Baby Rhino for Pyarji

Baby Rhino
pencil on strathmore

This running friend has the most incredible gesture of glee. I draw studies of the baby animals prior to making the stamps. Usually, a study will have to be altered to create the contrast conducive for making a stamp. This is the first step. Baby rhino stamp is coming soon.

Opal

Study of Opal
In honor of the Turkeys on Timberlake Drive
watercolor on paper

Opal is a beautiful white turkey with very intelligent eyes. I have tried my best to capture her spirit. I have to browse the internet for some of my images. Needless to say, I usually dread searching for source photos for my baby animal series. This time, I lucked upon a blog by Tracy H. . Her blog is http://diggingthroughthedirt.blogspot.com/ the photographs and stories of animals are amazing and real. And though the reality makes me cringe each time I try an image search for an animal reference, this Reality is that for a brief moment - I get to see, read, learn and enjoy live animal stories that are incredibly heartwarming and moving. Opal is one of those stories - Thank you Tracy H.

Study Break

Study of Palms While Taking a Study Break
pencil in Genki textbook

This study was done while studying in a classroom at Akizugawa Elementary School on a rainy afternoon. My teachers were in a meeting in the staff room and thus I found a quiet spot to study. Needless to say, I had a pencil and a book,
so certainly I wanted to draw more than study.

New Works

The Yarn Knows
inked stamps on postcard

I really like images of mice.
The yarn is in honor of Danielle and everything she does with fabric.

Crow Knows How
inked stamps on postcard

Camera How To
inked stamps on postcard

This is of Pyar's Canon G7, though it may be a little generic in style. I have many friends and family who are amazing photographers that inspired this stamp - including: Anne White, Lewis Anderson, Tim Lisko, Lindsay Hadley, Ann Curry, Jewel Anderson and my Pyar.

Many Friends Postcard

Clever Karasu
inked stamps on postcard

Crow finds herself in all kinds of situations.

Many Friends on Fude (brush)
inked stamps on postcard

The fude stamp was inspired by friend Michiyo san. She is an amazing artist and uses a variety of brushes for her sumi ink works.

Nezumi Collaboration

Nezumi
pencil on postcard

Pyar and I collaborated on this drawing for our friend Fumiyo san. I am working on a series of drawings and stamps of all the animals in the Chinese Zodiac.

String of Animals on Paper Circles

Paper Circles
mixed media

I have made these with letters from Danielle and wrapping papers that I have stamped. This one was specifically made for the Berry Family. They are expecting a baby girl. I thought these would be lovely for her room. When hung from the ceiling they will turn to reveal each side with a different image.

Drawings and Studies

Rock Study at Chikatsuyu
pen and ink on paper

We had a wonderful hike with Tiega in May along the Kumano Kodo. I started the study on location and finished with a photograph from our friend Jesse.

Park Study at Wakayama Castle's Park
pen and ink on paper

Pyar and I had to go to immigration last week. Here is a sketch from the park on the grounds of the Wakayama Castle.

thank you note for Inui san
(the paper has rounded corners)
watercolor and pencil on postcard

Inui san is our wonderful neighbor. She has a salon on the corner just down from the station and Okuwa. On our way to Big U a couple of weekends ago, she was outside trimming in her garden. We stopped to pet her sweet dog, we named him Mr. Pudding. We usually say hello in our little bit of Japanese and during this stop she gave us hydrangeas (ajisai) and parsley (paseri) she said as a thank you.
So, certainly, we want to thank her for being such a wonderful neighbor.

Baby Koala on wood disc

Baby Koala
inked stamp on wood disc

This one is separate from the previous post because I just finished the carving of the stamp.
I struggled with the ears, koala ears are very interesting shapes. I really like the sweet inquisitive face and chunky baby belly.

Many Friends Postcard

Many Friends
inked stamps on postcard

I like creating environments with other stamps for the animals.
(The elephant is balancing on a paintbrush)

Arrow on Wood Disc

Arrow
inked stamp on wooden disc

This is a great shape that I have been draw to and have created several arrow stamps. This one is to remind all of us of our beginning, our middle and our ends.

Baby Animals Series on Wood Discs

Baby Panda Face

this is an ongoing series of the baby animals stamps inked on wood discs. The discs are about 2" to 3" round and about 1/4" thick. I have put on a clear coat on the front, then date and sign the backs. They come in a variety of colors, sizes and placements on the circles.

Baby Monkey Face

Octopus

Inoshishi

Crow
Karasu in Japanese

Friends on Bicycle Series

Bicycle Friends, Crow
inked stamps on paper

This is Alison's alter ego in Pyar's comic, Crow and Puppy.

It is also a favorite of Dad Lewis.
The crows in Tanabe are very clever and playful. We have watched them in the garden below playing games, literally. One to four will be in the garden at a time, some pick up rocks and drop them from a hill or the wall to watch them roll and sometimes another crow will pick up the rock and do the same. They also love the plastic growing containers that Sawabe san leaves in his garden as markers. We have seen them pick them up and with a scooping motion toss them up in the air and then jump on them for more fun. It is a riot.

Bicycle Friends, Octopus - For Timmy
inked stamps on paper

Certainly everyone wants to ride a bicycle, and who better equipped than a beautiful creature with eight legs?

Bicycle Friends, Inoshishi
inked stamps on paper

The inoshishi is like the wild boar in America. They are striped when they are young and have very sweet faces. When older, they can weigh more than an average man and some people consider them pests, others, dinner.
We like to look at them. We have not seen any in Tanabe proper, but certainly are around in the wooded areas.

Counting in English Book

Counting in English Book Cover

stamps in ink

I have been creating groups of stamps to tell stories. Several of those appear in this book, a gift for Funagi Sensei and his family. The pages of the book are below. This is my first attempt at anything like this and I definitely learned what works and what to incorporate in my next attempt. I really like the idea of a story to work through each counting page incorporating something about counting in English in Japan.

Counting in English Book

Counting in English Book