Happy New Year 2013!

I learned a lot from my experience/ life journey in 2012 as well.

The books “ You’ll See It When You Believe It” and “Manifest Your Destiny” by Wayne W. Dyer helped me to shift and clear my vision. And that gave me inner peace. It became to be strength in my consciousness

I walked up this morning.

I felt “Happy New Year 2013” from my bottom of my heart.

In his book, he talked about the 100th monkey. Some zoologist studied monkeys’ behavior. They found: for example certain number of monkeys start to wash food before eat. Then other place where is even far away from the monkeys, other group of monkeys who have no connection to them, start doing same thing.

So when all of us have inner peace, then whole world would be in peace.

This is my hope.

547. Hoping for Tomorrow Sumi-E by Mariko Irie

I painted this painting “Hoping For Tomorrow” in Sumi.

This painting will be in the Show “Black & White” at Artists Co-Op of Mendocino Gallery:

45270 Main Street, Mendocino, CA 95460

(707) 937-2217

Open daily 10:30 am–5:00 pm

The Show will be from Jan.8^th through Feb. 4^th.

I hope that you can stop by and see the original painting.

Love,

Mariko

I was in japan for two weeks.

It was too short. Oh well.

It was beautiful autumn season. I finished all my business in Tokyo, and went to my mountain house.

It was cold even inside of the house; this house is built for summer. So there is not good heating system.

Anyway I enjoyed seeing my favor maple tree’s leaves got more bright red day by day.

One morning it was sunny, I was walking, and see this colorful road.

546. Road in Autumn Watercolor painting by Mariko Irie

One of my watercolor class students wants to learn Sumi-E, which is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ink_wash_painting.

And he wants some real Japanese Sumi-E brushes. I have never used around $100 Japanese brush before. So I asked Dr.Shozo Sato who teaches Japanese traditional culture including Sumi-E at the Illinoi University.

I was lucky that he was at home in Fort Bragg CA. He invited me to his studio and explained and showed me real good brushes.

It’s amazing Japanese really craftsmanship of brush making.

And Dr. Shozo taught me how to wash Japanese brushes. They have to wash through the bottom very well. Other wise over the years Sumi stay bottom of the brush and glued, so end up you can paint only tip of the brush.

I washed my oil painting brush like he washed Japanese brush, brush’s hair got tangle up and it wouldn’t get back to the shape. I mean that I ruined the brush. But even you abuse Japanese brush, it goes back to the shape.

And he told me that if it’s a good brush inside they put strong hair, so the brush has springy.  So when you paint a peddle of flower by one stroke, at the end, the tip of the peddle is very thin, pointed.

Dr. Shozo wants us to read the book is written about spiritual of Sumi-E. One is written in English for my student and other is for me in Japanese. The title of the book is “The Way of Chinese Painting” By Mai-mai Sze.

The next day I painted these painting with Sumi on Arches watercolor paper.

544. Pine at Jug Handle Beach in Sumi on Watercolor paper by Mariko Irie

545.Peace at Jug Handle Beach in Sumi on Watercolor paper by Mariko Irie

One of these paintings, “Peace at Jug Handle Beach” was one of www.dailypaintworks.com Facebook picks of the day on Dec.3^rd.

I’m so happy that somebody can see the value of Sumi-E/Ink Wash painting!!!!

540. Fence on Mendocino Headlands Watercolor painting by Mariko Irie

This painting is same location as “539. Sunny Mendocino Headlands”.

I feel vibration of sunny day from this painting. Don’t you?

This painting composition is very successful.

They put this fence for avoiding people fell into the ocean. There is a hole to the ocean. So when waves are rough, you can see the splashing of waves from the hole.

I went to Mendocino Coast on Sept. 7^th. It was gorgeous weather.

In August, every time I went to there always it was gray sky.

Sept. 7^th was First Friday, which is Art Walk in Fort Bragg. Of cause everybody was happy about the weather after whole month gray sky.

This month feature artist at the Northcoast Artists Galley is Rita Crane. She is a one of my good friends, fantastic photographer. She is showing some of her photographs, which she doesn’t show normally. It’s very interesting show.

My oil paintings, which are “Way to Mendocino II” and paintings of vegetable and fruit, are in the front window of the gallery.

Anyway I was talking about the day of weather.

So I painted this painting “Sunny Mendocino Headlands”.

539. Sunny Mendocino Headlands Watercolor painting by Mariko Irie

If you know the Mendocino Headlands in Mendocino Village, you know where it is.

Old time, over 100 years ago two people started logging company in Mendocino Village and built the village, and they tied ships here. If you go to Ford House museum and Kelly House museum in Mendocino Village, you will see the old photographs and the model of the village, which shows ships were tied on this Headland.

I went to Mendocino Coast three times in August.

Every time I was there, days were very cloudy.

My friends who live on Mendocino Coast, they got sick of gray sky.

I understand that feeling.

But I like to paint any weather. All weather have character.

528. Lonesome Seagull on Cloudy Day Oil painting by Mariko Irie

I love these colors of this painting. I call these color combination “Wabi Sabi”. It’s Japanese.

Japanese tea ceremony is based on Zen Spirit. Sen Rikyu was Tea Ceremony Master. He profound these color combination.

How do you like?

I’m having fun with painting in oil and watercolor back and force.

538. Pears & Grapes in Red Oil painting by Mariko Irie

They are so different media to deal with.

For example: When we paint in oil, we paint dark to light. But when we paint in watercolor, we have to paint light to dark, otherwise, dark paint bleed and smudge the painting.

Anyway switching oil to watercolor, I have to switch my brain as well.

I used the background, brick red. It’s quite success, isn’t it?

It was almost Sunset.

I was driving on Casper Main Street.

This house and the light caught my eyes. It’s very sweet scene.

537. House in Light Oil painting by Mariko Irie

Cypress trees are behind and old fence is in front. It’s a very typical Mendocino coast scene, isn’t it?

When I stayed at my friend’s house, I saw this small bottle with a pink rose on a kitchen counter. Reflection on a counter was beautiful. Then I found several same shape blue bottles. I put them on the counter and I fascinated these things and shadows.

At that time, I just had oil paint, so I painted in oil.

Now I painted in watercolor.

536. Blue Bottles & Pink Rose Watercolor painting by Mariko Irie

I painted only things and shadows on white watercolor paper. I love this painting so much.

I painted “ To Mendocino” in watercolor in 2008.

I love this scene so much.

Victorian house, eucalyptus trees, barns and big field at sunset. Such an exquisite scene isn’t it.

Now I painted the same scene in oil again. I named “Way to Mendocino II”.

530. Way to Mendocino II Oil painting by Mariko Irie

When I’m painting in oil, I don’t need to wait to paint to be dried. So I can keep painting till bedtime or finish. I like it. Brash strokes are so alive.