Exhibition Tsumugu 紡ぐ:

An Exhibition of New Works by Sleepless Kao

April 8 – May 8, 2021

At Branches & Knots

Dearest Friends & Art Lovers,

たくさんの人に訪れていただき、久しぶりにお会いする方も多く、1ヶ月間、本当に楽しかったです。来月6月にはガスタウンにある”out&about”というお店で小さな展覧会をしますので、今回観に来られなかった方も遊びにいらしてください。お店はセレクトされた小物もあって絵だけでなくお買い物も楽しめますよ😊
ではまたstay tunes

Exhibition Tsumugu 紡ぐ:

An Exhibition of New Works by Sleepless Kao

April 8 – May 8, 2021
At Branches & Knots

Dearest Friends & Art Lovers,

It’s springtime, and I am launching a new April art exhibition called “Tsumugu 紡ぐ” which literally means “spinning thread”; but this title is more aptly about creating story yarns, or weaving life experiences and inspiring thoughts together in my imagination. Gathering so many delicate fibers of my being, as it were, and making them into images that originate, and reverberate, in my heart.
Throughout these uncertain days, many challenging thoughts crisscrossed me and I realized that warm feelings from people and nature were my hugest inspiration. I want to create art of love and gratitude, special ordinary moments that can hopefully touch us all in heartfelt ways.
FYI, we can’t gather all at once, but please come visit in-person, solo paths; the feeling will be a month-long opening of many views, our tapestry of slowly returning to the world—safely and spaciously.
Arigato ne!
– Kao, April 2021

Place: Branches & Knots
at 3128 W. Broadway

Store Hours: Sunday Monday Closed, Tue – Sat 12-6

“Feelings from Frankfurt”

One day i was roasting some earthy veggies in the oven. I was super sad and tearful and had no idea how to feel less alone. Just then, i received a painting order from a person out of the blue, in another part of the world, who remembered an artwork from a trip to Vancouver over a year earlier. I suddenly felt seen and in the world!

The following is part of the e-mail from Frankfurt, Germany during Covid. Steffen’s kind words of connection in that moment helped me to carry on that day despite dark and isolating thoughts we all have experienced during the pandemic:

Hello Kao,
Yes. These times are uncertain for me too.

I work in the hotel and tourism sector…and am slowly getting tired of going into a new lockdown again and again.
…I feel for you and I’ve a good friend who is also very involved with art and I think it’s great that many people don’t lose their courage and energy despite the current situation.
Please don’t lose your energy, your pictures are so beautiful, they show hope and offer a lot of space for imagination and approaches.
You have a great talent!
Like the painting which I think is so great…friends said the picture has a certain sadness in it, but I think it radiates much more wonderful warmness, togetherness and satisfaction.
And that you can do everything together and that the beauty of nature is always there, whether in the dark with moonlight or while dreaming, when you look into the distance and only see a few clouds on the horizon and you think the storm is over now and tomorrow the sun will shine.
I’m confident that there will be better times ahead of you soon! 🙂

Warm greetings
Steffen

at Bird on a Wire Creations

Deliver to Bird on a Wire Creations. Cassie is super sweet person who taking care my art and the store😊. Store looks so lovely.
Please check them out @birdonawireart 💓

Broadwayに移転したBird on a Wire Creations Shopにデリバリー行ってきました。新しいプリントやグリーティングカードも置きに行ってきましたのでチェックしてみてください♬🎈

Calendar購入はEtsyサイト、もしくはバンクーバーにある下記のお店を訪れてみてください

SleeplessKao Etsy shop

Bird on a Wire

out & about

branches & knots

Postcard Place

love me, love you

With all this time spent at home, I drew 11 different illustrations on wood canvas, I thought about how going out and connecting with people isn’t so easy anymore, so these pieces are about acts of people caring for each other, I put that feeling into each canvas and sealed it in with a coating on top.

Please purchase from this site or contact to the shops listed below.ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ

この不安定な時、ウッドキャンバスにお互いをケアする気持ちを描き、最後にトップをコーティングして想いを閉じ込めました。

小さなウッドキャンバスは手のひらにのる10センチ角のキャンバスです。壁に掛けて楽しんでもらいたいです。☺️

購入はEtsyサイト、もしくはバンクーバーにある下記のお店を訪れてみてください

SleeplessKao Etsy shop

Out & About

branches & knots

Printed Calendar

I made calendars! This Calendar is a special edition, starting from February 2021 to March 2022. You can enjoy it 2 months longer.😊

My hometown is known as a Paper producing town where its surrounded by the beautiful Mt. Fuji and tasty mountain water.
I hope you can feel relaxed and warm looking at my calendar all year around.

Please purchase from this site or contact to the shops listed below.

カレンダー作りました!今年のカレンダーはスペシャルで2021年の2月から2022年の3月まであります。何と、2ヶ月も長く楽しめますよ😊

富士山の雪解け水が流れる水の美味しい私の生まれた故郷は紙の町でも知られています。

1年を私のイラストを見ながら少しでもほっこりした気分を味わっていただけたらという想いで作りました。

購入はEtsyサイト、もしくはバンクーバーにある下記のお店を訪れてみてください

SleeplessKao Etsy shop

Out & About

branches & knots

Postcard Place

Ceramic dolls

in progress.

Clay gives me a good feeling. They calm me down.
Someday, these clay will return to original shape through my hands.

進行中…

土から優しいエネルギーが流れ込んできて私は落ち着きを取り戻します。

いつの日か、これらの土は私の手を通して在るべき姿に戻っていきます。

Ceramic work again!

28 years ago, I was ceramic artist (that people called me). I couldn’t eat as illustrator. I started draw on a white ceramic surface.
That was my start as an artist in Canada.

5 years later, I got hit by car and hard to carry heavy cray. So I thought that is chance to change back to my focus.

Now, luckily I could live as illustrator. My fan is sending me pictures of my ceramic work through messenger.

I feel so grateful and touched…someone taking care my old work and watch how I am growing.

2021, I am starting again from here.

28年前、私は陶芸家でした(皆んなは私をそう呼んでいました)。 イラストレーターとしては食べていくことはできない日々で…プラクティカルな使えるアートならカナダ人は買うよ、と友人にアドバイスをもらい、私は白いセラミックの表面に描き始めました。それがカナダでのアーティストとしての私のスタートでした。

5年後、車にひかれて重いクレイを運ぶのが大変になり、私は元来の絵で食べていきたいという夢に戻るチャンスだと思いました。

イラストレーターとして生活ができるようになった今、ファンの方が20年以上前の私の陶芸作品の写真をSNSを通して送ってくれます。

誰かが私の作品を愛してくれて、私がどのように成長しているかを見ていてくれてるのを感じて、心から感謝しています。

2021年、ここからまたスタートです。

Happy New Year!

Year 2020 was a special year for me.

I experienced so many difficult times in the past but in this time, I started to question why I was making art. My time alone felt heavier than before, but when I received warm messages one by one, I realized why I chose to pursue making art.😌

“Your art makes me happy”, “ You make me happy with your artwork which I treasure as it makes me smile!”

“Keep on making your magic art to keep us all smiling”

Honestly, I couldn’t make any art when I was sorrowful, but I met this girl and she said “Thank you for being an artist!” “Thank you for keep drawing” to me with eyes sparkling from the excitement.

Those messages moved me so much since I was going through a difficult time.

Those warm things came into my spirit and made me to paint again. The warm things were full of affectionate messages.

I truly appreciate all of you who gave me messages, bought my art, came to see me at shops,  art shows and shop staffs who are taking care of my art very well.

There is no proof of this year being better,  but I have a strong feeling that Year 2021 will bring lots of great things.

So many bad things happened all over the world last year, so I think the only thing left is to climb up from the bottom.

I have been renovating the small room in my small house in my home town, Japan to make a studio. 🏠

After Covid -19 has subtled down, I want my artist friends and all my friends who live all over the world to be in this place to talk about art.

My 2021 resolution is to not lose myself wherever I am and continue making art.🎨

Please keep cheering me up.😊

I wish lots of love and happiness will come to all of you.🎍

2020年は特別な年でした。今までも困難は多々ありましたが、なぜ絵を描くんだろうとわからなくなり、一人でいるのが辛く思える時間が多くなりました。そんな時、ちらほらと送られてくる暖かなメッセージ、自分が絵を描くことを選んできた意味を再発見しました。

“your art makes me happy” “You make me happy with your artwork which I treasure as it makes me smile!”

“keep on making your magic art to keep us all smiling”

一時はあまりにも落ち込んでしまって正直描けなくなっていたのですが、

“Thank you for being artist!” “Thank you for keep drawing”

目をキラキラさせながら私に向かって嬉しそうに言う女の子に出会ったり、厳しい時間の中だからこそ、よりいっそう心の奥にそれらの言葉が沁みました。😌

暖かいものが体に注ぎ込まれ、もう一度、描く気にさせてくれるのは、それらの暖かい言葉でした。

メッセージを送ってくれる皆さんをはじめ、私の作品を買ってくれた方々や、お店や展覧会で言葉をかけてくれた方々、大事に作品を扱っていただいてるショップのスタッフの方々、皆さんに心から感謝をしています。

何の根拠もないのですが、2021年はいいことだらけになっていくような気がするんです。

これだけ世界的に大変なことが起きているのだから、あとは上昇しかないような気がします。

コロナが終息したら、バンクーバーのアーティストの友達、世界に散らばっている友達が遊びに来て、アートな話をする場所を作ることができたらいいなと、日本のホームタウンにある小さな家の小さな部屋をスタジオに改造しています。🏠

自分がどこにいても自分を見失わず、絵を描いていたいというのが2021年の抱負です。🎨

これからも応援をどうぞよろしくお願いします。😊

皆さんにもたくさんの愛と喜びが訪れますように祈っています。

ハッピーニューイヤー🎍