Glen Kaufman
2015: Visitors
January 2016
Big Canoe, GA
Thick fog, heavy rain, warm temperatures with occasional bursts of blue skies and sunshine are the marks of winter here in the N Georgia Mountains. This creates the changing view out the window wall toward the now barren forest. The dark trunks are often shrouded in a ghost-like mist also stand in dark beauty in the full sun casting shadows on the fallen leaves. All this was a creative conclusion to an eventful year.
Last winter’s months were spent primarily in the mountains with several snow and ice storms that added interest to the landscape and kept me happily isolated for a few days at a time. February was highlighted by the arrival from Italy of a dear friend of many years, Valeria Lerda, for the opening of the exhibition of her late husband, Piero’s work in mixed media at the Georgia Museum of Art. Valeria, a Professor Emerita in History of the US South, University of Genoa has made many trips to Athens over more than 30 years and has many devoted friends here. The social scene was abuzz with many events including the museum opening and a trip with friends to this mountain hideaway. Motto Bello!
Mid-March saw me back in Kyoto for my now usual spring sojourn there. Once again time to enjoy the cherry blossoms in walks along the Taknogawa and elsewhere in the city. The time in Kyoto plunges me back into an active city “life of an artist” with super public transportation to take advantage of the many gallery shows plus major museum exhibitions, performances, flea markets, and enjoyable times with friends of many years standing. Kiyoji Tsuji, who curated my first solo show in Kyoto in 1984, has been a close friend since that time and constant colleague in viewing exhibition openings and related art events. He is on the “A List” of the invited arts-knowledgeable and I get to tag along. “Parasophia” was a major international art event that ran through the spring in which artists were given huge refurbished galleries in the City Museum of Art for a wide variety of installations with many of them incorporating large scale projections. A totally unique experience! In addition GalleryGallery owner Keiko Kawashima, another long time friend, mounted and invitational show of miniature work by 60 artists, “The Kyoto”. I managed to locate an earlier fragment in metal leaf application of roof tiles that I mounted in a clear tube titled “Kyoto Capsule”. I also saw several Butoh dance performances by my collaborator, Ima Tenko … one at a casual ‘live house’ the other at an historic Shinto Shrine during Golden Week.
In Mid-May I was back in Georgia getting ready to attend grandson Lee’s, graduation from the US Naval Academy. Four years earlier, to the date, we were celebrating his valedictory from high school in Kyoto and Korea. Now we were celebrating 4 years of a rigorous Aerospace Engineering major with a minor in Japanese plus intense physical workouts in distance running. Page located accommodations for all the family members gathered in two homes on the Chesapeake Bay near Annapolis. The week was filled with formal Naval Academy events, social gatherings, parades, luncheons, BBQs, Blue Angels flyovers, town strolls and, of course, the Graduation and Commissioning Ceremony in the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. The stands and field were filled with family members, Midshipmen, special guests on a glorious sun filled day. VP Joe Biden gave the graduation address with his usual low-key and humorous style but with serious notes as well. “We honor the 1% who serve and protect the 99%.” Lee graduated with Distinction ranking 80th in the class of over 1000. As the ceremony came to a conclusion we noticed that children were being guided onto the field in anticipation of the 1000+hat toss. The kids are allowed to join the new Ensigns and gather up the now out-of-date caps. It was a glorious sight. The family is so proud of Lee in his choice to complete these rigorous four years and serve his country as a Submarine Officer. Go Navy, Blue and Gold!
Soon after all of this excitement I was back in the calm and quiet GA Mountains at Big Canoe enjoying a relaxed life of studio work, reading, and relishing the Fitness Center and adjacent Swim Club every day with fine weather. In August I made my annual pilgrimage to my kuni (home ground), Wisconsin, with a step across the border to the UP of Michigan. I included visits to my dear cousin, Mick, that I grew up with, now in Whitewater but close to our hometown of Fort Atkinson. The house my Dad built in Fort around 1930 is now a Century 21 office and they have done a great job in bringing it back to its former glory. I had a welcome visit there with the current owners. Then I wended my way north to Kohler to see my nephew Kurk, his wife Paula and son Marcus. (Col. Kurk Anderson, US Marine Crops retired, USNA Graduate and Paula joined us in Annapolis for Lee’s graduation.) Each summer we make the short trip to Sheboygan to the J Michael Kohler Art Center where I have seen many outstanding exhibitions. This year was no different with a show titled “Toward Textiles”, which of course it was not, more “Away” than anything. But it was still an exciting group of individual installations. Then I traveled on to the UP to see my sister, Karol and husband John, in their classic home-built log house. My niece Kris and daughter Maya joined us from ‘downstate’ for the UP State Fair with its rides, foods, animal barns, arts and crafts and Grand Stand show of a Beatles Cover Band in full costumes that was the super conclusion to the whole bundle. “Imagine” Wow!
September I was back in “Art Life Kyoto” with a visit to the Hashimoto Garden and Museum (new) with an exhibit by New Yorker Robert Kushner including sheer painted panels hug in the traditional grand hall floating in the gentle breeze. Additional work was in the new museum with its views of Kyoto Mountains. The garden is pure delight with few visitors. A true gem. There was an ‘Art Brute’ exhibit at the Shiga-Ken Museum of Modern Art plus and an all evening event of art shows, outdoor projections on the Manga Museum façade and performances under the Paris inspired Nuit Blanche now a regular Kyoto fall event.
Visitors to Kyoto included dear GA friend Gershone Hendelberg, a talented musician on keys, harmonium and voice who stopped off in Japan on his way to India to study music, yoga and LIFE. We spent one wild day in Tokyo on and off the Yamanote Line and nearly a week in Kyoto hitting the high spots along with my special out-of-the-way treasures. It was a super time for both of us. Now Japan is not such a mystery for him. In addition, a group of James Renwick Alliance members from DC were in Kyoto for a few days. This group honored me with a Distinguished Educator Award in 2013 and I was able to guide a few of them to a dyed/printed fabric exhibit at the Somé Museum and some of the back streets of Kyoto.
For many Octobers past I have celebrated my birthday with members of the Tsuji family. Kiyo’s wife, Yuko and daughter Yuki-chan both have birthdays close to mine on the 28th. Yuki’s husband was born on the 28th. This year Yuki gave birth to a boy on the 20th and middle daughter, Asaki’s son was born on the 28th while youngest daughter, Kazuki, was married on the 27th! It all came together on October 29th. To start the day off Kiyo invited me to join him at an imposing Buddhist Ceremony at the Miidera Temple on a mountain in Shiga-Ken. Gorgeously costumed priests, traditional music, tea ceremony and a grand luncheon were all part of the day. At night we had a Memorable Birthday Pasta Feast at the Tsuji house.
I was back in Georgia for Thanksgiving, which was postponed due to Lee’s schedule and then cancelled. I celebrated at Big Canoe with my ‘support family’, dear friends, former student Andrea, Isabella and Gershone. Christmas preparations swept me up into a tornado of activity. I celebrated Christmas on three separate occasions: With former student Ben Landers, wife Dawn, his younger brother, twin boys and three dogs on December 23-24; With Page, Jeanne, Lee, Jeanne’s mom Soon-Hee and sister Kian on the 25th at their home on Lake Lanier; With my ‘support family’ on 26-27 at Big Canoe where the fog and rain were heavy and the creek outside my door has been a raging White Christmas, surging into the New Year.
I send Heartfelt Wishes for Happiness, Success and Good Health in 2016, My Year of the Monkey.