I preceded my artistic vocation with a rewarding career as a physicist. My artistic compulsion to draw and paint, led me to leave scientific life and to study at NSCAD University. I completed a BFA with a major in painting in 2011. My scientific background complements my artistic aspirations by looking for underlying structures and patterns in the natural world, the urban setting and the human form.
January is a hard month for me. Seeing the calendar move to 2022 is a hard to miss sign that time is passing and another year has gone by. I was barely adjusted to 2021 when the clock chimed midnight Dec 31. I am just one day older, but he old man in me has other ideas. He concludes that soon I will be 77 and 60 seems so long ago.
The boy in me I doesn’t feel so old. He still wants to play, explore and try new things. That tug-o-war between these parts is a daily inner dialogue. “The spirit is willing but the flesh is unable” is becoming more apparent.
To cope with this slow deterioration, I have developed daily regimens to keep the flesh healthier. A morning workout is now necessary, as is a dedicated hour of physical activity. I ignore my inner complaints so walking or biking are daily routines- rain or shine. I do my exercises regardless of mood and motivation. Often starting tired and resentful, the workout transforms my feelings and my spirits and mood are uplifted. The scenery and physical movement generate creative and inspired thoughts and ideas.
Morning walks or rides free the afternoon hours for picking up a pencil to draw, using woodworking tools to carve, or checking out the pantry to cook.
If I can just focus on today and the moments that come to me, the worry of aging diminishes and the magic of ‘now’ appears.
Hi and welcome to my web log. This online venture is starting slowly and erratically. I am somewhat baffled by the procedures to set up webpages and how to organize the site. I just have to start and move ahead one problem at a time.
Who am I?
I am a 76 year old man with a Japanese ethnicity. I am pure 100% Canadian . I had a satisfying career as a phyicist working for the Canadian government. Science only satisfied part of my life’s aspirations so I went back to art school during my semi- retirement. Going to the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design was a wonderful and stimulating educational experience for me. In 2011 I graduated with a BFA in painting.
I also love playing active sports of all kinds (hockey, skiing, and biking are my current favourites).
I am very curious about the world and seem to be compulsive about learning- especially in the areas of history, psychology, evolution, technology, human performance, health, physics, religion and countless other fields. Here are some of my favourite books in my studio library.
That’s only part of who I am. Here is another picture. I have very limited musical skills, no sense of rhythm, and can’t carry a tune.
I am impatient, fairly stubborn, slow to anger and take life way too seriously. I am probably an introvert but possibly a closet extravert, depending on circumstances.
Art is my Focus
All these traits and interests consciously and unconciously affect my art. I call myself an artist these days. I no longer feel qualified call myself a scientist as I have lost so many skills and forgotten so much (differential equations, geophysics, thermodynamics, etc.).
Getting Old
Aging
The big elephant in my room is aging. I am getting old. The consequences of aging can no longer be ignored or denied. To others I may seem to be handling ‘getting old’ quite well. Dealing with the numerous facets of aging is a real daily internal struggle for sure.
Curiosity on Art and Aging
This blog addresses my curiosity about the aging process and how it is influencing my art practise and more importantly- me!
I hope that sharing my thoughts and experiences on aging and art will create a dialogue with you. Maybe new friendships will arise.
My Art Practice
These days painting is my main avocation, and I spend several hours each day on art activities- looking at art, collecting ideas, conceiving projects, or in my studio or workshop.
It’s really a wonderful way to spend each day. (Whether art can pay the bills and be financially rewarding is debatable.)
This is an excerpt from an artist statemenf for one of my art gallery shows a few years ago in Halifax.. Its very dry and intellecual (pretentious?) that tries to explain why I paint landscapes.
“Vision is a complex interaction between the human eye and the brain. Much of our visual attention is focused on searching for specific objects within a scene. Despite our preoccupation with objects within focal area, our peripheral vision captures the wider sensations of the colour and light and provides our subconscious with an overall picture.”
Here is an example of a landscape painting based on common wilderness scenes of Nova Scotia.
My Art Website
A full description of my paintings can be found on my Artist Website
