Glen Kaufman
2010: Kyoto Koyo
December 2010
Big Canoe, GA
LEAVES dominate my late fall/early winter in Kyoto and Big Canoe. The development of fall color (koyo) in Kyoto is a long drawn-out process. Generally, fall color comes much later there than in the Mid-West or the South where October is the height of fall splendor. Not so in the Kansai area of Japan. Often it is the numerous cherry trees that begin to turn to yellow, orange and pink in October with the maples and ginkgos turning much later in November. My final walks along the small river a few minutes north of my rental house in Kyoto is a favorite place in all seasons with spring cherry blossoms and fall color as special times. What surprised me this fall were the changes that took place with the maples — perhaps because I was a frequent visitor to the area and I was close enough for a more intimate view. The trees nearest the house all had the look of being air brushed with red at the extended branches and blending into green near the trunks thus creating a “muddled” hue where the two compliments met. I commented on this to a Japanese friend and he agreed that certain species of maple turn in this way while others turn red, yellow and orange leaf-by-leaf while still maintaining green leaves as well. It was this version of koyo that was so fixed in my mind. Morning sunlight shining through the reds of the maples, pinks and oranges of the cherry trees and the yellow of the ginkgos gave special life and energy to this last spectacle of fall in late November.
LEAVES also dominate the late fall in the mountains of North Georgia with most of them already on the ground in a multitude of brown, yellows, tans by the time I return. There are, however, a few hangers on and small maples with deep red leaves are among the last to call it quits. There was one outside my kitchen window close to the neighbors and low to the ground that signaled that fall was still with us. Out that same window close to the house were four pale yellow leaves on an unidentified tree swinging in the breeze while out the great room windows white oak leaves were dancing, twisting and turning to the beat of nature as soloists and as a corps. But, alas, leaves bring despair as well as joy. My driveway and walkway are covered with a bed of leaves nearly a foot deep that must be dealt with. Once wet they are as slippery as ice on my downhill drive and trap me until removed. A quick effort with a garden rake allowed me to escape and a few days later, when dry, I was able to blow and drag the bulk into the woods. As I write this missive the leaves are covered, for a time, with a fresh dusting of snow, gone, banished for now. LEAVES, amen.
January was a time to relax after the holidays and I spent most of my time at Big Canoe enjoying life surrounded by nature and at times held captive at home by ice and snowstorms. I had been invited in 2009 to participate in an exhibition, “Anne Wilson: Wind/Rewind/Weave”, at the Knoxville Museum of Art. One aspect of this engaging exhibition was a gallery devoted to “Local Industry” which was the Weave portion of the total concept. Weavers from near and far were recruited to come to the museum to weave portions of long yardage of striped fabric that would be an on-going event during the duration of the show and in which viewers were encouraged to wind bobbins for the weavers. I was able to attend the opening weekend of the show, meet Anne and others involved in the project and fully understand the concept through the exhibits and Anne’s lecture. It was a stimulating weekend. However, when my turn came to weave in February I was snowed in at Big Canoe and unable to make the trip to Knoxville. It was a lost opportunity to throw the shuttles.
February was the opening of “SUZANI: Uzbek Treasures in Thread” an exhibition that had been in the planning for over a year with selections from a large group of suzani textiles that had been donated to the Textile Study Collection at the Lamar Dodd School of Art. I had worked with students on internships the summer of 2009 cataloging the suzani and selecting the best works for the exhibition. An additional aspect of the show was work the fabric design students created in print, weave and other processes inspired by the ethnic works. The exhibition was a great success and we received many favorable comments.
In March I made what has become an annual trip to Savannah to see my Wisconsin cousin, Mick, who follows the snowbirds south to visit her daughter and son-in-law, Lisa and John Hall. We always have a grand time wining, dining, gadding about, laughing, galloping down memory lane and joining forces to conquer the daily crosswords. While in Savannah I also visit my former UGA student, Lee Heidel, his wife Ginger and daughter Camille. We always enjoy our time together and this year I was there for pre-St. Patrick’s Day festivities — green fountain water and all. On the 23rd I was off to Kyoto to prepare for my solo show at GalleryGallery there.
My installation, “Jeans Festival 2010” opened on April 3rd with a performance by my collaborator of several years (4th performance), Ima Tenko, a noted Butoh dancer in Kyoto. A festival, indeed. The Great Wall of Jeans covered the window wall; a dart board surrounded by a sunburst of jeans; “jean bag” toss into jeans boxes (a new experience for Japanese); a fashion wall completely covered in magazine photos of jeans and featuring jeans vests, jackets, shoulder bags (I fashioned) all embellished with patches and embroidery and for sale; a 4th wall with 8 acrylic box frames, “Jeans Artifacts”, filled with leftovers (threads, seams, pockets, scraps). The performance with Ima-san and her student (enclosed in one leg of a huge pair or jeans) was hilarious and delightful. Huge success!
At the same time my friend and colleague, Clay McLaurin, had his solo installation in an adjoining gallery. I dubbed it, “White on White in White” —- free and organic machine stitching with white thread on white washi hung in a white gallery. Multiple panels hung with slight separation filled the gallery from wall to wall. Serenity and calm in contrast to my wild and interactive effort. I was able to write a review of Clay’s show for the German magazine “Textile Forum”. Clay was able to spend a week in Kyoto with his partner Todd. This was Clay’s second trip to Japan and he was able to share his favorite spots and experiences with Todd, plus it was the height of cherry blossom season. Pink snow all around.
After the Jeans show came down I was able to relax and enjoy Kyoto Spring. Daily walks along the rivers, enjoying the mountains surrounding my area of the city, seeing friends, attending gallery and museum exhibitions were major activities. In May during Golden Week, a big holiday in Japan, Lee and Ginger Heidel came for a week. It was a pleasure to slip on my tour leader hat and show them the best of the best in MY Kyoto. We had a grand time and they were happy for me to guide them around during most of their stay. They stayed at Ryokan Rakucho where my students stayed during my study abroad program, which is close to my house.
I returned to Georgia in June and was soon off to WI and MI to visit family and friends and attend my 60th HS reunion. It was my 1st since I have always been in Japan during previous BIG years. I had to research my classmates and history in the yearbook at the local library as it has been, well, 60 years since I have seen most of them. Great fun to reunite. I got the prize for traveling the farthest — GA or Japan both qualified. I stayed with cousin Mick (who celebrated her 85th birthday in May) in Ft. Atkinson and then traveled north to Kohler to see nephew Kurk and family, then on up to the UP/MI to stay with my sister Karol and husband John, then the 3 of us drove over the “Mac” bridge to upper lower MI to Boyne City to celebrate my niece Kris’ daughter Maya’s 5th birthday, along with her husband Rick. All was most enjoyable in the cool summer of the northern mid-west.
In August I traveled to Birmingham, AL to visit former UGA students John and Susan Powers and too see an outstanding kimono show at the Birmingham Museum of Art where Susan is on the curatorial staff. John teaches sculpture at UA/Birmingham. Liza Dalby (the only Westerner to become a geisha in Kyoto), author of Geisha, Kimono, East Wind Melts the Ice and several works of fiction set in Japan, was there for a lecture and I had the opportunity to meet her at dinner and enjoyed sharing Japan experiences and her talk on the influence of geisha on women’s fashion in Japan.
This fall in Japan was one of my most enjoyable and rewarding! It was great to be totally an artist for the 2+ months working in the studio daily on a series of collages (a first for me), attend many important historical and contemporary exhibitions in Kyoto, Nagoya, Nara, Shiga-ken and more — often with my friend of nearly 30 years, Kiyoji Tsuji, professor at Seian University of Art and Design. I was fortunate to meet a young painter, Makoto Ofune, at one his exhibitions and subsequently saw his work at two additional venues. Each time I was impressed with his ability to master the traditional Japanese technique of Nihon-ga (painting with earth pigments) and capture light in a very magical way. He’s extremely talented and is a rising star in the Japanese art world having shown his work in Paris, Germany, Kyoto and Tokyo. This whole fall experience brought home to me once more what the incredible opportunities living in Kyoto, some part of each year, means to me as a person and artist.
While I was in Kyoto a four-person show, ”Seamless”, opened at One Twelve Gallery in Atlanta. This exhibition was planned for some months and the dates established with an opening that I could not work into my schedule. Clay McLaurin, Junco Pollack, Sonya Yong James and I all work in fiber related fields — Clay with machine stitching on paper, Junco with dyed and pieced textile works, Sonya in felt and I showed, “Jeans Deconstructed”, a group of small works in which I embellished fragments of worn, torn, washed and frayed jeans patched with a variety of traditional Japanese fabrics. I saw the show first with Page in late November. Seamless? Perhaps. Interesting? Yes.
I was home in time to celebrate Thanksgiving with Page, Jeanne and Lee. Lee is an honor roll senior at Pius X HS in Atlanta and is soaring this year. In the summer before I left for Japan he earned his Eagle Scout award and gave an inspiring talk about how important Page has been in his life. He has been on the XCountry team since he entered HS and this year he was captain. I was able to see the first race before leaving and the team did very well. By the end of the season, however, they won the AAA GA championship! He and his parents made the “college circuit” this summer to Cornell, Columbia and the Naval Academy, which was his 1st choice. By October he had passed the Academy requirements and needed the congressional recommendation. He had interviews with the staffs of our 2 Republican Senators and his Democratic US Representative, Hank Johnson. He received the recommendation from Hank Johnson and just recently got his VERY official acceptance from the Academy. He is planning on an engineering major. We are very pleased and proud of Lee’s efforts and accomplishments. Omedetou gozaimasu! Congratulations Lee!
Page’s on-line e-book business is still thriving with a move from their house to a large commercial space. It was a huge effort to move all the books, shelves and related equipment but he is happy with the efficiency of the new space. He also is an eBay seller of a variety of kitchen equipment and whatever he can find at a bargain prices. And he has lots of Fair Trade USDA Organic green tea. Green tea, anyone? Check eBay. Jeanne has moved her piano class studio from the living room to the space formerly occupied by the books and recently had her fall student recital. Lee has his own study.
I will be spending the holidays with friends and Christmas at Page’s in Atlanta. Lee, Ginger and Camille Heidel will join me for New Year’s Eve at Big Canoe.
Best Wishes to all, both near and far, for a healthy, happy and prosperous NEW YEAR OF THE USAGI/RABBIT.