Varnish Day Picture Hillsboro 2025 Selections

 

This was fun. The oil version of Cherries at Orchard Park was selected for Picture Hillsboro 2025,

     So, I spent some time varnishing paintings. 

      This is the other selection that will be shown at City of Hillsboro from the end of this month.

Black Outline Artist Spotlights, March 2025

 March 2025 Collections 

Still have a little learning to do about making good black outline manipulations. 

Mostly, patience. 

I tried a few techniques including erase to background and can come out looking just as dirty especially depending on the starting sketch. 

For my "Artists Divine" Project 

Kiseki Show, Cosplayer and Vocalist 

Shoka Stonelake, Calligraphist, Portland, OR 

Rudy Autio and Jun Kaneko in Omaha

Masao Noda

Masao Noda 

Emmy-chan Decora Loli

Los dos Kiseki (The Two Miracles) and Kiseki Show

 

One of the performers I'm following is "Kiseki Show" so I created this. It's also loosely inspired by The Two Fridas. Can you tell I like to couple and twin in portraits and art? I wonder why... well... can't get enough of it! Will link when available on my Etsy. 

Kiseki Show is a cosplayer and stage performer. One outfit was their Shibuya Host outfit, the other was a Golden Angel. painting this was a good time. 

Detail: 

Urashima Taro Take 2 Work in Progress

 Speaking of the retrospective, I loved the colors and concept of a sketch for the Urashimatro painting, but it was one of my first oils and I feel like I can do better! 

  So, this has been in progress recently now that I'm wrapping up a certain project. 

Urashimataro is the legend of the sea boy, who rescued a turtle on the beach. He followed the turtle to its home, and there he met a Sea Witch. In a Rip Van Winkle turn of events, she offers him a box filled with... should I spoil the surprise? Well, needless to say it wasn't good and he sayed under the sea after every horror was released from that box in Pandora fashion. Eventually he could return to his town, but it was many many years later and everyone was either old or deceased.

My goal is to capture the freedom and the shapes of the sketch... though it never quite seems to come out that way and sometimes have to change the placements of elements.

 Burnt sienna underpainting. Oil on canvas, lean medium, lavender spike oil. I gessoed the canvas extra this time. Maybe they are all primed these days, but I didn't notice a difference when I was doing the underpainting. Surface didn't seem any more or less thirsty. 

Masao Noda Collections Complete

      Wrapped up this collection this weekend

     This is a follow up post to a previous in-progress blog. 

There are a few other similar series in progress. Have at least 10 other artists I'd like to feature in a similar way. 

Masao Noda, collection

Oil Portrait, 11 x 14

Oil on Canvas, 2025 

Masao Noda, Black outline of graphite transfer sketchg

I was dreading doing the black outline digital manipulations but it was actually easier than I remember it. 

Masao Noda at the Drums, Black Outline of Graphite Transfer Sketch 

Special project coming up.

Try your hand at coloring it. 

Detail of Oil Portrait: 

City of Hillsboro Walter's Cultural Arts Center: Small Works Show #2

 

Small Works Show #2

December 2024 - January 2025

Selections

1) Meruhen (Castle on a Cloud)

Watercolor on Cellulose 

SOLD

2) Lily Pond 

Watercolor on Cellulose 

Available

3) Tokyo Banana

Watercolor on Rice Paper (SOLD

4) Galaxy No.4

Watercolor on Arches Cotton Press 

Available 

5) Fields of Gold 

Watercolor on Cellulose

SOLD

Japanese Fairy Tales and Mythical Creatures Retrospective 1

 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

Prints available here 

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. 

First Tuesday Art Walk 4/2023 Bleeding Leaves at Crystal Heart Books

 

Bleeding Leaves 

Crystal Hearts Books, Hillsboro Oregon 

You can find my fruit, cafe, and some natural world pieces at Crystal Heart Books

in Hillsboro Oregon. They have a permanent home there, until sold. 

Each first Tuesday of the month in Hillsboro is First Tuesday art walk, when this photo was taken. 

This was probably March or April 2023. 

If you're an artist, get out there! Its more fun! 

2/24/25 This weeks watercolors

 "Malia's Liver" and Artist Portrait: Painter M. Autio

Detail: Malia's Liver

Needs some brightness/contrast adjustments, but you get the idea. 

This painting features two of my favorite Daniel Smith granulating colors including lunar black and moonglow

About: I was inspired by the Golden Bomber music video "Maria's Liver" マリアの肝臓

I've dealt with some health issues that included my liver, so I was surprised to see a song with a funny title like that and it gave me a laugh.  There's more to the story of this painting, but that will have to wait for another day. 

Needle Felting: So many Elsas! (2014, Ichinomiya, Aichi, Japan)

 This was a fun enrichment day I organized for my students.

I was taking classes from needle felting artist Feutre Mille. 

I do say, they did a great job! 

If you had fun, class was a success! 

I dare say it was more fun to teach crafting than English. 

October 5th, 2014 

JADE, X Japan, Music Video inspired Painting Process, Yoshiki 2011

 

Process for making the painting "JADE", inspired by an X-Japan Music Video

Painted with real jade pigment, from Seattle Based Daniel Smith Watercolors

ORIGINAL AND PRINTS AVAILABLE 

Killer Queen, Freddy Mercury, Top of the Pops, Watercolor, 2019

 Killer Queen, Freddy Mercury, Top of the Pops, Watercolor, 2019

Original In Private Collection, Oregon, Unavailable

PRINT AVAILABLE

It's pretty wild that Freddy was a lover of cats, and no sooner did I bring this portrait to my music group members home as a winter gift, the cat came over to greet the picture. I thought it was a funny little coincidence.

This is a much nicer version of the smaller version watercolor I posted a few years ago.

This portrait brings back bittersweet memories. I still love this song and performance to this day. The costume, the charisma, a lot about it. At the actual time I painted this I had some health struggles, but still working on this artwork was therapeutic.

I would say I didnt use transfer paper to block this one in, but I think I did. It helped me achieve nice lines on the hands and accessories.

-M. 

Noda, Masao, First Tokyo Live Night Oil, from photo c. 1986

 Noda, Masao, First Tokyo Live Night Oil, from photo c. 1986

I have a few details to confirm~~~

Painted 2025

Nearing Completion

I'm thinking still to add some highlights to the hair, deepen face values, and clarify (or even abstract-ify) some background details. 

Mid Stage Completion

Early- Stage, blocking in colours

Blocked in Background and Figure

Noda, Masao-san On the Pier

  

    Social media can get a bad rap as being vapid and encouraging shallow communication.

    However, I have found some enriching pen-friend type connections at Instagram. (@kawaiimautio)

    Following regular posting about interests, I have come into contact with people around the world to communicate with regularly. 

    One correspondent, Masao Noda-san, a drummer based out of Yokohama, casually requested a portrait in 2023. Or maybe I offered to make one. 

     So we continued the tradition when I came into a little more time last fall and winter. I was able to start a mini series of watercolor, ink, and oil portraits. 

      As far as the art process, taking photos throughout the stages of painting has allowed me the perspective of being able to return to certain stages. From this perspective I can see the qualities and merits of each stage. It's excellent food for thought as I consider whether I want to try another composition again. 

     My current ceramics instructor insists "You need to know when to stop."

    I agree. So I'll post a process progression of my watercolor portrait, Masao Noda at the Pier, c. 1986.

FINISHED PORTRAIT PRINTS AVAILABLE HERE:  

FINISHED PORTRAIT: 

PAINTING PROCESS:  

Actually I'm really fond of this ethereal and partially complete stage. 

                 I can start from a photo and use transfer paper to make an ititial sketch, and add embellishments as I wish. Any photo can become an adult coloring book of sorts.