juried show.
2021 - Virginia Watercolor Society Award for "Revelation" at Potomac Valley Watercolorists Winter online Exhibit.
2021 -Honorable Mention for "Coming and Going" at Montgomery Art Association Labor Day show.
2021 - Honorable Mention for "Stop and Smell the Flowers" at Baltimore Watercolor Society Signature member show at Caroll County Art Council.
2021 - Honorable Mention for "Milan Red Carpet" at Rockville Art League Spring Juried show.
2021 - Second Place for "Coming and Going"
Honorable Mention for "Mykonos Welcome" at Gaithersburg Fine Arts
Association Annual Juried show.
2020 - Best in Show for "Lismore Flowers" at the Art League monthly Juried show.
2020 - Honorable Mention for "Lunch at Lake Como" at the Potomac Valley Watercolorists online Exhibit.
2020 - Colson Art Printing award for "Backstreet of Copenhagen" at Baltimore Watercolor Society's Mid-Atlantic Regional Watercolor Exhibition.
2019 - Philadelphia Watercolor Society Cash Award and merchandize Awards for "Red Umbrellas" at 99th National Watercolor Society International Exhibit.
2019 - Honorable Award for "City Bike 2" at 3rd International Watercolor Contest founded by Abu Rawash. The image of my painting was included in the 2020 Selected Artists publication.
2019 - Honorable Mention for "What News in Bologna ?"at Potomac Valley Watercolorists St. Andrews Show.
2019 - Honorable Mention for "Peddling Up the Cobblestone" at Baltimore Watercolor Society Signature member show at Hoffberger Gallery.
2019 - Third Place for "Bike Break in Annapolis" in Waterloo Category at Rockville Art League.
2019 - Third Place at Maryland Federation of Art.
2018 - Gold Medal for "Rainy Day in Vancouver" at Pennsylvania Watercolor
Society International juried Exhibition.
Due to this award, a short article and the image of painting appeared in the "21 Best Watermedia
Paintings of the Year" in the February 20, 2019 issue of "Watercolor Artists"
magazine.
2018 - Jain Malkin Award for "Waiting for the Opening" at San Diego Watercolor Society International
juried Exhibition.
2018 - Honorable Mention for "View from Water Taxi" at the Art League of Alexandrea monthly juried show.
2018 - Juror's Choice Award at Circle Gallery at Maryland Federation of Art.
2018 - First Place in Watermedia at Rockville Art league Spring Show.
2018 - Solo Show in June/July at Black Rock Center for the Arts exhibiting 28 paintings
Current and future Exhibition
- Salon Eight Watercolor show at Brookside Garden Atrium. March 14 - April 18, 2024
- The Art League Gallery March Juried show at Torpedo Factory Art Center
-Monthly exhibit at Gallery 209, Artists and Makers, 11810 Parklawn Drive Rockville, MD
- The Art League Gallery 75 at Torpedo Factory Art Center
Future Exhibition
-The Art League Gallery April Juried Show at Torpedo Factory Art Center - April
- Salon Eight show at River Farm American Horticulture Society April 3 -June 4 2024
- The Art League Gallery 75 at Torpedo Factory Art Center
“Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and
poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen”
-Leonardo da Vinci
All images are copyright protected. No art images on this website may be copied or distributed without the written permission of the artist.
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