Japanese Fairy Tales and Mythical Creatures Retrospective
Hillsboro, Oregon had an event at Sequoia gallery for many years called Hip 2 B Square, where community artists could participate in painting a 12 x 12 square in whatever manner they desired. For many years, I chose to decorate these with Japanese fairy tales.
Additionally, I did some other fairy tale pictures.
This post is a retrospective of the journey I took creating them.
Urashima Taro
Legend of the Ocean Boy
One of my first oil paintings. Inspired by some stickers I had for sale in my shop at the time.
Available for purchase, prints
12 x 12 oil on canvas
Taektori Monogatari
Tale of the Princess Kaguya
Original square was gifted to a family friend, but a portrait shaped original/prints remains
for sale here.
Baby Kaguya
8 x 12 oil on canvas
The Two Kaguya
Taketori Monogatari, Tale of the Princess Kaguya
Inspired by Frida Kahlo's The Two Frida
I also like the dichotomy presented in the Ghibli film, Tale of the Princess Kaguya
The princess loved her early life wild and free in the mountains, but began to fade and languish when she was brought to riches and society life in the city. Its the interesting paradox of the world, that so many of the things humans seek such as power, wealth, luxury become prisons and can breed unhappiness once achieved. It moved me the way the princess yearned for the simplicity and connection of the way of life she experienced in the mountains. So I tried to depict her glowing, happy, free on the left in simple wear, and a cold more alien expression when dressed in court garb.
16 x 18 oil on canvas
Available here
The Princess Kaguya, Watercolor
Usually I do watercolor first, because it is a quick way to do color tests without investing too much materials and time (compared to oil), but I actually did this one after I did a few of the Baby Princess Kaguya. I love the way the white of the paper came through on this one.
12 x 16 Watercolor on Cellulose
Original Sold
Three Kappa in the Pond
Japan mythical yokai creature, Kappa river/water sprites
Oil on Canvas, 12 x 12
Available, not yet posted
I was having a bit of a rough health patch this year's Hip 2 B Square (2021?)
But still, I wanted to participate, So I created this.
I feel like the number 3 is a litle special in this one, so picture depicts three kappa and three cherry trees in the foreground of the grove.
More than an eastern landscape, It looks a little bit like the Pacific Northwest landscapes in Oregon.
Stay tuned as I gather more of the Fairy Tale and Folklore series pictures.