This next watercolor is the fifth, and latest addition to my Best of Japan series. I love the way little Ramen restaurants look lit up at night. The warmth from the orange/yellow glow of the lanterns looks something spectacular with the shadows of the night time. These are the small little places, which only seat a handful of diners. This one in particular was in Matsumoto. I've taken many photos of these lanterns hanging up, inviting hungry folk in, and I'm glad to have fina

I've painted many little watercolors inspired by Japan during my (almost) three years here. My time here is now on countdown, and I'm not quite ready for the next location yet (still unknown). But to celebrate my artistic time in Japan, I'm working on my 12 Best of Japan. The scenes I enjoy visiting and photographing most, and the seasons I enjoy painting most. So far, I've completed four of the twelve. The originals are 6 x 9. This is the first time I have made prints of my

This is my last year in Japan, and I planned to make the most of the Sakura this year. Last year, the season was rained short. This year it was 'sunned' short. It was so hot over the season that the blooms opened from tightly closed buds to full blooms within a day, in some places. After a week or so, the petals had all but fallen. All was left were the red empty stems before the green leaves would uncurl through. My son had his Easter break over the two weeks, so we spent ma

This commissioned piece is all about Mount Fuji! Most of these photos were taken at the Chureito Pagoda at Fuji Highland, Fuji Q; at the base of Mount Fuji. I went in the height of Autumn; when the leaves were at the reddest and most vibrant. It is a beautiful sight in the Autumn for the leaves against Fuji. In the Spring, it is more famous for the blossoms at the foot of the pagoda, with Fuji in the background. In the afternoon sun, they glittered and gleamed like rubies. Th

We moved to Japan in 2015. Our 5th floor hosts a lovely view of Mt. Fuji and the surrounding mountain range. I love waking up in the morning and seeing how it looks. The cloud formations change, the sunset colors, and the sunrise hues: they all share very different views and feels of the same landscape. The time of year also adds interesting variation. I started making 20 minute watercolor paintings on 4 x 6 inch paper of these different views of Fuji. I guess I was inspired