MI-LAB Exhibition & Discussion

MI-LAB (Mokuhanga Innovation Laboratory) will host an Exhibition and Discussion to welcome the six International artists taking part in this years' Mokuhanga Basic Training Program Residency at Lake Kawaguchi. 

Please join us in Tokyo on the 21st April to meet the artists participation in the up-coming MI-LAB residency, hear them talk about their work as well as engage them in discussion. An exhibition of their work will run from April 21st to May 3rd.

Preview Exhibition and Discussion Schedule

[Tokyo]
Artist Preview Exhibition
Exhibition Dates: April 21, 2015-May 3, 2015
Gallery Hours: 12:00-7:00 (Mondays and Tuesdays are holidays except for April 21st; the gallery will close at 5 PM on May 3rd )

Artist Talk and Discussion
Event Date: April 21, 2015
The event will begin at 6:30.
Entry is free.
To participate in the Artist Talk and Discussion portion of this event, please email MI-Lab by April 18th .

Location:
CfSHE Gallery
Arts Chiyoda 3331 B109
11-14, 6-chome, Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan 101-0021

BABE Bristol Artists Book Event, Arnolfini

Some new works made in 2015 will be shown at BABE on Saturday 11th & Sunday 12th April 2015 at Arnolfini Gallery, Bristol, England, as part of the M-Collective & Battenburg Press stand. A wonderfully full and inspiring event that will top you up creatively. Go and say hello to Sylvie on the stand. 

Sakura goodbye

so long.

Sakura Part II

Days of waiting spill over into days of dreamy awe. Days of feeling, looking too but mostly feeling. Sakura heralds renewal and possibility, presence of being, an appreciation and awareness of transience, impermanence. The continuity of the seasons, the reliability that warmth and light will arrive after the long cold desperate winter months. As true as encountering difficulties and challenges, over time there is a shift, a change, an alter in shape, a renewal of perspective, a look up, a look beyond and a move forward. Sakura reminds me to find courage, to be present, to have tenacity yet to constantly renew.   

Sakura Part I

As soon as the sun gives real Spring warmth and the chill in the late winter air subsides, the skies beckon and the trees sigh. There is a magical romance to impromptu mid-week picnics and close sakura bud inspection for it's estimated time of 'mankai' (full bloom). Everything needs to be done outdoors so as not to miss the ephemeral promise of its beauty. Drunk on anticipation, I draw and sew under the budding blossom. I eat under a Sakura each day the weather allows determined to be floored by it's lure. I observe silently, dogs dressed like their owners, organised refuse sites piled high with empty plastic o-bento boxes and wooden chopsticks, selfie sticks at every corner memories chockfull of moments, kawaii peace-signing girl troupes giving it their prettiest all, blue cloudless skies punctuated by tiny luminous petals and pink buds in waiting, 'shidare' (weeping) sakura and sakura that causing weeping. It's all as heart expanding as it gets. 

Anticipation

By mid March anticipation for the Cherry Blossom season is palpable. The days are longer, with time enough to head to the beach after work to glimpse the sunset, ride a swan boat or laze by the lake in the park long after the light begins to fade. Packing away thermals and hot water bottles and airing spring cottons. At home it's small steps towards spring, cleaning dusty winter windows and d.i.y haircuts, awaiting the best time of the year. 

Minnesota Center for Book Arts

I'm thrilled to have been selected to show 'All the News that's fit to Print (Brotherly Love)' at the Minnesota Center for Books Arts's forthcoming exhibition 'Reader's Art: Concealed, Confined and Collected from May 8th until July 26th 2015. The exhibition forms part of the Bookarts Biennale held at MCBA this Summer. The twin box works will be shown alongside 40 selected artists' works focusing on the book as container.

Spring-like days