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Curator's Corner

Gem of the Month: Ryōhei Tanaka

Monday, June 2, 2025 | Karl Cole

My gem of the month for June is a fantastic printmaker from Japan, Ryōhei Tanaka. If you ever want to teach a lesson about use of line to depict nature, this artist fills the bill for imagery. His ama ...

Curator's Corner

Artist Birthday: Yamaguchi Katsuhiro

Tuesday, April 22, 2025 | Karl Cole

Katsuhiro Yamaguchi was a key figure in the transition to modernism in Japanese art after World War II (1939–1945). He incorporated his view of modernist experiment almost as a science into nume ...

Curator's Corner

National Pet Day: Isoda Koryūsai

Friday, April 11, 2025 | Karl Cole

National Pet Day is an unofficial holiday celebrated on April 11. It was founded 2005/2006 by animal advocate and pet and family lifestyle expert Colleen Paige. The day is dedicated to all types of pe ...

Curator's Corner

National Poetry Month: Sōtatsu Tawaraya and Hon'ami Koetsu

Monday, April 7, 2025 | Karl Cole

I’ve posted previously about how poetry can be a visual art form when in the hands of a great calligrapher. I am not ashamed to repeat that assertion with this beautiful example of calligraphy c ...

Curator's Corner

Artist Birthday: Nōguchi Shōhin

Tuesday, February 25, 2025 | Karl Cole

The painting style that evolved during the Southern Song Dynasty is considered by scholars to have been the classic example of Chinese monochromatic painting, particularly the "literati" sty ...

Curator's Corner

Artist Birthday: Awazu Kiyoshi

Wednesday, February 19, 2025 | Karl Cole

In Art Today in Kyoto, Awazu's composition focuses on recalling the past artistic glories of Kyoto, the former imperial capital (794–1868 CE) and an important artistic center which fostered some ...

Curator's Corner

Artist Birthday: Minami Keiko

Wednesday, February 12, 2025 | Karl Cole

Keiko Minami was a sōsaku hanga (creative print) artist, a group of printmakers (primarily woodcut) who created the drawing, carved the woodblock, and printed the image, as opposed to the traditional ...

Curator's Corner

Artist Birthday: Shimizu Seifu

Monday, February 10, 2025 | Karl Cole

The Chinese had a legend of the brave carp who swam against the current on the Yellow River to mate, and few were courageous enough to swim over the Dragon Gate waterfall. Those that did turned into d ...

Curator's Corner

Artist Birthday: Shinsui Itō

Tuesday, February 4, 2025 | Karl Cole

As an artist associated with the shin hanga movement, Shinsui Itō incorporated Western elements of perspective and attention to sculptural form into his work. He also observed compositional aspects of ...

Curator's Corner

Visualizing Cold in Works of Art

Monday, January 27, 2025 | Karl Cole

It probably does not need saying by now, but the last week has been quite cold in New England. I thought it might be interesting to see how artists visually interpret the idea of “cold.”&n ...

Curator's Corner

Humor in Art Since the 1500s

Monday, January 13, 2025 | Karl Cole

Now that winter has set in with a vengeance, I think it is the perfect time to look at some art that can elicit a smile. ...

Curator's Corner

Happy New Year 2025: teamLab

Monday, December 30, 2024 | Karl Cole

I can’t think of a nicer way to end 2024’s blog posts than with images from the beautiful immersive digital installation, Proliferating Immense Life - A Whole Year per Year, by the Japanes ...

Curator's Corner

International Pomegranate Month: Lu Zonggui and Keiko Mori

Monday, November 11, 2024 | Karl Cole

I can’t find anything about the history of International Pomegranate Month. However, I think pomegranate juice is yummy (and good for you), so let’s celebrate the month with art! ...

Curator's Corner

Gem of the Month: Shirō Kasamatsu

Monday, October 28, 2024 | Karl Cole

Ukiyo-e was a woodblock print aesthetic that was popular from the late 1600s to the mid 1800s. The genre developed a visual vocabulary that documented the entertainments of Japanese urban centers, par ...

Curator's Corner

Gem of the Month: Naoki Takeyama

Monday, September 9, 2024 | Karl Cole

If you are fascinated by the ancient art form of cloisonné enamel, then you will be even more excited to see the art of Naoki Takeyama. His enameled copper works are simply stunning! ...

Curator's Corner

Art for National Peach Month 2024

Monday, August 19, 2024 | Karl Cole

August was first declared National Peach Month in the United States in 1982. Since August is the month when peaches are supposed to be at their peak ripeness, let’s look at some works of art tha ...

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Gem of the Month: Ryōhei Tanaka

Artist Birthday: Yamaguchi Katsuhiro

National Pet Day: Isoda Koryūsai

National Poetry Month: Sōtatsu Tawaraya and Hon'ami Koetsu

Artist Birthday: Nōguchi Shōhin

Artist Birthday: Awazu Kiyoshi

Artist Birthday: Minami Keiko

Artist Birthday: Shimizu Seifu

Artist Birthday: Shinsui Itō

Visualizing Cold in Works of Art

Humor in Art Since the 1500s

Happy New Year 2025: teamLab

International Pomegranate Month: Lu Zonggui and Keiko Mori

Gem of the Month: Shirō Kasamatsu

Gem of the Month: Naoki Takeyama

Art for National Peach Month 2024

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