Thursday, August 5, 2021

In Honor of the Tokyo Olympics (and Storm King)

 Hi everyone. 

I'm here today with a page inspired by some Japanese typed text for Neet's challenge at Art Journal Journey. In case you aren't aware of this month's challenge, Neet's theme is type. 

Even though I made this page before the Olympics began and not even thinking about these games, I thought it was good timing to share it now, before the games are over.


I started my page with some red paint and a chrysanthemum mask. Before removing the mask, I also gave my page a spray with a couple of shades of red inks.

I  used the top of bottle and some green paint to make the circles over my red background. I love the organic forms each "circle" ended up with. After stamping with the paint, I ripped a page out of a reading book I brought home from Japan back in 2018 and used some matte media to attach it.  (I bought the book for art uses like this one, as I don't read Japanese.) Some of the red spray inks absorbed into the book page which helped this piece blend into the background. 

Since I was using typed Japanese text, I was curious how the Japanese typewriter was set up. Since the letters are different in Japanese from how they look in English and other Roman letter languages, I wondered if the typewriters were different  Here's a  few photos I found online of some different types of typewriters.

These are quite vintage, and I'm not exactly sure how they would work.




 This next one isn't all so different from the more familiar modern versions that you can find set up in different languages.


And  I also looked on line for Japanese computer keyboards. I found most keyboards that look like this.


I still wonder if the typewriters and keyboards type horizontally across the page or if they type vertically since that is how Japanese writing is. 

OK, back to my journal page.


Then it was time to add the finishing details to my journal page. I stamped a couple of Asian words, added the chipboard geisha, and also dug out a leaf I had picked up off the ground and embossed last autumn. The page still needed something so I added this black foam washer ring. Finally with a thin red marker I outlined my page with that wiggly line, which is not a very precise Japanese addition at all.  But it is me. Smile.

And since I snapped so many photos on my visit to Storm King last week, here's a few more photos. 

I really like this piece in the next picture. I don't know what the artist wanted it to be, but the balance  effect is very cool. Plus it has  great patina. 

These 2 people just happened to be standing there.



This photo (above) is how far I was from the actual sculpture when I took the photo. In the close up I used my zoom on my lens. 
These pieces were towards the end of our walking, and  by this point we were tired so we didn't walk up the hill to the red sculpture on the top.  This hill was a lot taller and steeper than this photo makes it look. (Or at least it seemed that way.)
Sometimes I think big sculptures are better from afar anyhow.

This painted mermaid swimming was along the side of a sailboat body.  The sign said this was a work in progress. I like the painting but not sure what it will become.


These next photos are of another red sculpture. I had decided to view the art for how it looked in the environment, never mind finding meaning. You could have put your phone over a bar code by the sign (giving the artist's name and date of creation) to read more, but there was so much to see we didn't do that.

To me, I see an abstract spider in this red piece below,  but I doubt that's what it is.


I actually like this photo of the 3 balls and the rusty designs nature has created on them.



And for those of you who like a little nature, I'll finish off my post with  some more meadow views from Storm King.







Hope your day is going well.

13 comments:

Valerie-Jael said...

I love your page, great colours and style, as always, and fun that you connected it to the Olympics. And I loved seeing all the Japanese typewriters ad keyboards, fascinating. Great photos from the garden you visited again, but my faves today are the meadow photos, the make me happy. Have a great day, hugs, Valerie

Barbara said...

Informative post and a lovely page! The sculpture juxtaposed with 2/people is amazing. Beautiful blogging!

craftytrog said...

A beautiful page Erika, and those Japanese typewriters are very interesting.
Lovely photos too, The sculptures are amazing.

Divers and Sundry said...

It's fascinating to think about how languages manage these things differently.

That sculpture would be a bit scary to consider standing under. Faith! That would make for an exciting pose for me. I love seeing sculptures so large in an environment that can give them their own space. Cool!

The pollinators are have a good day with the flowers. :)

Mrs.B said...

Aa fabulous oriental page Erika and those typewriters - wow I just wouldn't know where to start. I've missed a lot lately, but the photos of the sculptures at Storm King look amazing.
Avril xx

Neet said...

I too have been looking at typewriters and the different languages that they produce, but I never went Asian. I don't know why because Asian countries fascinate me and I am so envious of you having been to Japan - how wonderful.
When I first began rubber stamping Asian art was the thing but you rarely see it these days, I hope the Olympics can bring it back to the forefront and so I adore your journal page today.
I love the red you have used, and the Japanese figure. The script is beautiful, I can see all different kinds of shapes that remind me of things like tea houses when I look at it. I do like the idea of the chrysanthemum mask, very symbolic, and the organic forms you made are just perfect.
Thank you for doing all this research into typewriters in Asia, I shall enjoy visiting this page over and over again.
Hugs, Neet xx
ps love the art forms outside and the meadow flowers - lovely photographs.

Let's Art Journal said...

Such a beautiful page! The gold and red combination has a lovely richness to it and is perfect for your Japanese design 😀. Wow, that's a beautiful place you visited! The sculptures are amazing and I love your flower photos too. Enjoy the rest of your week! Hugs, Jo x

Iris Flavia said...

Great page. Wonderfully done and explained.
I still have pics of when my parents visited Japan in the 70´s.
Interesting also all these machines! How easy it is these days to type and undo a wrong typo.

Huh, I don´t know if I would want to stand under that sculpture...
Love the red one. And the nature.

Meggymay said...

Its a fantastic page Erika and I like how you used another language for the AJJ theme. Those typewriter and computer keyboards looked so difficult to understand, but to many, our English keyboards could look as hard to read.
Loved the photos you shared as well
Have a good weekend.
Yvonne xx

Jeanie said...

What a meaty post! I love your page -- it's really beautiful. And the photos are terrific. But I had no idea of ever even considering a Japanese typewriter. That was fascinating!

sirkkis said...

A lovely page, I love the colors and your design that well express the Japanese spirit.
Awesome, interesting photos, thanks for sharing.

one irrational bean said...

Beautiful photos. Typewriters seem really popular now.!

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

For once I'm glad you moderate your comments, because I am SO far behind, you might never see them otherwise. The Japanese inspired journal page is lovely, and the geisha is the perfect addition. I enjoyed seeing the page of text, too. I was really impressed with the typewriters you shared. The first one with the lines look like it would create text in the traditional up down way. I really liked seeing how these various typewriters were created. Fascinating, as well as a great entry for Neet's theme at AJJ, too,.

Those sculptures are amazing. I love the rusty balls. They are creative and beautiful.I like how you captured a bee on a flower. I saw three bees yesterday on my cantaloupe, so there is hope for bees in my area again, too.