The year 2021 has sped by incredibly fast.
This semester, I made some trips to meet in person and collaborate with my research partners. One of the happiest moments from this year was when I joined woodblock print workshops designed for people 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, and I knew how to do it. I made ‘flowers’ and a ‘cat’ and enjoyed the time with all the participants.
The participants made truly stunning prints of elaborate landscapes and animals. We had a nice chat throughout the session. One of the participants, a man, asked me if I had made woodblock prints before. It 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 the art class, and outside the art class, I drew my comic stories, manga. My dream was to become a comic artist.
There is so much I want to do during the Christmas holidays. I want to cook nice meals and read many books.
Merry Christmas!
