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Showing posts from November, 2007

Holiday Shopping

Are you looking for something handmade or different? The Oasis Mall is an online collection of artists and crafters who individually own and operate their shops on Etsy. I personally love the soy candles and handmade soaps. My shop is featured in the Arts category. Jewelry Bath and Body Clothing and Fabric Crafts Paper Goods/Art/Prints Everything and More

Raindrops in my Hand, Original Painting on Rice paper

Being in Japan, there is no Thanksgiving holiday. However, with many Americans living here, we can order Turkeys for the holiday. Two years ago, we got a smoked turkey. I paid about $40 for it. I had my husband come with me to pick it up because I thought it was going to be big and heavy. When the supermarket clerk brought it to us, the box was so small that I couldn't believe it was a turkey. I had to confirm that it wasn't a whole chicken but a turkey. She assured me it was a turkey. I still didn't believe her. I checked the writing on the box. Yes, that said turkey too. It was just a little bigger than a whole chicken but ended up being the perfect size for us. I made stuffing and mashed potatoes from scratch and bought whole cranberries for the side. If you are in the States, I hope you have a wonderul Thanksgiving. As for me, no turkey dinner this year as I have to work late. Instead, I will take the day as a cue to be thankful for my life and famil

Tag!

I was tagged by Neda ! 1. If you owned a bookstore, what would you name it? The bookstore would definitely have my art on the walls. I can’t think of anything catchy though. 2. Which literary hero (male or female) would you like to be? At the moment, it is Lord Byron’s Manfred . “Think'st thou existence doth depend on time? It doth; … actions are our epochs” 3. If you were given the chance to be born in a different decade, which one would you choose? I would want to be alive at the time Michelangelo was painting the Sistine chapel. I would also like to have met Sor Juana de la Cruz . She is my heroine for life. 4. Who would play you in a movie? Someone who is as beautiful as Salma Hayek and as talented as Meryl Streep. 5. What was your favorite toy of all of times? It would have to be the tall evergreen tree that was taller than our house where we lived when I was between 3 and 7 years old. The tree branches reached all the way to the ground. Inside the tree was tent-like an

Gallery Juana Newsletter

The Gallery Juana Newsletter for November has arrived. If you haven't been to my Etsy shop recently, here is ... What's New: Postcard sized prints of my Painting titled, Sybil in Red . Professionally printed on Ultra-heavyweight (120#) card stock . Glossy front with matte back Size: 4.25inches x 5.6inches 10.6cm x 14 cm An ACEO titled, Sakura Woman Sakura is cherry blossom in Japanese. I layered sakura printed rice paper over ephemera -a woman's portrait. The contrast of color and black adds mystery and Self-assurance to her portrait. What's in the Works: I have an original portrait painting of a woman which I will be listing this week. She is part of the Sybil series. This week I will be working on a male portrait collage that needs to be finished. Thank you for visiting. http://www.galleryjuana.etsy.com

One story I heard this week

I probably meet and talk to at least 100 or more people a day. That doesn't seem like a lot and it doesn't include my posts on the internet. I often hear some strange things. Japan has many wonderful hot springs and most are within a 30 to 40 minute drive from where I live.  When you enter the spa area, you have a choice of baths ranging in temperatures from cold to hot. You also have a choice between indoor or outdoor for the hot baths. Some spas offer a tub bath in case you don't want to sit in a bath with everyone else. There is also the Stone spa (no water) which is a heated room with slabs of marble. The temperature is 100 farenheit (40 Celsius) , and it is all about sweating. I absolutely love the stone spa. I heard about a new type of spa: a bath in which the water carries an electical current through it. Most people I spoke to who have tried it said that it is painful. One person even lost control of his entire right arm. Hmmm.... Tomorrow is my day o

Obon Dancer

Obon Dancer: Japanese fabric Support: gessoed watercolor paper (140lb) and acrylic 2.5 x 3.5 inches This aceo is a continuance of my Japanese Women series. The U. S. A. just finished Halloween, and Dia de los Muertos just passed in Mexico on November 2 nd . August is the month that Japanese families honor and remember their ancestors. They do this by visiting the Family Grave as well as through gathering for the Bon Odori (Bon Dance). The song and music for the celebration varies from region to region. Although the Bon Odori is now synonymous with summer, its origin is in Buddhism. The dancing shows gratitude and appreciation toward one’s ancestors and the sacrifices that were made. Colorful yukatas (simple kimonos) are worn by both women and men. Everyone dances in unison around a high stage. The experience is both mesmerising and exhilarating .

ACEO, Original, Collage, Moon and Rabbit

I just finished this Moon and Rabbit Aceo. Moon, blades of grass, Rabbit: Japanese watercolor and acrylic on rice paper Support: gessoed watercolor paper (140lb) In Japan, red is a lucky colour and the rabbit is a lucky animal. Americans see the Man in the Moon; The Japanese see a rabbit pounding mochi (rice cakes). I have never had a rabbit, but I have read the book "Watership Down" by Richard Adams twice. The novel covers the adventures of a group of rabbits. It is very well written, and as I read, I forget that I am reading about rabbits. I recently found out about a children's story called "The Velveteen Rabbit" By Margery Williams . One quote from this book: "Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real." "Does it hurt?" asked the rabbit. "Sometimes,&q