“COLLAB”, opening reception at Touchstone Gallery

“Collab” had a great opening last night. Thanks to @jduboisarts for including my work with other excellent pieces.

As a native of Japan, I have long been fascinated by Yayoi Kusama, a Japanese artist who has achieved international popularity for her artwork and her unique artistic vision.  In mid-2023, I was able to examine her artwork at close hand at her exhibition at the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, DC, as well as at her own art gallery and museum in Tokyo, Japan. 
The polka dot patterns that she incorporates into her pieces are also a favorite pattern of mine.  They are very similar to the circular shapes of the organic forms that are influenced by the crystalline glazes I made as a ceramicist that I use in my paintings. 
One of my ongoing projects is a Sunflower series of paintings that always include a ladybug, which also has polka dots on its back.  For this sunflower painting, I have combined Yayoi Kusama’s signature polka dots and the geometric shapes she uses in her backgrounds with the crystalline glaze-inspired circular organic forms that I use in my paintings to create a collaborative floral presentation.