THE
GRANTBRADLEYmagazine
March2012
ISSUE #1
RYÔKO OIKAWA
及川 良子
SHOWING MARCH 2012 AT THE GRANT BRADLEY GALLERY
1 St Peter’s Court Bedminster Parade Bristol, BS3 4AQ
T. 0117 9637 673 W. grantbradleygallery.co.uk E. info@grantbradleygallery.co.uk
Ryoko Oikawa is an established and influential artist from Iwate, Japan. She has held exhibitions of her work in China, Japan, France and Bangkok where the Thai Royal Family described her as a “national treasure”. She has won many awards including the Culture Prize at the Japan/Italy Modern Great Artist’s Exhibition. Having sent her work to the UK for her exhibition here at the gallery last year, her paintings would have certainly been damaged if not destroyed by the March 2011 tragedy in Japan. This exhibition marks the Month one year on from the Japanese earthquake, and it will remind people of the devastating impact on Japan and it’s people. A self taught artist, Ryôko Oikawa invites the viewer to embark on a journey of tranquil discovery. Working with a natural theme of flora and Japanese landscape, Ryôko’s work evokes a calming and poetic response. This exhibition is a unique insight into Japanese creative culture and traditions. Ryôko’s use of heavily applied oils give the paintings a three dimensional quality, this depth gives the paintings a ‘living’ quality and a delicate nature. Ryôko achieves this aesthetic quality by using just one palette knife throughout all of her oil based paintings. The gallery is delighted to exhibit this influential artist’s work here in Bedminster, Bristol. Having gained international recognition from countries such as Thailand, France, Italy and Holland, we proudly present her work to the UK to be experienced and enjoyed. Ryôko first became interested in painting at a very young age after an inspirational arts teacher complimented her work at school. This experience has sparked a lifelong passion for Ryoko to encourage young people and inspire them creatively. When asked what her greatest artistic achievement was Ryôko said: ‘During one of my exhibitions in Japan, an elderly man came to see my work. He spent a long time viewing the work and afterwards came to tell me that he would wish to go to the places depicted in my paintings when he passed. That these places were of such tranquil and harmonious perfection that he would be happy to spend eternity there’ Ryôko finds inspiration from many sources, artists such as Claude Monet (in particular his ‘Bridge over a pond of waterlillies’, 1899 piece) have had an influence on her work. Also French painter Pierre Puvis de Chavannes has had a profound influence, Ryôko particularly found inspiration in ‘The poor fisherman’ by this artist. When asked what other aspects of life Ryôko found inspiring she replied: ‘I find inspiration in the beauty within nature and the changing seasons. I also love how the landscape can evoke strong feelings of nostalgia and memory.’ Ryôko is very interested in seeing how it will be received. I asked her what she wishes for people to feel as they view her work: ‘Firstly I want people to enjoy it, and for the paintings to make them feel free. I want the paintings to encourage people and make them feel positive. And I especially wish for the paintings to touch the heart.’
及川 良子
SHEEP (Shall we go back home?) 羊(そろそろお家へ帰ろうか) I had been aiming to sketch sheep sometime and one day, I had a chance to visit Koiwai farm. At dusk three sheep were left behind from the flock and they were seeking the way home, peacefully and quietly. Oil on canvas £7,600
LYSICHITON CAMTSCHATCENSIS ミズバショウ With the melting of the snow in April, Lysichiton Camtschatcensis started to sprout through the snow. I was compelled to sketch it. Oil on canvas £7,600
MICHINOKU FOLK VILLAGE みちのく民俗村 Traditional Japanese house called Nanbu Magariya and Well, from the late Edo period (19th century). Nanbu magariya are the traditional L-shaped farmhouses once found throughout the Iwate region . Oil on canvas £4,750
PASTURE LAND IN EARLY SPRING 早春の牧野 Spring comes late in Iwate. There is still white snow at the top of the mountain in April-May, the plants are verdant and green in the pasture. Oil on canvas £4,750
FLOWER ANG DOG 花と犬 In August, we have lots of flowers in our garden (Princess Sunflower, Lithospermum Purpurocaeruleum, Gymnaster Savatieri etc.), and a dog is taking a walk. Watercolour £3,200
WILD CHRYSANTHEMUM
野菊
Wild Chrysanthemum blooming in Autumn Oil on canvas £2,850
FLOWERS (Forsythia, Korean Azalea and Kirishima Azalea) 花 (レンギョウ、 ヨドガワツツジキリシマツツジ) These flowers bloomed beautifully in our garden. Oil on canvas £2,850
THE COMPANY IN THE FOREST
森の仲間
A Great Spotted Woodpecker and Owls perch together, as friends, in the forest. Underneath a Fox and Squirrel bask in the sunshine. Oil on canvas £2,850
WILD AND SMALL CHRYSANTHEMUM
野菊と小菊
In October, Wild Chrysanthemum and Small Chrysanthemum bloomed at the same time and I put them into a bottle to paint. Oil on canvas £2,200
PRINCESS SUNFLOWER
姫向日葵
In July, I was fascinated by the small yellow flower, which bloomed prolifically. Oil on canvas £1,850
AN AVENUE TO THE CHUSON-JI BUDDHIST TEMPLE
中尊寺へ続く表参道 月見坂
The hill is called Tsukimizaka and it shows the path way to the Chuson-ji in Hiraizumi, Iwate. Hiraizumi Iwate has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2011. Oil on canvas £1,500
SILVER BIRCH FOREST IN LATE AUTUMN
晩秋の白樺林
I was keen to paint the Silver Birch trees across the plateau. When I visited the plateau to paint the Silver Birch trees at the end of Autumn, the light snow started to fall. Oil on canvas £1,500
FLOWER
花
These flowers bloomed in my garden in late April. Oil on canvas £1,300
BOTTLES AND FRUIT
ビンと果物
Fruit and bottles combined in a still life composition. Oil on canvas £1,300
SCENTS OF AUTUMN
秋の香
Autumn flowers from our garden, painted by finger. Arrangement Cosmos, Iris Domestica and ornamental plant. Oil on canvas £1,700
PRINCESS SUNFLOWER, LITHOSPERMUM PURPUROCAERLEUM, INULA SALICIANA VAR. ASIATICA AND SMALL
姫向日葵と江戸紫とかせん草と小菊
In August i have lots of flowers in bloom in my garden, sketched with joy! Oil on canvas £1,150
SMALL CHRYSANTHEMUM
小菊
In October, Small Chrysthanthemum arranged into a pale vase. Oil on canvas £1,250
HYDRANGEA
あじさい
After the rain the bright sun captures the radiance of the Hydrangeas. Oil on canvas £625
ROSE
バラ
Roses bloom beautifully, captured in the blink of an eye. Oil on canvas £625
SUNFLOWER, COFFEE CUP AND BISCUIT
向日葵 (コーヒーカップとビスケット)
Cup and biscuit beside sunflower, at tea time. Oil on canvas £625
SUNFLOWER AND FRUIT
向日葵 果物
How about this combination? Sunflower and fruit. Oil on canvas £625
PROMENADE (KOTARO TAKAMURA)
散歩道 (高村光太郎)
A poet, Kotaro Takamura, walked past the Silver Birch in his local area. Oil on canvas £425
HOW ABOUT COFFEE?
コーヒーはいかが
I visited this coffee shop with a friend. Oil on canvas £425
FLOWERS AND CHERRIES
花とサクランボ
3 varieties of flower bloom at the side of the field were picked and painted with cherries. Oil on canvas £425
GYMNASTER SAVATIERI, LESPEDEZA, LEOCOJUM AESTIVUM AND COLUMBINE 都忘れと仙台はぎとスノーフレー クとおだまき Flowers, picked from field and garden and arranged in a mug. Oil on canvas £425
LILAC AND VIBURNUM PLICATUM VAR. PLICATUM F. PLICATUM ライラックとオオデマリ I like the balance of complementary flowers. Oil on canvas £285
RANUNCULUS ASIATICUS
ラナンキュラス
The green centres of the flowers clearly stand out from the yellow petals: it is excellent. Oil on canvas £285
GYMNASTER SAVATIERI AND BOTTLES
都忘れとビン
Gymnaster Savatieri flowers change their shine from blue to purple to pink: arrangement in a green vase. Oil on canvas £285
FLOWER AND FRUIT
花とくだもの
Vibrant small flowers collected into a pale white vase. Oil on canvas £285
LITHOSPERMUM PURPUROCAERULEUM, GYMNASTER SAVATIERI AND FRUIT 江戸紫と都忘れとくだもの An explosion of colour, with contrasting size flowers, arranged in a pale vase. Oil on canvas £285
THE
GRANTBRADLEYgallery T. 0117 9637 673 W. grantbradleygallery.co.uk E. info@grantbradleygallery.co.uk