This semester, I travelled to meet my research partners in person and to collaborate face to face. One of the happiest moments of the year was participating in woodblock print workshops designed for people living with dementia.
We created woodblock prints together in the traditional Japanese style. We first drew a picture on paper. The paper was then placed onto a block of wood. We then carved the picture into its surface, and after that, applied ink. A piece of paper was placed on top of it, and the ink was transferred to the paper. When an artist explained the process to me, so many memories came back. I made woodblock prints many times as a child at primary school in Japan, so I knew how to do it. The participants made truly stunning prints of elaborate landscapes and animals. We had a nice chat throughout the session.
One participant asked me if I had made woodblock prints before, which evoked vivid memories from my childhood. I remember a teacher in the art class praising me as “excellent!” when I created a paper collage (called Chigiri-e) from hand-torn coloured washi paper, designing a picture of a large tree. I loved art classes, and outside school, I spent hours drawing comic stories and manga. At the time, my dream was to become a comic artist.
As the year draws to a close, there is much I hope to do during the Christmas holidays: cooking meals and spending quiet time reading books.
Merry Christmas!
