Origami Tsuru (Orizuru)

This was the very first oil painting I ever completed. The assignment was to paint a still-life of our own composition. I found a box of old orizuru that my sister and I had folded as children and used glued them onto a board for my subject.

Origami Tsuru (Orizuru)
Contributed by: vkm

Tsuru

The original is a 30" x 40" oil painting on canvas completed in 1994. I've used tsuru pretty often in my artwork. I like the symbolism and beauty of the Japanese cranes.

Tsuru
Contributed by: vkm

Daruma

In 1999, I was given the opportunity to present my paintings at a small cafe in Little Tokyo. In preparation, I completed several new pieces as well as finished up some older ones. This is one of the newer paintings executed in acrylics on canvas.

Daruma
Contributed by: vkm

Kazoku (Four Generations)

The original painting was done in acrylic paints on canvas completed in 1999. The four mobile 'dolls' represent four generations of my family along my maternal side - from my Issei great-grandmother to me.

Kazoku (Four Generations)
Contributed by: vkm

Kaeru

This was another one of the paintings I did at the same time in 1999. I was inspired by a kaeru (frog) metal windchime, but did the painting from imagination. I wasn't entirely happy with it, but I did have fun with the blades of grass along the river bank.

Kaeru
Contributed by: vkm

Check Nikkei—A Self Portrait