Call Me Mr. B. – Two

I did a few new experimental pictures once I had settled 

into a beautiful studio all my own to work in. 

The Art Room was, for my money, the most beautiful room in the school, 

which was brand new and built at enormous expense at the end of Japan's bubble years.

Both the Art Room and its adjacent "Preparation Room"
(my studio) had real hardwood floors 

and wooden cabinetry and shelves—

and I don't mean plywood or particle board.

Here is a series of pictures I did in the 1990s, 

in the order of completion, 

that were not necessarily done in conjunction with lessons for the students;

they were just for my own interest and expression, 

but led to ideas for simpler applications 

 appropriate for student level interest and manual dexterity. 

1

This collage is entitled, right in the picture, World 1994.

It is a fairly large work, 110 x 80 cm,, and consists of various kinds of

materials: Japanese washi paper, wrapping paper, some felt tip

outline drawing and advertising flyers. It is an attempt to

contrast the overcrowded modern Japan that I experienced with Japan's

own idealization of its historic feudal past. 

2

This work is untitled and is 53 x 75 cm.

It is another collage executed using various techniques and materials.

The sky is marbling on wet paper as are the river, road and wall.

The mountains and grassy area behind the wall are Japanese washi paper.

The tree is black construction paper cut with an Exacto type knife.

The road and wall are spattered with a toothbrush.

The figures of the man and child are computer clip art. 

3

I call this picture Gokei for a small river gorge that I loved

the ride my motorcycle through when my son was around 10-years old and liked to ride pillion.

It is also a collage 80 x 64 cm. using

similar techniques to the other pictures in this series:

marbling on wet paper, computer clip art images,

cutting with Exacto type knife and even a piece of transparent plastic sheet

for the magic carpet effect.

There is also the use of torn marbled paper for the mountains.

On the left is an abstract impression of the gorge in the Autumn

contrasted to the city-like structures on the right. 

4

On my Yamaha Virago 400 cc. (composition)

c. 1994-5

To be continued...