My Beginning

One day during summer vacation, sometime before grade three i felt the unstoppable urge to paint on canvas. I had always known that arts was my favourite subject at school and not only because the otherwise strict and eccentric art teacher loved my work. But because there was freedom in it. I grew up in a communist Poland so getting materials for art was not easy.  In fact, it wasn't easy to get anything apart from vinegar. Without asking I snuck into my mom's sewing stash and I picked up some of her white and blue checker pieces of fabric with a white reverse side. I had stretched it over a picture frame and put a few thumb tacks in. I had sat down with my elementary school poster paints and began to make strokes with my brush. The result was three yellow pyramids with a proportionally huge black cat sitting in front of them. Since that day the need for creating and art has never disappeared nor diminished. I have painted and drawn many pieces that have reflected my travels in Asia, personal experiences and most of all my family. They are the main source of inspiration.

Today, I have four paintings from Japan. Naruto beach in Tokushima prefecture, Mamba in Saitama prefecture, Trekking Ryokami-san in Saitama prefercture and Geisha-san from Kyoto.

Naruto Beach. This painting was done just for the sheer need of painting. There had been many days in my life at that time when i missed being a kid again, worry-free and careless. I missed having things that i lost and feelings that i wasn't sure come back for good. Naruto encases that uncertainty and the need for renewed feeling of love and marriage.

Mamba. I painted while surrounded by friends from different parts of the world. It was an amazing day by the riverside. We shared happiness, Asahi, Kirrin, BBQ meat, conversations that were typical only to this mixture of people and only at that point in time of our lives. We lived like campers, endlessly partying, working, listening to music and complaining. We called ourselves "Melrose Place", like the TV series.

Kanna river (Kannagawa), in different parts of it's flow,  gave us a lot of great memories. This is one of them. It is worth mentioning that Mamba village is now called Kanna, Saitama Prefecture.

Trekking Ryokami-san. My husband is a man of incredible vitality and energy. Once, when we lived in Kamikawa, he had made up his mind to go trekking in the mountains by himself while I stayed behind and enjoyed the company of my friend and neighbour. In preparation for it I had made him some nice rice balls, simple sushi and snacks to last him three days,  Fortunately and to my happiness, I had him back after one night. I always miss him when he is away. I hate sleeping alone. He kept me entertained with some amazing stories and pictures from the trek for days. This is one of the sights he saw during that walk in the woods of Mt. Ryokami (Ryokami-san). We did a day trip there together a year later. It truly took my breath away!

Mt. Ryokami (1723 m) or as the Japanese say Mr. Ryokami (Ryokami-san) is an amazing and a dangerous walk. Every year there are at least a few who die or get seriously injured while trekking that mountain. It encompasses ropes and chains on its way that help you pass the most dangerous spots. Yet it is worth the climb for it's magnificent views and animal spotting of Chichibu Tama Kai National Park!!

Geisha-san. This is a painting that came to be after my family's first stay in Japan ended. We had lived there for 6 years. Suddenly, i found myself back in Canada, underappreciated, underpaid and over worked. It had been nothing like we imagined it would be when we made the decision to go back to Canada. The longing for life in Japan struck me badly.

I looked through some pictures that we take millions of whereever we go and chose one of a Geisha standing on one of the romantic bridges in Kyoto. In the background you can see the sun had already set and there is a flat view of the fall leaves just lifelessly sleeping on a tree. In an instant I decided to take a shot at this beautiful lady, the ultimate symbol of Japanese mystic beauty in the western eye.