Day 4483: Persimmon Harvest & Nova's gift.

           

"Happier Times": junk mail collage.

  

Want music?

    

Click: Aretha Franklin, DayDreamin'

  

 

2GN2S

( some eye candy from Japan?)

"Peak Persimmon Drying Season Drapes Orange Curtains"

It’s peak persimmon drying season in Japan right recently. 

And for Wakayama prefecture, a major producer of persimmons, that means that roughly 70 farmers throughout the town of Katsuragi transform their farms into what is reminiscent of Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s The Gates, a 2005 art installation of orange curtains hung through New York’s Central Park.

 

The reason early November is peak persimmon drying season 

is because dried persimmons (hoshigaki) are a traditional food 

that plays a central role in kagamimochi, a New Year’s decoration found in households across Japan.  Kagamimochi is assembled by placing white mochi at the base. Next, dried skewered persimmons and, on top, a daidai orange. This structure is said to represent the Imperial Regalia of Japan: the mirror is the mochi, the jewel is the orange and the sword is the skewered persimmons.

a traditional year-end kagamimochi decoration (photo by makie sonoyama)

The dried persimmons is arranged on a skewer in a particular way. 

A total of 10 of them are skewered with 6 in the middle and 

2 on each side. This is important because, as in many cases, the Japanese love wordplay. Two (niko) on each end = smiles (niko niko) on the outside. Six (mutsu) in the middle = harmony (mutsumajiku) on the inside.

Persimmons are a special year-end for a number of  reasons. 

For one thing, they represent a good harvest, and allow the opportunity to be thankful for that. The persimmon tree is also a very long-living tree, hence symbolizing longevity. And lastly, persimmon (柿) 

can also be written as 嘉来, meaning ‘happiness to come’. 

More wordplay.

I delivered the gift to the birthday girl, a day late, but she did seem to like it. Eventually hung it in her room after hugging it for a while. It was fun to see her open it. If you missed the step-by-step, it is here.

Nova, age 11.

 

  

 

A 4+ minute video, Thievish as a magpie, here

 

 

 

  

 

Just because ...

 

                                                       Helmeted Guineafowl

 

 

  

 

Wednesday's Smiles ...  

 

  

   

 

 

  

   

   
 

 

        

Day 4482: Street Art Animation & Nova's Step by Step.

   

"Unending": junk mail collage & ink.

          

  

Want music?

    

Click:  Etta James, At Last

  

 

 

2GN2S

Nature-Based Animations Projected 

on São Miguel Island by VJ Suave

Artists Ygor Marotta and Ceci Soloaga of VJ Suave were recently invited to participate in the Walk&Talk art residency on São Miguel Island, Azores, Portugal. 

The duo transformed their projected street art animations to happily dance across the trees, cliffs, and shores of the the island including the Lagoa das Empadadas, Porto da Ribeirinha, Cachoeira do Cabrito and Lagoa das Sete Cidades. Using long exposure, VJ Suave captured their interventions with nature, creating the videos and GIFs seen here.

Vimeo , here

                          Yesterday's Step-by-Step

I wanted to do a collage for a very special 11 year old, Nova's birthday. She is a thoughtful, kind and loving young lady. With her own money, she bought shoes that turn into skates. So when the opportunity arises, like eating out, dinner was over but the adults kept talking, she skated around the empty restaurant. I love Nova!

1. 

a quick sketch

2.

a rough sketch on final paper, start collage.

3.

Torn paper and "wingin' it"

   

4.

Basic shape is done, now to elaborate.

5.

And, to start on the skates, shoe are my favorite.

6.

I added more details and outlined with a marker. 

Added letters. Matted & Framed.

close-up of # 6.

Happy 11th Birthday, Nova

 

  

 

A 5 minute video,  Torpedo, here

 

 

  

 

Just because ...

       

Moorhen

  

 

Tuesday's Smiles ...