Woman’s Back

When I was staying in San Diego in 2008, at that time I was not living in San Diego yet. I couldn’t find my scene for painting in San Diego. Then I started to think about human’s beauty and I wondered if people forgot human is a part of nature.

Japanese woodblock, Ukiyo-e influenced to design this Girls’ series.

I’m always interested in lines.  When I was Art university student in Tokyo, figure drawings of Hokusai Katsusika fascinated me. Beautiful floating lines of Aubrey Beardsley, Alfons Maria Mucha. Ben Shahn’s lines are very unique. I love his “Cat’s cradle”. It’s only lines. Two hands with many strings.　 http://plaza.rakuten.co.jp/pess5547/diary/200806160001/

I love lines of Katazome, which is Japanese stencil dye technique. They brush persimmon juice onto rice paper and steam. They repeat the process to make very strong and crispy paper for Katazome stencil. Cutting the Katazome stencil with very sharp blade creates beautiful unique and fascinating lines. My favor artists of Katazome are Keisuke Serizawa, Toshijiro (Nenjiro) Inagaki and Isa Toshihiko.

This original of “233. Woman’s Back” was only line drawing in Gouache with brush on Rough Watercolor paper. Rough surface and brush stroke create very fascinating texture to the lines. Also brush makes thick, thin, variety lines. I use the character to look like three dimensions. Who bought this work, loved the way came out. And she purchased “232.Woman sitting” as well.

There is a cooperative gallery in Fort Bragg CA, which is named the Northcoast Artists gallery. It’s a professional artists’ gallery. I’m so proud of being a member for 20 years.

When we had a show which theme was RED at the Northcoast Artists gallery in 2008.  I put red on the background of “233. Woman’s Back” in a computer to make Giclee print. This kind of Giclee Print is my new printmaking. I used to do printmaking. I did Etching, Monotype, Serigraph and woodblock. I love graphical design. All of printmaking are very interesting media.

Women who are so different shape of bodies, came to me and told me that “233. Woman’s Back”. looks like them. I love to hear that, because I think that they love the design, feel to close to the image. And a lot of women purchased prints of  “233. Woman’s Back”.

In 2010, I painted “348.Woman’s Back in Red” in Oil on 24” x 24” Gallery Wrap Canvas. It’s same design as “233. Woman’s Back”. But this time I designed to be red on background. I painted yellow first, and Magenta and Cadmium red to create slightly texture. It came out marvelous. When a painting came out very good, I don’t feel like I painted the painting, just it’s done. It’s a big painting. The person purchased this painting for his wife’s birthday. They are a beautiful couple.

My Girls’ series is at my website www.mariko-irie.com under Figure.