Japanese Prints at the Verne Collection

Back from Japan

2011-09-09T07:38:00.001-07:00

September 8th, 2011
by Yuko

Maneki Neko, Welcoming Cat at Hanase, Kyoto

Coming back from the two weeks, traveling in Japan, I feel that we had a wonderful journey again. There were so much to learn and rediscover the beauty of Japanese Art through meeting the contemporary artists who live and work in Japan. This time, we focused visiting new artists who make washi art, Japanese handmade paper. We look forward to introducing these new exciting works at the upcoming art fairs across the country in 2011-2012! Hope you enjoy checking out the Verne Blog. Thank you.
Yuko Kimura(at the Verne Collection)

Meeting with Miku Ishizaki in Tokyo

2011-09-09T06:31:00.000-07:00

September 5th, 2011
Photos and Writings by Yuko Kimura

Miku's new Diptych work,"Water-Slowly Move Around" (Yuruyakani Meguru)

After attending the Uniyo-e auctions in Tokyo, we had a nice meeting with Miku Ishizaki, a rising star at the Verne Collection. She started working with us since three years ago. Miku is the most talented young woodblock artist at the Verne Gallery who makes handmade kozo paper at her home studio. It is so unique that she uses oil base ink for woodblock print and print on washi paper which works so beautifully while woodblock printmakers traditionally use water base ink.

After having lunch at the Chinese Restaurant at Shiba, we took picture in front of the gate of Zojoji temple.

Papermaking Artist, Atsumi Murata and Katazome Artist, Masahiko Takada

2011-09-07T04:51:00.000-07:00

September 4th, 2011
Photos and Writings by Yuko Kimura

We took a shinkansen-bullet train to get to Odawara and visited Atsumi Murata's studio. She is an calligrapher and papermaker.

In the process of making paper, Atsumi pours sumi ink between the thin layers of washi pulp.
"Behind the Mountains in Kyoto"
"Rabbit"

After having a nice lunch with Mr.& Mrs. Murata, we took a local train to get to Yugawara, famous town for hot springs. We visited Masahiko Takada's Katazome studio. He was one of the apprentices of Serizawa Keisuke. He worked with him for about 10 years and then, he became an independent Katazome artist.

Masahiko Takada and his wife, showing us his collections of Serizawa Katazome works.

Masahiko Takada, standing in front of his Katazome on Noren fabric
His original Katazome stencil paper

In front of old photographs of Keisuke Serizawa and himself working together

Michael Verne, learning the Katazome technique from Masahiko Takada at the Serizawa studio in 1982 which was Michael's first visit to Japan

brushes for Katazome

Typhoon in Kyoto

2011-09-06T18:56:00.000-07:00

Very windy rain!

People riding bicycles in the rain, reminded me of Shigeki Kuroda's prints.

Michael taking a walk at the Nishiki market one morning in Kyoto.
Lots of fresh fish, fruits, vegetables, Japanese cakes and pickles stores lining up!

Meeting with Young Primtmakers at the Nagoya University of Arts

2011-09-05T17:04:00.000-07:00

September 2, 2011
Photos and Writing by Yuko Kimura

We visited the printmaking studio at the Nagoya University of Arts and had a meeting with the talented young printmakers.

Painting with Natural Mineral Pigment on Washi by Yue Nakada

Chizuru Kondo's woodblock print.
She creates playful images by combining elements of Japanese symbols and popular cartoon characters.

Lithograph by Maki Sakamoto

Drypoint and aquatint by Sae Nakano. Her images and ideas come from her feelings and imaginations at night time.

Etching by Lucia Yoshida
Her work is about her childhood memories.

etching by Miyaco Suzuki
She filled drawings of lines and patterns on the etching plate, and after etching the plate, she cut out various shapes and prints from them.

We also met two artists from Holland working this summer at the Nagoya University of Arts. They were getting ready for the upcoming exhibition there.
Image: Lieven Hendriks and his painting

Hidenori Mitsue and his painting
He has been living in Holland for six years now.

Printmaking Professor, Masayuki Nishimura, standing in front of his new paintings for the upcoming solo exhibition in Kyoto. In spite of his busy schedule, he kindly introduced us the eight young artists at the Nagoya University of Arts today.

Indigo Textile by Shihoko Fukumoto and the NO.1 Ceramics Dealer, Robert Yellin in Kyoto

2011-09-03T00:57:00.000-07:00

September 1, 2011
Photos and Writings by Yuko Kimura

The indigo textile artist, Shihoko Fukumoto at her studio. She is working on layering indigo dye on cloth.

"Furisosogu: Light Falling Through"(on the right) by Shihoko Fukumoto. She dyed washi paper and made the thread like washi, and then wove to create this piece. Middle part is gold leaf on Washi on top of the layer of indigo dye.

"Gekko: Moon light", Indigo dye on fablic and gold leaf

Shihoko dyes indigo on old kimono cloth.

Then,in the late afternoon, we visited no.1 ceramics dealer, Robert Yellin in Kyoto.

Sarah Brayer's new paperworks and Hideo Takeda's World Night Tour

2011-09-02T15:27:00.000-07:00

August 30th, 2011
Photos and writings By Yuko Kimura

Sarah Brayer's beautiful home studio in Kamigamo, north of Kyoto. Michael and Sarah, having meeting in front of her most recent large scale- paper work.

This is her new paperwork titled "Two Umbrellas" whicn has thin translucent layers of washi.

details of "Two Umbrellas"

One of the new small pieces,"April Moon". Elements of handmade paper were collaged on aquatint print. The moon area glows in the dark after exposing to the light.

Sarah and her husband, Masa, cooking lunch. Masa is an architect who designed Sarah's home studio.

Yakitori dinner and lots of beer at Kushikura with Hideo Takeda. He showed us his new paintings called "World Night Tour".

The best Yakitori restaurant, Kushikura in kyoto

Floating Washi Paper Bowls by Takao Inoue and New Paintings on Washi by Brian Williams

2011-08-31T10:00:00.000-07:00

August 29th, 2011
photos and writings by Yuko Kimura

Taking a train, Lake-Biwa line from Kyoto, we visited papermaking artist, Takao Inoue's house in Hiratsu, south of Otsu-City. Mr.Inoue showed us white and red mino washi ,Japanese paper bowls, titled "AURA".

It is an interactive playful piece. The bowl floats in the air beautifully!

Brian Williams lives in the North of Otsu-city. He loves to play the piano between the many hours of working on paintings.

Brian holding his new paintings on washi(Japanese handmade paper).

Visiting Tokuriki's Summer House in Kyoto with Daniel Kelly

2011-08-31T02:44:00.000-07:00

August 28th, 2011
photos and writings by Yuko Kimura

Maneki Neko, welcoming Cat at the Tokuriki's Summer house, Hanase which is close to Kurama in North of Kyoto. Daniel Kelly studied woodblock printmaking technique from Tokuriki when he moved to Kyoto from the U.S. more than thirty years ago.

Hanase is a soba noodle restaurant now. Daniel and his friend, Tomomi took us there and, we all enjoyed handmade soba noodle with Sesami Sauce. It was so tasty!

entrance of Hanase

Tokuriki's beautiful art collections and indigo noren at Hanase

Daniel and Michael at their favorite Irish Bar in Kyoto

Daniel Kelly Summer Show 2011 Video

2011-08-20T10:14:00.000-07:00

Short video capturing the vibe at the Daniel Kelly Summer Show at the Verne Gallery in Little Italy, Cleveland, 2011. Enjoy!

Daniel Kelly Summer Show 2011 Opening from Verne Collection on Vimeo.

Brian Williams Kiyomizu Show Photos

2011-08-10T14:13:00.001-07:00

Please enjoy some photos from Brian Williams' show at the Kiyomizu Temple.

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Video of Brian Williams the Kiyomizu Temple

2011-08-08T12:12:00.000-07:00

Please enjoy this video of Brian Williams from his incredible show at the Kiyomizu Temple earlier this summer!

Daniel Kelly Summer Show 2011

2011-08-06T11:29:00.000-07:00

Enjoy these photos from the 2011 Daniel Kelly Summer Show at the Verne Collection in Cleveland's Little Italy.

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Kimonos and 'Poyo' - Daniel's newest painting 'Poyo'

2011-06-23T20:14:00.002-07:00

Check out some video from Daniel's studio as they model the kimono that was then used as a part of Daniel's newest painting 'Poyo.'

More of Daniel Preparing for the Show

2011-06-23T20:14:00.001-07:00

Daniel Working on New Prints and Paintings

2011-06-15T13:57:00.001-07:00

Sneak Preview of Daniel's Newest Work

2011-06-15T13:54:00.001-07:00

Please take a look at a sneak preview of Daniel's newest work as he prepares for the big show on July 9th at our gallery in Cleveland.

Daniel Kelly Takes Pillow Talk to the Kyoto Museum

2011-06-09T11:25:00.000-07:00

Daniel Kelly takes us on a ride through Kyoto with his new painting 'Pillow Talk' en route to the Kyoto Museum.

New Daniel Kelly Video

2011-06-03T11:02:00.000-07:00

Please take a look at the latest footage from Daniel Kelly in Kyoto, Japan. Daniel gives us a peek into his daily life as he prepares for the big show at the Verne Gallery in July.

A third video from Yuko's exhibition

2011-06-03T10:07:00.000-07:00

Yuko's Second Video

2011-05-31T18:01:00.001-07:00

Yuko Kimura's Special Exhibition for the Cleveland Print Club

2011-05-31T16:05:00.000-07:00

Last week, Yuko Kimura had an exclusive exhibition and talk at her home for the Cleveland Print Club members. Below are some excerpts from a piece that Yuko wrote about the exhibition. Please also take a look at the videos we posted on the blog from the show. Thanks!

Many thanks to the Print Club for coming to my talk at my studio here in Cleveland Heights. It was a rainy evening, but more than thirty print club members visited here last Tuesday. I will never forget being in my living room with such a big crowd!
It was a rare opportunity for me to talk with such an enthusiastic audience.

Special thanks to Pete & Margaret Dobbins and Jim & Chris Heusinger for sponsoring and arranging this special event with wonderful refreshments.

I really believe that Art and Food can connect people!!

For the presentation, I started talking about my most recent large-scale aquatint and collage using 100-200-year-old antique book pages from Japan.

Then, I showed my miniature scroll books that has old wooden spools and my most recent handmade paper works with etching and enamel on copper embedded. (I have been making handmade paper at Morgan Paper Conservatory in Cleveland.)

In addition, I talked about the old materials, such as bookpages with wormholes, fabrics (from my grandmother), thread and Katazome stencil paper with persimmon dye(from the Verne Gallery). I explained how I incorporate these different materials into my work.

Working as a mixed media artist is similar to working and connecting with different people. My work is really about fusing different mediums and materials in layers. I like the moments when it starts to work after experimenting and playing with various materials. Even some mistakes, I made in my studio, have became important elements in my working process. Sometimes, mistakes lead me to unexpected happy results.

Sarah Brayer in the Studio

2011-05-25T07:27:00.000-07:00

'Fishing with Daniel'

2011-05-18T18:34:00.001-07:00

Daniel Kelly is Coming to the Verne Gallery in July

2011-04-28T09:16:00.000-07:00

Daniel Kelly will be coming to the Verne Gallery in Cleveland for a special exhibition of his prints and paintings on July 9th, 2011.

We have created a blog, - http://danielkellyshow.blogspot.com and a Twitter Account - @DanielKellyShow, to keep everyone updated.

Please e-mail us at vernegallery@att.net with any questions about the show. Thanks!

Brian Williams' Show at the Kiyomizu Temple

2011-04-28T09:08:00.000-07:00

Here's a sneak peek at Brian Williams' show at the Kiyomizu Temple.

Recent Acquisitions from the Verne Gallery

2011-03-09T09:51:00.001-08:00

As we prepare for our show in Washington, DC, we wanted to give everyone a sneak peek of some of our most recent acquisitions.

Pillow Talk Video

2011-03-02T08:55:00.000-08:00

Enjoy this short video of Daniel working on his latest print, 'Pillow Talk'

Pillow Talk by Daniel Kelly

2011-03-02T07:50:00.001-08:00

Check out a photo of one of the blocks from Daniel Kelly's upcoming print, 'Pillow Talk''

Some videos of the Verne's

2011-02-26T11:53:00.001-08:00

Take a look at our lives outside the gallery.....

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/00d8bf6a82/christmas-greetings-from-the-franco-s

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/f4c415bc7a/james-franco-s-grandma-at-it-again

Enjoy!

Brian Williams Show at the Kiyomizu Temple

2011-02-26T11:04:00.000-08:00

On May 14th, Brian Williams will be exhibiting his cutting edge parabolic paintings at the world famous Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto. The Kiyomizu Temple is the most visited site in Japan, and one of the most visited sites in the world.

Walking out onto the wooden veranda of the Kiyomizu is a liberating sensation; the view over the forested valley below, and of Kyoto beyond, opens wide before you. Parabolic painting is liberating as well. These undulating paintings have been freed from the flat surfaces and straight parallel edges of convention.

This event will take place for one evening only, May 14th, 2011, but the envisioned use of a live feed to the internet and extensive documentation on YouTube and numerous other sites, as well as media coverage here in Japan, ensures its impact, both in terms of bringing parabolic painting to a wider audience, and of stimulating reflection and hopefully action on the state of the biosphere.

I believe parabolic painting to be a significant breakthrough in the tradition of realistic representation in painting, which, ever since the invention of photography, has been considered passe at worst, and certainly not at the vanguard of pictorial art. With the occasional exception of murals or domed ceilings or decorations on ceramic art, one has to go back to the Paleolithic Art of southwestern France and northern Spain to find any parallel with what I am doing.

Parabolic painting comes from this original flash of insight: that the visual sensation for the viewer (as opposed to the physiological phenomenon of visual perception) is essentially a flowing curvilinear experience. We continually look from one object to the next, and our eyeballs, and skull too, rotate as we do so-- one source of this curvilinear sensation.

Please contact us at the Verne Gallery for more information on Brian's show at the world famous Kiyomizu. Below is a sneak preview of several of the parabolic paintings.

Daniel Kelly Coming to the Verne Gallery in July

2011-02-26T10:58:00.000-08:00

In early July, Daniel Kelly will have a featured exhibition of his prints and paintings at our gallery in Cleveland.

Daniel is a hot commodity in the contemporary art world. With the release of his new book (published by Kodansha), Daniel has achieved worldwide recognition.

Please join us in Cleveland for Daniel Kelly’s exclusive exhibition at the Verne Gallery.

Stay tuned for more updates.

Hamanishi's New Book

2011-02-26T10:45:00.000-08:00

In January, world-class mezzotint artist Katsunori Hamanishi released his new book ‘Print and Ex Libris Collection of Katsunori Hamanishi.’

Since 1974, he has created 561 prints and 187 ex libris. He has participated in 190 international exhibitions worldwide and has obtained 37 international exhibition awards. During these years, his works have been permanently collected by 38 international art institutions all over the world, including USA, UK, Poland, Norway, Egypt, Chinese-Taiwan etc. In addition, he also has three publications: “Nursery Rhyym”, “Viva Chicago”, “Hamanishi Katsunori Exlibris”.

(excerpt from his book)

Please see our recent acquisitions on the Verne Gallery website to see some of Hamanishi’s latest work. For all our special collectors, ‘Windows No. 15’ is featured on the cover of the book.

Greetings from California

2011-02-03T15:09:00.000-08:00

February 3rd, 2010

Written by Brian Verne

In a few hours we are set to open up the San Francisco Arts of Pacific Asia Show at the Fort Mason Center. We have been in California for about 3 weeks now. Two weeks ago we exhibited in the LA Art Show at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The show featured an array of contemporary prints, paintings, and sculptures from all over the world.

For the past week, I have had a had a chance to travel and catch up with some old friends and family in the bay area.

For those of you in San Francisco, we hope to see you at the show this weekend!

Joel Stewart's new leaf paintings

2011-01-13T11:11:00.001-08:00

Joel Stewart just finished a new set of leaf paintings. Below is a short piece that Joel wrote about the paintings.....

The Leaf Painting Series

I know that I haven't really said much about the Leaf Series works to anyone...I simply started painting them. I think the first leaf I painted was back in the 80's, but I only did a few then. Here in Kyoto, I am out on the Kamo river everyday for jogging and walks, and I notice the changes of the seasons. Leaves are of course, a particularly attractive record of those changes and I just started collecting them to look at at home. Just like flowers being each unique things, so are leaves. I love the stamp of individuality each leave has, no two are alike, and eventually, the painter in me got interested in individual leaves as subjects for painting.

There is one screen I did last year that features a huge leaf painting with big pours of black paint on it. Why did I do that leaf painting that way? Initially, I imagined painting a leaf by itself on a white background actually, but something happened the day before I started: my printer went a bit wacko and the leaf photo I took printed out with these big black smears over the white and parts of the leaf. The more I looked at that accident, the more I liked it. One never knows where inspiration will spring from, but seeing that black took the "artistic idea" of painting a leaf to the next level for me. So, I thought up a way of adding something like a "controlled accident" to the image. My own version of black smears entailed taking a bucket of black paint and pouring it over the painting! (That first painting was door-sized, so I needed a bucket of paint!) I had to devise a means of catching the excess paint dripping off the painting, and I still made a royal mess of the studio floor that day.

I really liked the result though. The abstractness of it appealed to me, as did it's imm ediacy and spontaneity. The simplicity was cool too: a leaf, a white background, and improvised stark abstract black shapes.

An extra benefit was the textures I got from the black paint.....I was using a hair dryer at full blast on the paint while it was still wet, which creates these intriguing textures as the surface dries and cracks over the wet paint underneath. Interestingly, for the leaf works, these textures, in their own way, seem to mimic textures in nature (bark of trees, surfaces of rocks, for example). Also, there is a strong contrast between the watercolor images and the thicker paint on the same painting surface....and this contrast of materials is really interesting. It makes each work an object, not just a rendering on flat paper.....and gives each work a unique stamp.

Hence, the Leaf Series was born! Leaves, like my flowers, shells and pottery, all have their intrinsic abstract beauty, which allows me to be realistic and abstract at the same time. That's my perennial theme, throughout my career as an artist...finding ways to combine realism and abstraction. It's my way of finding beauty everywhere I can and collaborating with it.

About these paintings:

The Ginko series: Ginko leaves, as you have noted, are intriguing in that they are so different a shape compared to other leaves (of course, now that I've started painting various leaves, I've begun to notice even more unique leaf shapes out there...not just Ginkos.) But the Ginkos are unusual to be sure. Fan-like in shape, the pre-fall green colors can be nice, but the yellow of course (especially when a whole tree catches the light) really can rock. I don't really pre-plan what I'm going to do when I pour the paint, but I sensed the Ginkos wanted something different, so I first got out some black paper and scissors and cut various forms up quickly, laying them on the paintings in various ways. I tend to trust my first gut responses when I do this kind of creative thinking, so I don't belabor the process for too long before deciding. This usually leads to a fresh result...rather than something planned out too much. For my style and approach, over-planning kills the alive quality in the art.

In both cases here, the poured shapes I did with the Ginko leaves are more understated and elegant compared with the other leaf paintings. with "Yellow Ginko #1" being the more dance-like of the two. In both, I worked in horizontal poured bands for the first time, which adds to the overall design sense somehow. The handling of the composition of "Yellow Ginko #2" is even more understated. Minimal, like haiku. Up close, it is rather radical however, as the poured paint texture and thickness really built up...almost like a raku bowl texture. This dichotomy between understated and radical is very intriguing to me. It adds tension in a subversive way. It's not just about making pretty pictures...it's about personalizing them completely.

The "Laurel #1" is similar in shape to other "classic" leaf shapes I've done, the vertical arrowhead shape elicits from me a more vibrant, swirling collection of poured paint forms. The abstract shapes here get livelier and take on shapes that are nearly recognizable as other things. The laurel s are also very radical in color variation; they can have the purest, brightest colors combined with the earthiest grays, blacks and browns. I just love that a single leaf can hold such a range o f color and I want these type of leaf paintings to vibrate from a distance, and intrigue from up close.

2011-01-11T08:09:00.000-08:00

Please be our guest at the Los Angeles Art Show and the Arts of Pacific Asia Show in San Francisco.

The 16^th Annual Fine Art Dealers Association’s Los Angeles Art Show is held at the LA Convention Center. The Los Angeles Convention Center is located at 1201 South Figueroa Street in Los Angeles, between Pico and Olympic Boulevards. The show is being held on Thursday, January 20^th from 11AM-7PM, Friday, January 21st from 11AM-7PM, Saturday, January 22^nd from 11AM-7PM, and Sunday, January 23^rd from 11AM-5PM.

Several weeks later, we head to the Arts of Pacific Asia Show at the Fort Mason Center (San Francisco, CA). The Fort Mason Center is located at the intersection of Marina Boulevard and Buchanan Street. The show is being held on Friday, February 4^th from 11AM-7PM, Saturday, February 5^th from 11AM-7PM, and Sunday, February 6th from 11AM-5PM.

At the shows, we will feature the recently acquired Sailing Boat-Morning, Hiroshi Yoshida’s famous print done in 1926, Daniel Kelly’s first Koi print, Shigeki Kuroda’s new 'Bicycle and Umbrella' paintings, and a stunning new paperwork and etching by Yuko Kimura.

For those of you unable to attend the show, remember to check out our newest acquisitions on the Verne Gallery website.

Happy New Year,

Michael Verne

Come see the Verne Collection at the IFDPA Fine Print Fair in NYC

2010-10-28T10:32:00.000-07:00

The Verne Collection cordially invites you to the International Fine Print Dealer Association’s Print Fair at the Park Avenue Armory, 643 Park Avenue, New York City. The Print Fair is being held on Thursday, November 4th from 12PM-8PM, Friday, November 5th from 12PM-8PM, Saturday, November 6th from 12PM-8PM, and on Sunday, November 7th, from 12PM-6PM. This is the most important original print fair in the world.

My son Brian and I have recently returned from Japan with many new great acquisitions, arguably the best collection we have ever had. We will be featuring “What’s Up,” Daniel Kelly’s new koi woodblock and lithograph, “Strawberries (Kelly),” one of the largest woodblock prints ever made in Japan, and some very early prints and watercolors that date from 1983 to the present. Signed copies of Daniel’s new book, Daniel Kelly: An American Artist in Japan, will be available for the first time in the United States at the Print Fair. For Daniel Kelly, the time is now to collect.

We will be exhibiting Katsunori Hamanishi’s new mezzotints, notably, a beautiful new “red bridge” window print. We also acquired the final print, along with the original plate, from several sold out editions. This is a rare opportunity to be able to collect both the print and the original plate. The mezzotint plates are stunning.

Yuko Kimura, the rising star of the Verne Collection, will be showing her new “Paper Window” series at this year’s fair. The feature piece in the series will be “Paper Windows,” a combination of handmade paper and etching on old antique book pages from Japan. Kimura’s work, as anyone who has attended our exhibitions across the United States has witnessed, sells out at every show. You can meet Yuko Kimura at the IFPDA Print Fair.

Sarah Brayer, the first western woman to be featured on the cover of the CWAJ Print Show, will be exhibiting her new handmade paperwork. We were able to see all of her new work in her beautiful, spacious Kyoto studio. We acquired a breathtaking new “Cloud” series and several new pieces from her popular “Moon” series.

Brian Williams, who lives in a 150-year-old traditional Japanese farmhouse in Kyoto, has created some special watercolors of Japan and China for the IFPDA Print Fair. Included in this great selection of watercolors is Brian’s painting of Lake Biwa that was done live in the “bucket truck” during our trip to his house (see video here). Next Spring, his parabolic paintings will be exhibited at the famous Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto. Brian is the first artist to ever have an exhibition at the Kiyomizu.

Micah Schwaberow has recently completed one of the most amazing series of sailboats made entirely by cut up or torn handmade papers from Japan, Nepal, Thailand, and the Philippines. The "Sailing Boat “ edition is an edition of only three and was inspired by Hiroshi Yoshida’s famous sailboat series done in 1926.

Also being featured is “Wind”, the new indigo dye work of Shihoko Fukumoto , the most important indigo dye artist in Kyoto.

Our last day in Japan, we met Miku Ishizaki, and collected her very limited edition handmade paper and woodblock prints. We acquired a new abstract leaf series that is a mixture of cherry blossom and gingko leaves from Joel Stewart, and new great works from Shigeki Kuroda, Takuji Kubo, Hidehiko Gotou, Tuula Moilanen, and Yoshikatsu Tamekane. Hiroshi Yoshida’s famous print, “Sailing Boats Afternoon (1926)” and Shinsui’s masterpiece, “Snowstorm (1932),” will be featured as well.

Please come and see our recent acquisitions before we exhibit in Miami in December, L.A. in January, San Francisco in February, and Washington D.C. in April. This will be our only exhibition in New York this year. We look forward to seeing you.

Michael Verne

Daniel Kelly Paintings - On the Brink of Catastrophe

2010-10-27T10:15:00.000-07:00

The slideshow below is from the Daniel Kelly's latest show, "On the Brink of Catastrophe"

You can also see the show here.

Sarah Brayer's Luminescent Work

2010-10-21T10:53:00.000-07:00

The video below is about Sarah Brayer's new luminescent artwork. Sarah uses special pigments that essentially glow in the dark after being exposed to UV rays. Nobody else has tried this before.

Enjoy......

A great piece on Daniel Kelly

2010-10-19T08:09:00.000-07:00

The Artist Daniel Kelly

Michael Lambe

A few weeks ago I had the good fortune to meet and spend some time with the artist Daniel Kelly. After meeting by chance in Tadg’s one night, Daniel invited me over to his studio in northern Kyoto to get to know him and his work. Upon arrival one Saturday evening, I was immediately accosted by his gorgeously beautiful but extremely cheeky collie Max. I’m a bit shy around dogs I’m unfamiliar with (people too actually), and noting this Daniel told me, “Dogs like to establish a pecking order. If you don’t show him who’s boss right away, Max will walk all over you.” Sure enough it wasn’t too long before Max was vigorously humping my leg and Daniel was chasing him off with some choice but good-natured curses. Now it’s a truism, but oftentimes people and their pets bear a certain mutual resemblance. Not that Daniel ever tried to hump my leg of course (!) but like Max he is both playful and provocative, and he has a mercurial energy and wild spontaneity about him that makes spending a few hours in his presence a whole lot of fun.

Case in point; no sooner had I arrived than Daniel was suggesting we go and visit his friend’s house and shortly thereafter I was puffing and panting behind him on my bicycle as Daniel zipped through the streets up towards Kita-Tenmangu and beyond that to the house of his friend Rob Mangold. Rob has been renovating an old ryokan there and working on transforming what was once a dilapidated building fit only for demolition into a fine, graceful house that will soon become his family home. Daniel, his eyes shining, moved from room to room, uttering superlatives at Rob’s work and was obviously thrilled at seeing the work of a real craftsman. Nothing seems to make Daniel happier than the work of others if it is executed well. Again, later on back at his studio we watched John Stewart announce his “Rally to Restore Sanity” and Daniel exclaimed with evident joy, “That’s art! What those guys are doing is art!”

A descendant of Manx-Irish miners, Daniel Kelly was born in Idaho, the U.S.A. in 1947 (a number rendered meaningless by a personal encounter with this youthful spirit). He first gained his love of materials and texture from his father a marble and tile setter, and then went on himself to study the arts and crafts of painting, wood block printing, lithography and collage. Daniel first came to Kyoto in 1977 and over the years has become well known for his unique takes on traditional Japanese imagery; fish, lanterns, ceramics, misty landscapes, and beautiful tatooed ladies. Recently he has published a retrospective of his work and he was kind enough to give me a signed copy. With a foreword by Banana Yoshimoto, an essay on his work by Hollis Goodall, and a complete catalogue raisonné of his prints from 1977 to 2009 this book is a very fine introduction to his work – and I shall treasure it. Looking at the prints and paintings in the book though, cannot compare to seeing his work up close and personal as I did in his studio that day.

Daniel's titles tend to decorate his work like humorous jazz riffs. This is "Selfish" (2006) 129.5 x 92.7 x 15.2 cm acrylic on Nepalese paper and woven straw mat on sculpted panel.

Take the self-portrait “Selfish” for example. Unless you view it in person you cannot experience the physicality of this sculpture/painting as it looms out of the wall at you and thrusts itself in your face. Neither can you appreciate the textures and surfaces of the materials used to sculpt the panel behind the painting.

You see, typically, Daniel’s paintings aren’t just paintings. Under the seemingly realistic surface of the image there often lies a vibrant abstract collage of jostling materials: rough textured Nepalese paper, tatami matting, bamboo and wood. At University Daniel studied the psychology of perception. It makes sense. His work definitely plays tricks on you and messes with your sense of space. Mostly however, an encounter with the exuberance of either the man or his art leaves you with a deep impression of joy.

Daniel Kelly at home. The portrait is of his grandfather. Daniel has a keen sense of family history and respect for the pioneer spirit of his ancestors.

Back in his studio Daniel put on some music and began to dance happily across the floor. As I listened to Mose Allison singing “My brain is always ticking” it struck me that this could almost be Daniel’s very own theme tune. In conversation he is fascinated by everything; art, music, history, comedy… And he clearly enjoys his own life and work just as much as he does the work of others. Banana Yoshimoto wrote about him that he is both “serene within his core self” and “at the same time in perpetual motion, like a small child”. Daniel affirmed this, “Of course!” he said, “If that weren’t true then none of this would have been possible!” And he is very happy particularly with his life right here in Kyoto too. Earlier as we cycled through the city, I caught up with Daniel at some crossroads. He looked about him and then at me and sighed. “Isn’t it great?” he asked me and then with heavy emphasis, “I love Kyoto.” Not bad for man who has lived here for 33 years. Not bad at all.

Daniel actually has an exhibition coming up in Tokyo very soon, so if you get the chance I’d very much recommend you go and see it. It will make you happy.

The Verne Gallery at the Cleveland Museum of Art Print Fair

2010-10-13T22:00:00.000-07:00

Below is a short video from the Cleveland Museum of Art Print Fair.

The last few weeks have been very busy as we prepare to take our new acquisitions from Japan to the IFPDA Fine Print Fair in New York City. (held at the New York Armory on the corner of 67th and Park Avenue)

See you in New York!

Please stay tuned for more videos as we prepare for New York as well as some footage from the NYC show itself.

Japan Trip 2010 Has Come to an End

2010-09-17T12:16:00.001-07:00

Written by Brian Verne

(Visit the Verne Collection at www.vernegallery.com)

Thank you all for watching our videos and following our blogs. We were delighted to be able to share our Japan experience with everyone. The trip was extremely successful on so many levels. On a personal level, I was absolutely enamored by the Japanese culture and style. We also were able to bring back work from all of the artists that I think is the best work that my Dad has ever had, at least in my lifetime.

Over the last 30 years, my Dad has worked with these artists and watched their work transform. As somewhat of an outsider (given this is my first year working in the gallery), I see a group of artists, each of whom has their own interesting and compelling story.

Life in itself is like a labyrinth, with an ongoing series of misdirection and unknown endings. In the art world, we often wait until an artist is no longer with us to celebrate his or her work. But for these artists, the time is now. Artists like Daniel Kelly, Sarah Brayer, Brian Williams, Katsunori Hamanishi and Joel Stewart, are at the pinnacle of their careers. Artists like Yuko Kimura and Miku Ishizaki are a representation of what's to come.

They are all working on pieces and projects that are new and cutting edge. As a gallery, it is our goal to show the world how great they are.

Please continue to follow as we take this charismatic group worldwide. We hope you enjoyed our series of videos and were able to learn more about this group of artists.

** We have also received new great work from Shigeki Kuroda, Takuji Kubo, Hidehiko Goto, Tuula Moilanen, and Yoshikatsu Tamekane. Next year, we will hopefully be able to show you videos of all of them. **

Miku Ishizaki - The Verne Gallery's Newest Artist

2010-09-17T11:50:00.000-07:00

Written by Brian Verne

(Visit the Verne Collection at www.vernegallery.com)

On our last morning in Japan, we were able to meet with a young, up and coming, artist named Miku Ishizaki.

Miku was the 2008 recipient of the Young Printmaker Award at the CWAJ Print Show. It was after she received this high honor that the Verne Gallery contacted her. She is the newest artist in the Verne Gallery's collection.

Miku's newest work features mainly water landscape and flowers. Her work is a combination of handmade paper and woodblock, generally with very soft, beautiful colors, to give off a serene and peaceful feeling.

We had to meet in the lobby of the Shiba Park Hotel, so the sound from the video did not come through very well. Below is a slideshow featuring all of Miku's new work. I think you will all enjoy!

Joel Stewart's Byobu Screens

2010-09-16T22:37:00.000-07:00

(Visit the Verne Collection at www.vernegallery.com)

Please watch this video to see Joel's Byobu screens. He has been working on this project for nearly five years. The screens are amazing!

Joel Stewart is back

2010-09-16T22:14:00.001-07:00

Written by Brian Verne

(Visit the Verne Collection at www.vernegallery.com)

When we met Joel Stewart this morning he said, “ do you want a cup of coffee?” He then asks “do you like your coffee black or with cream.” I said “black is fine”, Joel said “good because we don’t have any cream.” After meeting with Joel and seeing his new work, this initial interaction told me a lot about who he is as a person and an artist. Some people say that one who drinks his coffee black is tougher.

In 2003, Joel Stewart was a hot ticket with the Verne Gallery. Most artists would have continued down the road that Joel was heading. His work was selling like crazy and he was featured on the cover of the CWAJ Print Show catalog, one of the top honors given to a printmaker in Japan. But, Joel had another idea. He wanted to do something different. For the last five years he has been working on a series of Byobu screens, allowing himself to move away from the style he so often used in the early 2000s.

His new series of Byobu screens is sophisticated and charming, with a little touch of bravado. When asked about his screens, Joel says, “I’m just looking to surprise myself. If it surprises me it’s definitely going to surprise others.”

Joel Stewart is ready to burst on the scene again; his new work is simply breathtaking.

For Joel and the other American artists living in Japan, the time is now.

Please enjoy the series of videos we took in Joel’s home and studio, as well as some short footage from a great neighborhood steakhouse called Peeping Tom’s.

Photo Slideshows

2010-09-16T10:37:00.000-07:00

(Visit the Verne Collection at www.vernegallery.com)

Check out the photos above the blog posts and on the right hand side of the page. Click a photo to enlarge it, and you be able to see the rest of the album enlarged too.

Above the blog posts is a Daniel Kelly album and to the right is a Sarah Brayer album.

We will change the photos periodically to give you a chance to view all of the new work from the artists.

Check back later tonight for the Joel Stewart videos.....

Thanks!

Last Sarah Brayer Video

2010-09-15T12:42:00.001-07:00

(Visit the Verne Collection at www.vernegallery.com)

Sarah Brayer talking about her new work

2010-09-15T12:14:00.000-07:00

Here is Sarah talking about her new work.....

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Sarah Brayer's studio and her newest work

2010-09-15T09:27:00.000-07:00

Written by Brian Verne

(Visit the Verne Collection at www.vernegallery.com)

Sarah was born in Rochester, NY and has lived in Kyoto since 1979. She is the most important western paper making artist in Japan. Sarah Brayer is the first western woman artist to ever have her work on the cover of the CWAJ Show catalog, the premier contemporary Japanese print show in Tokyo.

Sarah is also the only westerner to be given the honor of working on her paperwork in the 800 year old papermaking village of Echizen.

We got a chance to sit down with Sarah in her home and studio in Kyoto. Sarah talked about her new paperworks and introduced us to a totally new concept she is working on. Her newest series features luminescent pigments which allow one to see the piece in the dark or with the lights off. She is the first person to try a concept like this.

We also get a look at her new clouds series at the end of the video. The clouds are a new subject matter for Sarah. They are fantastic!

I hope you enjoy watching Sarah talk about her career and her new work. Thanks!

Taig's Bar with Daniel Kelly

2010-09-14T22:05:00.000-07:00

(Visit the Verne Collection at www.vernegallery.com)

Check out the footage from our night at Taig's Bar with Daniel. It's a great place right on the Kamo River. Taig, the owner, is quite entertaining!

Daniel Kelly's Studio and a night out in Kyoto

2010-09-14T19:47:00.000-07:00

Daniel Kelly was born in Idaho Falls, Idaho and grew up in Great Falls, Montana. Before leaving for Japan over thirty years ago, he spent $1.95 on the only art book he could afford. At the back of this small book by the woodblock print artist Tokuriki was an invitation, "if the reader of this book has a chance to visit Kyoto, feel free to contact the author." '" Daniel Kelly thought to himself, ''I'm going to Kyoto. I'm going to see Tokuriki!"

Daniel Kelly would visit the artist after arriving in Japan and studied with him for many years. His work has now been collected by the British Museum. MOMA, The Metropolitan Museum, The Smithsonian, and about twenty other major museum collections.

We got a chance to visit with Daniel, see his new paintings, and talk about the release of his new book, Daniel Kelly: An American Artist in Japan.

Daniel showed us his new paintings that will be exhibited in his big upcoming show in Tokyo. The Verne Gallery will be showing these paintings on our website during the show, so if you're interested in anything please let us know.

After viewing Daniel's new work, we headed to Daniel's favorite spot, Taig's Bar. Daniel's work is all over Taig's wall, and in fact, Daniel even has a corner named after him and an item on the menu: "Kelly's Corner" and "Kelly's BLT." Taig, the owner, is a character himself.

Daniel Kelly is at a point where he is ready to be shown to the world. What makes Daniel so special is his ability to work in so many different subject matters, and do each so well. Daniel combines traditional Japanese culture into very contemporary images, capturing the best of today and the tranquility of traditional Japan.

I hope you the enjoy the footage of Daniel Kelly. Thanks!

(Visit the Verne Collection at www.vernegallery.com)

Please stay tuned for more videos

2010-09-11T05:24:00.001-07:00

Please stay tuned for videos from the homes and studios of Daniel Kelly, Sarah Brayer, and Joel Stewart!

Thanks,

Michael and Brian

(Visit the Verne Collection at www.vernegallery.com)

Last Brian Williams video

2010-09-11T05:23:00.001-07:00

Here is the last Brian Williams video.

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Brian Williams - Video 4

2010-09-11T05:22:00.000-07:00

More from Brian Williams....

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Brian Williams - Video 3

2010-09-10T17:28:00.000-07:00

Please enjoy the third series of Brian Williams' videos.

(Visit the Verne Collection at www.vernegallery.com)

Brian Williams - Video 2

2010-09-10T02:28:00.000-07:00

In this video, Brian talks about his goals as an artist, among several other things. Enjoy!

(Visit the Verne Collection at www.vernegallery.com)

A day in the life of Brian Williams

2010-09-10T02:16:00.001-07:00

Written by Brian Verne

At the dinner table, Brian Williams said "No no aru taka ga, tsume wo kakusa," loosely translated by Brian as the "able hawk conceals its talons." Talking with Brian throughout the day allowed me to see what a tremendous talent he is, but the Japanese culture is built around humility, a quality that Brian displays.

What makes Brian Williams so special is his story. Brian was born in Lima, Peru and grew up in a bilingual household near the Andes mountains. He eventually moved to the United States as a 16 year old. With only two months separating Brian and a college diploma, he just decided to pack up and move to Japan. To many people this seems like a crazy idea, but after meeting with Brian I understand why he did it. Brian is not only just a great landscape painter. He is an avid environmentalist and mountaineer. In fact, Brian nearly escaped death several years ago during a climb in the Himalayas. He tore his knee apart which forced him to suspend his climb. The next day it snowed 17 feet and a massive avalanche hit, killing everyone in his climbing crew. Although the experience his hard for Brian to talk about, given that he lost some good friends, he said it gave him a new lease on life.

After spending a day with Brian Williams, a westerner who came to Japan 38 years ago, it is clear that he is living the "American Dream," just 6000 miles away in his beautiful Japanese farmhouse in Otsu (30 minutes from Kyoto by train). Brian says, "My ultimate goal as an artist is to live everyday as a work of art, and if possible, every work of art should be a masterpiece."

Today we were able to see Brian's 200 year old Japanese farmhouse and his studios. I also got the rare opportunity to go up in his "bucket truck" and watch him paint a landscape of Lake Biwa. We have some great footage that I will share with you.

I hope you enjoy the series of videos that I took of his house, studio, and bucket truck. Thanks!

(Visit the Verne Collection at www.vernegallery.com)

Out in Kyoto with Masa

2010-09-08T07:15:00.000-07:00

Written by Brian Verne

After arriving at the Hearton Hotel in Kyoto lastnight, I went out for dinner with my friend Masa and his co-worker. We went to a really neat place in Sanjo, near the Ponto Cho district.

We had a variety of Japanese dishes and quite a few Asahi beer.....

This morning we woke up at around 8:00AM and went to an amazing patisserie in Kyoto. I had some really good french toast and tea. After breakfast, we walked over to the Gyoganji Temple which is over 1000 years old. I got some really good photos from the Gyoganji that you will be able to view on the Picasa photostream on the blog and on the Facebook page.

Shortly thereafter, we got ready to head into Otsu to meet with Brian Williams. Stay tuned for tomorrow's blog and videos about our great visit with Brian Williams!

(Visit the Verne Collection at www.vernegallery.com)

Pig Cheeks....Yikes!

2010-09-07T20:39:00.000-07:00

Written by Brian Verne

So.....a few days ago we went to this Yakatori restaurant in Tokyo. I thought they served chicken, beef, and pork, but apparently it was only pork that evening.

The place was very fun and had a lot of character. Enjoy this short video from the restaurant!

(Visit the Verne Collection at www.vernegallery.com)

Hamanishi's New Work

2010-09-07T19:41:00.000-07:00

Here is the video of Hamanishi's new work. The Hamanishi video below should work now. It was removed due to length, but I shortened it.

Hamanishi has some great new mezzotints that you will be able to see and collect at our exhibitions and gallery.

Thanks!

(Visit the Verne Collection at www.vernegallery.com)

Riding in the fast lane

2010-09-07T18:41:00.000-07:00

Written by Brian Verne

Welcome back to our blog. I apologize for the delay in posting. We just arrived in Kyoto lastnight and I was exhausted.

Yesterday, we met with the parents of Yuko Kimura. They invited us to an excellent Chinese Restaurant in the famous Okura Hotel. (The picture is in the lobby of the Okura). Over the years, many important diplomats have been guests at the Okura. The United States Embassy is right across the street from the hotel.

After lunch, we took a taxi back to the hotel, picked up our bags, and walked to the Hamamatsucho train station. We took the trains to Kyoto. The Japanese have an extraordinary public transportation system. We took the train to the main Tokyo Station and then got our ticket on the Shinkansen line. The Shinkansen is the Japanese "bullet train." We got a seat on the "Nozomi", the fastest of the three Shinkansen lines. The Japanese train system is all about promptness. If the train is supposed to arrive at 2:37, it will arrive at 2:37; not one minute before or after.

The train ride to Kyoto was very interesting. We passed Mount Fuji at one point. We arrived at the Kyoto train station at 6:30 and caught a taxi to the Hearton Hotel in Kyoto.

To my surprise, my friend Masa was already at the hotel waiting for me when we arrived. I met Masa in Cleveland this summer. He is an electrical engineer in Japan, but he was in Cleveland for 3.5 months studying english at an ESL program affiliated with Case Western Reserve University.

Please read my next blog entry about my night out with Masa and his co-worker.

(Visit the Verne Collection at www.vernegallery.com)

Watashi no nihongo wa dame desu

2010-09-06T01:56:00.000-07:00

Written by Brian Verne

(Visit the Verne Collection at www.vernegallery.com)

In case you were wondering, the title of this blog means "I can't speak Japanese well." This has become an important phrase in my limited bag of Japanese words and phrases. "Wakarimasen" (I don't understand) is also a staple in my Japanese vocabulary. This is one of the only times when it is good to tell someone else you're an idiot.

Today we woke up and went to Yoshinoya again for a breakfast bowl. After breakfast, my Dad and I walked over to the Ukiyo-e Grand Auction at the Tokyo Art Club. I wanted to videotape the auction, but cameras were prohibited. During the lunch break, I found a great soba noodle restaurant and stopped in for lunch.

I stayed for about half of the auction and then decided to venture around Tokyo via the train system. On a recommendation from a friend, I hopped on the Yamanote line and took the train to Shibuya. Shibuya was absolutely insane! It was a mixture of hip shops, restaurants, and bars. I walked around for several hours and then hopped back on the train back to the hotel.

We're off now to get dinner and beers at a cool Yakitori restaurant near our hotel and the Zojoji Temple. We might head into Roppongi tonight with a few other dealers from the Ukiyo-e Auction.

Tomorrow we're off to Kyoto to meet with Daniel Kelly, Brian Williams, and Sarah Brayer, in the next couple days!

Stay tuned for the videos with these artists.....

Hamanishi's video

2010-09-06T01:51:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we met with Katsunori Hamanishi and got a chance to ask him a few questions and see his new work. Below is the video from our meeting with Katsunori. Enjoy!

(Visit the Verne Collection at www.vernegallery.com)

Day Two - Hamanishi, Zojoji Temple, and Tokyo nightlife

2010-09-05T07:23:00.000-07:00

Day Two

By Brian Verne

Welcome back for the third installment of our blog. Today we got off to an early start. At about 7AM we left our hotel in search of a cheap breakfast place. Our hotel happens to be situated right next to the famous Zojoji Temple. We stopped at the Zojoji Temple for about twenty minutes to take photos and videos. We got a great shot of the temple that I included in this blog post.

After we left the temple, we walked down the street and got breakfast at Yoshinoya. Yoshinoya is the equivalent to fast food in the United States, but much healthier, much tastier, and much better service.

After breakfast we walked into Family Mart to grab a few waters and snacks for later in the day. When we were getting ready to pay for our waters and snacks, the guy behind the checkout counter told me that the girl working there thought I was cute and wanted a boyfriend. Moral of the story: if you're an American looking for a Japanese girlfriend, go to the Family Mart in Tokyo.

A few hours later we met with Katsunori Hamanishi. We got some great video footage and we saw several of his new pieces that were fantastic. Please stay tuned for his video tomorrow. After seeing his work, we went to lunch at a Japanese Noodle restaurant in the World Trade Center building.

Following lunch, we decided it was time to go for a swim. It was over 90 degrees with an unbearable degree of humidity. At the pool, I met a nice young American guy named Paul. He was with his girlfriend Kyoko and her friend Lily. They invited me out to an after party so I got dressed and we hopped on the train to head to this party. Little did I know, but the party was on the rooftop of a gorgeous restaurant in Tokyo near Shibuya. We got a great view of the whole city of Tokyo. Even more, I ran into a guy that I went to college with at Oberlin....small world!

I just got home and it's about time for bed. My Dad just got home from the auction. He found some great early cat prints by Kiyoshi Saito. Come back for more tomorrow!

-Brian

(Visit the Verne Collection at www.vernegallery.com)

Night out on Roppongi

2010-09-04T18:19:00.000-07:00

Welcome back for the second blog chronicling our trip in Japan. After arriving at the Tokyo Prince Hotel we settled in and headed to dinner in the Japanese District called Roppongi. Roppongi is an eclectic area filled with tons of bars, restaurants, and clubs.

Brian and I ate dinner at a great Japanese steakhouse called Yasaiya. We both had wonderful chicken and vegetable dishes that were cooked right in front of us. The picture in this blog is of the chef.

Following dinner, we wandered around Roppongi taking in the wild nightlife. We stopped at a bar that was a mixture of native Japanese and westerners. The owner was an American who has been living in Japan for the last fifteen years. He was a very interesting guy. His goal is to grow the popularity of microbreweries in Japan.

After a couple of drinks we walked back to the hotel, passing the world famous Tokyo Tower on the way. The view from our room is of the Tokyo Tower.

Stay tuned for more, we're off to meet with Katsunori Hamanish right now.

(Visit the Verne Collection at www.vernegallery.com)

24 Hours of Travel

2010-09-04T02:41:00.000-07:00

My son Brian and I just arrived at the Tokyo Prince Hotel. After over 24 hours of plane rides, layovers, and buses, we finally made it.

We woke up at about 3AM in order to catch our early morning flight. Our travel plans were changed due to Hurricane Earl. We were originally supposed to fly to Newark and then Tokyo, but because of the inclement weather we were forced to take a 6AM flight to Houston, Texas. After another 13 hour plane ride to Tokyo, followed by an hour bus ride, we arrived at our hotel.

We're off to grab some dinner, but please stay tuned. Tomorrow morning we meet with Katsunori Hamanishi, the most important mezzotint artist in Japan.

(Visit the Verne Collection at www.vernegallery.com)

Live From Japan

2010-09-02T08:57:00.000-07:00

On Friday morning, my son Brian and I embark on a 10 day visit to Japan. We would like to make our visit to Japan an innovative and interactive experience for everyone. Since I cannot take everyone with me to Japan, I invite you to view a series of daily videos and blogs about the places we visit and the artists we meet. The videos will be both introspective and fun-loving in order to give you an idea of the thought process and inspiration for each artist's work.

As we hit the mid way point of 2010, our goal is to make the Verne Collection a more international enterprise. With applications like blogging, Facebook, and Skype, we are able to erase thousands of miles of distance with one click of a mouse.

You can view the blog and the videos by going to
Verne Gallery Blog, or the Verne Gallery Facebook.
Let us know what you think.

Please follow our journey through Japan over the next several weeks.

September 5- We will meet with mezzotint artist Katsunori Hamanishi and later that night attend one of the most important Japanese print auctions in Tokyo.

September 6- We will attend the grand auction only open to the most important Japanese print galleries in the world.

September 7- We will visit Tokyo galleries and take the train to Kyoto.

"New Thatch, Old Tile" 2008
by Brian Williams
Watercolor 20.5" x 16"

September 8- We will travel to Brian Williams’ farmhouse and painting studio. Brian is having a major show at the Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto next April.

September 9- In the morning we will visit Shihoku Fukumoto for the first time. She is famous for her Indigo textile design

September 9- Also on September 9th, we will travel to Daniel Kelly’s studio and then probably venture out into the Gion or the wild Ponto Cho for dinner. We will be viewing Daniel’s new paintings for the first time and discussing the September release of his new book.

September 10- We travel to the home and studio of Sarah Brayer. Sarah Brayer has created many new paperwork's which you will be the first to see if you watch the video.

September 11- For the first time in many years, I will be meeting with Joel Stewart. Joel was the cover artist for the CWAJ show about five years ago. We will have lunch at the famous steakhouse and bar called “Peeping Tom.” Later in the afternoon we will travel to the antique stores in Kyoto.

September 12- On September 12th, we will travel to see Miku Ishizaki, a young paper artist in Tokyo. We will see her works in the morning and then travel back to the U.S.

Please come along with us if you would like to see a Japan through the eyes of these Japanese and American artists.

You can view the blog and the videos by going to Verne Gallery Blog, or the Verne Gallery Facebook.

Thank you,

Michael Verne

Michael Verne
President, Verne Gallery
(216)-231-8866 (Office)
(216)-337-0340 (Cell)
vernegallery@att.net
www.vernegallery.com

Verne Gallery Blog
Verne Gallery Facebook
Verne Gallery Twitter

Gloria Plevin: "Snow" In Chautauqua, New York

2010-08-18T09:10:00.000-07:00

In 2004, Gloria Plevin created a series called “Snow” which
depicts many of the places that are special to Gloria, her family and
all of those people who are fortunate enough to visit Chautauqua, New York. Gloria States, “ I like simple things, sometimes they are old, sometimes they are not, but the warmth of heart and home is there.” Each print in the series “Snow” is only an editon of 10. Like the great snow prints done by Hiroshige in the mid 19th century, Gloria Plevin has captured her own unique views of her beloved Chautauqua in Winter.

"Boat Rentals", color etching, 2004

Gloria Plevin grew up in the small town of Clarksburg,
West Virginia. She was influenced by everything French,
especially impressionism, and all things oriental, in particular, Japanese woodblock prints. Gloria Plevin was born in 1934. She has lived in Chautauqua,New York for over twenty five years.

"Webb’s" color etching, 2004

I met Gloria and her husband Leon about fifteen years ago.
Starting in the 1990’s, Gloria would invite me to exhibit my
Japanese prints and paintings at her gallery in Chautauqua.
They showed me a Chautauqua that only someone who lived there
would know about.

"Harbor House", color etching, 2004

There are only one or two left of each of the etchings in the ‘Snow” series. As winter approaches, I hope you enjoy Gloria’s wonderful series of snow in Chautauqua, New York.

"Snowed In" color etching, 2004

Gloria Plevin’s work has been collected by the Cleveland Museum of Art,and The Butler Art Museum
"Hogan’s Hut" color etching, 2004

www.vernegallery.com

"PAPER WINDOWS" Works on Paper by YUKO KIMURA

2010-07-06T09:21:00.000-07:00

Opening Reception: Saturday, July 17, 2010
Through Saturday, August 7th

While in Japan in May, Yuko’s mom asked her to repair the holes
in the Shoji (paper window) with gampi paper (Japanese handmade paper for etching and mending). Of course, she was quite good at it because it relates to her work.

She states,” My working process is about mending and patching by reusing and recycling old fragments from ukiyo-e books, and cloths from my Baba(nickname for my grandmother) who sewed these cloths together after World War II when there was not clothes to wear for her three children” After 90, these works were passed on to Yuko for her art work.

Yuko remembers making holes in the shoji windows as a little child in Japan. Now, as an artist, she enjoys the freedom of making some holes during the process of printing,and papermaking.
"Paper Window II" 2010
handmade paper and etching on worm eaten antique bookpages from Japan

Paper Windows is combination of many different series that Kimura has been working on over the last year. Early this spring she had a chance to experiment with papermaking using cotton, Belgium flax linen and denim fiber at the Morgan Conservatory in Cleveland. This first series embedded thin enamel on copper and intaglio prints between layers of thin paper fibers.
"Journey through Mushikui no.41" 2010
collage of etching on antique worm eaten bookpages from Japan

Many years ago, while working at the Verne Gallery, Yuko discovered in the gallery storage room some fragments from old antique book pages that had mushikui (wormholes). She was so fascinated looking at the nature of the paper. Usually, wormholes make old prints less valuable, however for an artist like Yuko, they become wonderful materials for artwork.
"Journey through Mushikui no.42" 2010
Collage of aquatint on antique worm eaten bookpages from Japan

Commenting on her “Mushikui” series,Kimura states, “Worms ate the great old Japanese prints because these papers were made from wonderful kozo (mulberry trees), good quality, purely natural paper. Very Tasty”. Kaki shibu (persimmon juice) has been added to some of her latest wormhole collages. In ancient times, in Japan, persimmon juice was used to make stencils, washi paper and fabric materials more durable ( example: paper umbrella).

These irregular mushikui create irregular windows on paper that have a subtle, delicate, textural beauty. The tactile quality and simplicity of her work is related to wabi sabi (understated elegance). .

Boro is Japanese for tattered clothes that are patched or mended. The beauty is in the fabric’s imperfection and aesthetically becomes more appealing over time. As mentioned earlier many of these fabrics come from her Baba (grandmother).
"Journey through Mushikui- Map of Edo" 2010
Collage of etching on antique worm eaten bookpages and map of Edo from Japan

Her new work also includes such materials as old maps of Edo, family seals, and Japanese text. Like the patchy windows at her parent’s house, Yuko Kimura’s work have all the elements of wabi sabi. “Paper Windows” is all about the beauty of things modest and humble. It is quiet, elegant and simple.
"Indigo no.5 from Boro series"2010
handmade paper and embedded etching on antique worm eaten book pages from Japan

Yuko Kimura won The First Agnes Gund Traveling Award in 1994 and was recently written up in the New York Times Art Review. “A tasty morsel of two from the Smorgasbord of a big group show.” New York Times Art Critic Benjamin Genochio writes, “large sprawling group exhibitions are like all you can eat restaurants. There is usually too much available and none of it is very good, but occasionally you hit upon some tasty and out of the ordinary like Masha Ryskin’s and Yuko Kimura’s billowing fabric installation. It is raw inventive, and trippy- qualities that seem an embodiment of the condition of contemporary art now”.
"Fusion no.22" 2010
handmade paper, embedded enameling on copper and etching

Yuko Kimura’s work has been collected by the Cleveland Museum of Art., The Tama Art University Museum, The Cleveland Clinic, and The Newark Public Library.

Breaking News: New Online Catalogue

2010-06-24T09:19:00.000-07:00

Daniel Kelly's book is on its way from Japan, Brian Williams Cave paintings,Yuko Kimura Opening July 17th

"What's Up" by Daniel Kelly 2010
woodblock and lithograph on handmade paper from Nepal
13.5"x 40"

The new ONLINE CATALOGUE is up at www.vernegallery.com. Included in this catalogue are new prints and paintings by Daniel Kelly. Not only have Kelly’s prints and painting arrived, but I just received my first copy of Daniel’s new book, "Daniel Kelly: An American Artist in Japan" published by Kodansha.. The book was also selected for the cover of Kodansha’s fall and winter catalogue. The book is printed and on its way to the United States by ship. It is a very limited first printing. If you would like a copy, please contact the Verne Gallery before this first printing is sold out.

Brian Williams has just returned from visiting the cave paintings in Altamira, Spain that are some of the inspiration for his parabolic paintings. We have one of Brian’s early thatched roof images in this new catalogue. In the near future, I hope to share with you some of Brian three dimensional parabolic paintings..

"Sailing Boat-Night" by Micah Schwaberow 2010
collage of handmade paper, 18" x 24"

Micah Schwaberow has recently completed one of the most amazing series of sailboats made entirely by cut up or torn handmade papers from Japan, Nepal, Thailand, and the Philippines. The "Sailing Boat " edition is an edition of only three and was inspired by Hiroshi Yoshida’s famous sailboat series done in 1926. Micah States,” I was always jealous of my musician friends. No one thought it was unusual for them to play Bach or Vivaldi.. In making this series, I wondered what it would be like to play the woodblock composition of Hiroshi Yoshida on a different instrument..

"Bijin (Beauty)"(Symbols of the New Year) by Ito Shinsui
scroll painting 14" x 26"

Also not to be missed is a rare scroll painting by Shinsui Ito titled “Bijin” (Beauty)-Symbols of the New Year. Shinsui and Goyo were the most famous painters and printmakers of beautiful women during the shin hanga period.

"Snow at Ueno Toshogu Shrine" by Kawase Hasui 1929
woodblock print 13" x 7"

"Fujiyama-First Light of the Sun" by Hiroshi Yoshida 1926
woodblock print "28" x 21"

Rare prints by Hasui , “Snow at Terajima” (1920) and “Snow at Ueno Toshogu Shrine” (1929) have also been recently acquired. Hiroshi Yoshida famous large print “Fujiyama, First Light of the Sun” (1926) is also featured in the recent acquisitions section

"Yellow Reflection" by Shigeki Kuroda 2010
painting 26" x 20"

Other great works by Hamanishi, Shigeki Kuroda, Keisuke Serizawa, Joel Stewart, Takuji Kubo, and Sarah Brayer can be seen in the new online catalogue.

Postcard image for the exhibition" Paper Windows" by Yuko Kimura 2010

Last, but not least. we are preparing to open “Paper Windows” works on paper by Yuko Kimura on Saturday, July 17th from 6 to 9P.M at the Verne Gallery. While in Japan in May, Yuko’s mom asked her to repair the holes in the shoji (paper windows) with gampi paper (Japanese handmade paper for etching or mending)... Of Course,she was quite good at it because it relates to her work. She states, My working process is about mending and patching by reusing and recycling old fragments from ukiyo-e books and cloths. Stay tuned for next weeks Blog all about Yuko Kimura. She is the only artist I have ever represented who sells out in almost every show in New York, L.A., San Francisco, Washington D.C. and Miami. “Paper Windows” is all about the beauty of things modest and humble like the artist herself. Please come meet Yuko on Saturday night, July 17th.

To all of our clients in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington D.C. Miami, Tokyo, London, Montenegro, and the rest of our collectors throughout the world, thanks for all of your support last year. This years acquisitions and shows should be even more exciting.

Thank you and keep checking the Verne Gallery Website, the Book Order section for Daniel Kelly's new book, and the Verne Blog.

Michael Verne

Verne Collection Inc.
2207 Murray Hill Road
Cleveland, Ohio 44106

C-216-337-0340
Gallery:216-231-8866
website: www.vernegallery.com
e-mail:vernegallery@att.net

Arts of Pacific Asia Show in NYC. & Capital Art Fair in Washington D.C.

2010-03-19T20:23:00.000-07:00

Please ride your bicycle to our last two shows this spring. If it is raining, bring a yellow umbrella. I hope to see you in New York or Washington D.C.

"Yellow Umbrella" by Shigeki Kuroda, sumi ink and watercolor 2010

This is the first year that the Verne Collection will be participating in Arts of Pacific Asia Show in New York. It is one of the premier shows held during Asia Week. The Show is being held on Thursday, March 25, Friday, March 26, and Saturday, March 27 from 11:00AM-7:30PM and on Sunday, March 28, 2010 from 11:00AM-5PM at 7 West 34th Street at 5th Avenue across from the Empire State Building.

In addition, the Capital Art Fair is being held on Saturday, April 10 from 10am-6pm and Sunday, April 11, 2010 from 11am-5pm at the Holiday Inn/Rosslyn Westpark Hotel, 1900 North Fort Myer Drive, Rosslyn, Virginia.

"Daniel Kelly: An American Artist in Japan" is at the publisher Kodansha, scheduled for release in November of this year. The book will be available through the Verne Collection in this country. We will be featuring Daniel Kelly’s new fish painting “What’s Up” for the first time in New York. Also featured will be "Crisscross", one of Daniel Kelly’s earliest lantern prints, and "Children’s Parade" done in 1982, collected by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. If you have ever thought about collecting Kelly, I believe the time is now.

Shigeki Kuroda is one of the most important contemporary Japanese printmakers and painters in Japan. He recently completed some beautiful paintings of Bicycles and Umbrellas. The paintings he did for the Los Angeles and San Francisco shows in January completely sold out.

Sarah Brayer is the only western woman to have her print selected for the cover of the CWAJ Contemporary Japanese Print Show in Tokyo. She is also the only westerner invited to make her handmade paper art work in the papermaking village of Echizen. Sarah Brayer is the most important western papermaking artist in Japan. Her work has been collected by The British Museum and The Smithsonian. She has lived in Japan for over twenty five years. We will be featuring “ A Hint of Red” as well as some of her early handmade paperworks. In our most recent show in New York, Sarah Brayer’s paperworks completely sold out.

Hideo Takeda, one of Japan’s leading cartoonists created some new drawings especially for this show including the original drawing for “Mark of the Fan” which is on the cover of the British Museum Catalogue: "Contemporary Japanese Prints: Symbols of a Society in Transition".

Yuko Kimura created some great new one-of-a-kind paperworks especially for this show. She was the winner of the Agnes Gund Award and sells out at all of our shows.

As always, we will be showing some great old prints by Hasui and Shinsui.

PLEASE COME AND SEE US AT THESE TWO GREAT SHOW IN THE YEAR OF THE TIGER.

THESE ARE OUR LAST TWO SHOWS UNTIL I TRAVEL TO JAPAN IN THE FALL AND RETURN WITH MANY NEW ACQUISITIONS.

TO ALL OF OUR COLLECTORS, ARTISTS, AND MY FRIENDS THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND MAKING OUR 55TH ANNIVERSARY YEAR SUCH A SUCCESSFUL ONE.

Sincerely,

Michael Verne

www.vernegallery.com

"Daniel Kelly: An American Artist In Japan"

2010-03-19T18:34:00.000-07:00

The Verne Collection invites you to purchase “Daniel Kelly: An American Artist In Japan” published by Kodansha.

Daniel Kelly Book $45.
Sales Tax ?
Shipping $8.

“Daniel Kelly: An American Artist In Japan” will be available in the United States in November of 2010. There will be a limited number of books available.
Please place your order early.
Please make check payable to the Verne Collection.

THE VERNE COLLECTION
2207 MURRAY HILL ROAD, CLEVELAND, OHIO 44106

Gallery: 216-231-8866, Cell: 216-337-0340

Happy New Year !

2009-12-29T12:13:00.001-08:00

"Crisscross" by Daniel Kelly
lithograph and collage on handmade paper from Nepal 1985

Daniel Kelly and Michael Verne at the party in Miami 2009

Some wonderful things happened in 2009. The Verne Gallery celebrated its 55th anniversary.
In 2009, we had record breaking shows in New York, Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington D.C. Brian Williams came to Virginia for a special private showing of his paintings. Sarah Brayer attended the Print Fair in New York ,and her new paperwork editions completely sold out. Daniel Kelly attended Ink Miami and his new book was accepted by Kodansha publishing and should be out by late fall. Yuko Kimura and her worms were popular across the country. Katsunori Hamanishi continued to thrill the mezzotint world. Shigeki Kuroda created some great new paintings and, finally, many new museum shows are in the planning stages for many of the above artists.

Don't miss the many exciting new events, we have planned for 2010. Here is the schedule for the Verne Collection in 2010:

January 21- 24 ---L.A. Art Show

January 26--- Michael Verne will speak at the Los Angeles County Museum

February 5-7 --- Arts of Pacific Asia- San Francisco

March 26-28 ---Arts of Pacific Asia- San Francisco- New York- NEW SHOW

April 8 & 9 ---Capital Art Show- Washington D.C.

June or July--- Yuko Kimura- Special Showing and Exhibition at the Verne Gallery

Sept. or Oct --- Cleveland Museum of Art Print Fair

Fall 2010 ---"Daniel Kelly: An American Artist in Japan" is published by Kodansha

November ---The Print Fair- New York

December--- Ink Miami

Here are some new works that we will be showing in all the fairs this year.
"Hint of Red" by Sarah Brayer
aquatint, chine colle on indigo washi 2009

"Colored Leaves" by Katsunori Hamanishi
mezzotint 2009

"Window no.24" by Katsunori Hamanishi
mezzotint 2009

"Buttercups" by Daniel Kelly
acrylic on handmade paper from Nepal, tatami on wood panel, 221 x 57 x 13 cm 2008

"What's Up" by Daniel Kelly
acrylic on handmade paper from Nepal on sculpted panel, 141 x 40 x 9 cm, 2008

"Journey through Mushikui" no.28" by Yuko Kimura
collage of color etching on antique worm eaten book pages from Japan 2009

"Journey through Mushikui" no.29" by Yuko Kimura
collage of color etching on antique worm eaten book pages from Japan 2009

"Red Umbrella" by Shigeki Kuroda
painting 2009

"Morningtide, Gualala" by Micah Schwaberow
woodblock print, 2009

" Blue Cucumbers" by Keisuke Serizawa ( National Treasure)
Stencil Dye Print, fan with bamboo handle 1955-80

" Eggplants" by Keisuke Serizawa ( National Treasure)
Stencil Dye Print, fan with bamboo handle 1955-80

" Blue Pines" by Keisuke Serizawa ( National Treasure)
Stencil Dye Print, fan with bamboo handle 1955-80

"Blue Tsubo" by Joel Stewart
watercolor 2009

"Gone to the City- Winter" by Brian Williams
Watercolor, 2008

Thank you for your support and kindness in 2009. I look forward to hearing from you and seeing you in 2010.

Michael Verne
website: www.vernegallery.com

"The Ten Great Disciples of Sakyamuni " by Shiko Munakata

2009-11-28T13:44:00.000-08:00

The Ten Great Disciples of Sakyamuni were printed
in 1939. Katyayana or Kasennen was “The Master
of Fundamental Principles”. This series won
major art prizes in the Sao Paulo and Venice
Biennales.

Mr. Tamotsu Yanai, the leading expert in the world
has authenticated both the certificate and the early
state of this Munakata woodblock print. He states”
It is printed in a very subtle shade of black and is
a very early printing done before 1945 and printed
once (one layer) unlike the later printings after 1955.

The woodblock print is mounted on a very understated
and beautiful scroll. Sori Yanagi, the son of Soetsu
Yanagi, the founder of the folk art movement and a
leading designer in Japan stated,“Munakata was
perhaps most deeply influenced by the folk craft
tradition and medieval Buddhist prints of Japan,
combining as they did the craftsmanship of the artisan
with the inspiration of the artist”. His father Soetsu
Yanagi wrote, “The Ten Great Disciples of the Buddha
(Sakyamuni) is considered to be his greatest
masterpiece”.

Shiko Munakata is regarded by most Japanese as their
greatest contemporary woodblock artist.

Sarah Brayer: " Moon Shadow"

2009-10-14T09:32:00.000-07:00

"The moon has captivated me for the past few years as a subject in my art. Often when I leave my home, the moon sits high in the sky framed by the bamboo and paper window in our Kyoto home. Moon Shadow was inspired by one of these momentary glimpses through the window at the crescent moon. The softness of the paper grid, against the subtle sky greys and the crisp white crescent are the tones and textures that inspire me. The choice of papers and muted colors point to (Japanese) "shibui", an understated, yet vital, elegance."

Sarah Brayer

Please click on the arrow to see the Sarah Brayer's "Moon Shadow" video.

www.vernegallery.com

Recent Acquisitions at the Verne Gallery

2009-10-02T13:59:00.000-07:00

"Chibi: Little Star or Little one" 2001 By Daniel Kelly
woodblock, lithography and handcoloring

The Verne collection invites you to view our “Recent Acquisitions” at www.vernegallery.com. Please check the “Verne Blog” periodically for new acquisitions and interesting articles.

The Verne Gallery will be celebrating its 55th Anniversary this year. In honor of the anniversary, we will be featuring the very first imports of Mitzie Verne (The Founder) in 1955. These works were the Hand Stencil Dyed Prints of Keisuke Serizawa, the Living National Art Treasure and the leader of the Mingei (folk art) movement in the 1950's in Japan. As many of you may be aware, there is major exhibition in honor of Serizawa at Japan Society in New York. Many of the Serizawa Hand Stencil Dyed prints and the Serizawa fans we will be showing have been in the Verne private collection for over fifty years and some were recently discovered at a small mingei shop in Japan.
"Taming the Dragon" 2001 by Daniel Kelly
etching, aquatint and handcoloring

“Children’s Parade” by Daniel Kelly, collected by The Metropolitan Museum of Art and other rare, early prints will be featured at this year’s Print Fairs and in our “Recent Acquisitions “ section on the website. “Foggy Morning”, a large lithograph created in 1984 was completed exclusively for the Verne Collection.. Kelly’s most recent woodblock print, Camellia will also be shown for the first time.

"Foggy Morning" 1984 by Daniel Kelly
lithograph and painting

Sarah Brayer is the first Western woman to ever have her print selected for the cover of the CWAJ Contemporary Japanese Print Show in Tokyo. She is the only westerner who has been invited to make her handmade paper art work in the papermaking village of Echizen. Her work has been collected by The British Museum and The Smithsonian. She was born in Rochester, New York, but has lived in Japan for over twenty five years. We will be featuring her latest paperwork “Moon Shadow” as well as her one of a kind handmade paperworks in “Recent Acquisitions”.

"Moon Shadow" (2009) by Sarah Brayer
aquatint and handmade paper
limited edition of 10

Katsunori Hamanishi is the most important mezzotint artist in Japan. His work has been collected by The British Museum, The Metropolitan Museum, The Cleveland Museum of Art, MOMA, The Smithsonian and many other major art museums. In honor of the 55th Anniversary, he has created a special print from his Japanese Tea Room Window series called "Window # 22". Don’t miss his other wonderful “ Tea Room Window” prints and his new series called “Origami”.
"Red Umbrella" 2009 by Shigeki Kuroda
painting

We have recently collected some great early drawings and prints by Mayumi Oda, a wonderful new engraving of a wood covered bridge by Takuji Kubo, whimsical woodblocks of beauties by Tuula Moilanen, Shigeki Kuroda’s new “Red and Black “ Bicycle and Umbrella paintings, Farmhouse lithographs by Brian Williams, and Yuko Kimura's new series "Fusion", Last but not least, we will be featuring major works by Shinsui (The Snowstorm-1932), Hasui, (Evening Snow at Terjima-1920 and Zojoji-1925), and Kiyoshi Saito (Meditation Paris.)

Morningtide, Gualala. 2009 by Micah Schwaberow
woodblock print

Please come and see us at the following “Art Fairs” in 2009 and 2010:

October 9-11
Cleveland Museum of Art Fine Print Fair (Cleveland, Ohio)

November 4-8
IFPDA Print Fair (New York Armory 67th and Park Avenue)

December 2-6
Ink Miami, Suites of Dorchester, 1850 Collins Ave.

January 27-31
Los Angeles Art Show,L.A. Convention Center

February 4-7
Arts of Pacific Asia,(Fort Mason: The Festival Pavilion)

February 18-21
Works On Paper,(New York Armory 67th and Park Avenue)

First weekend in April,Washington D.C. Fine Print Fair, Rosslyn, Virginia

I hope you enjoy the new website at www.vernegalley.com

Thank you, Michael Verne
Gallery: 216-231-8866 Cell: 216-337-0340

Keisuke Serizawa By Mitzie Verne

2009-09-15T12:54:00.000-07:00

Fan with bamboo handle by Keisuke Serizawa (1895-1984)
Living National Art Treasure
Master of Stencil Dyeing (Katazome)

Exactly 100 years after Commodore Perry opened Japan to the Western world , my husband, Daniel Verne received orders to report to the U.S. Naval Hospital in Yokusaka during the Korean conflict. In 1953, I was so naive, I thought Yokosuka was some place off the coast of California. It was. It was Yokosuka, Japan.

We never lived on the U.S. Navy base. At first we lived in Kamakura and then we moved to Hayama, where Emperor Hirohito had a summer villa on the Pacific Ocean. Thus, the Emperor truly was our neighbor in Japan.

I became most interested in Japanese Mingei (folk art). The Japanese government was concerned,that with the industialization of Japan, all the traditional folk arts and crafts would disappear. In 1953, I collected my first Serizawa hand stencil dyed prints on paper. Shortly after, I would have the honor of meeting with Soetsu Yanagi, the founder of the Mingei movement. In 1956, the Japanese government designated their top 33 craftsman "Living National Treasures". At the age of 61, Serizawa was among the original 33. Each artisan was given a small stipend to train two or three apprentices each year so that after the master was gone, the art form would continue.

When we returned to the United States in 1954, even before Serizawa was designated a "Living National Treasure", I became the sole United States representative of some of Serizawa's and his apprentices hand stencil dyed prints on handmade mulberry(kozo) paper. I wanted to introduce the best of Japanese folk art to the Western world.

Fish (1955-1975) by Serizawa Keisuke
Katazome: hand stencil dye print

On our many trips back to Japan in the 1960's, in 1974, and in 1982 we met with Serizawa at his studio. We found Serizawa to be a wonderful modest man with a great sense of humor. When my son Michael (President and Owner of The Verne Collection), Dan and I had tea with him, he invited us to join him in one of his impromptu costume parties. He donned a Meiji period fireman's coat and gave me an elegant Okinawan wedding gown to wear . I likened it to "The Mad Hatter's Tea Party.
"Keisuke Serizawa" Caricature by Daniel Verne

The Verne Collection has loaned and givenSerizawa hand stencil dyed prints to many museums:

1985: Mitzie Verne gave a lecture on Serizawa at the Mingei Museum in San Diego. Serizawa hand stencil dyed prints and fans were on loan to the Mingei Museum

2001: The Cleveland Museum of Natural History's Corning Gallery featured "Keisuke Serizawa, A National Treasure of Japan": from the Verne Gallery.

2004-2005: The Cleveland Museum of Art showed Serizawa's Katazome prints in "Visions of Japan from Three Cleveland Collections.

2005: The Morikami Museum of Japanese Folk Art in Delray Beach, Florida "The Emperor Was My Neighbor in Japan". Featured the works of Serizawa and Otsu-e from the Verne Collection.

There are four museums in Japan devoted exclusively to the works of Keisuke Serizawa. Serizawa's work have been on loan to the Louvre and The Grand Palais in Paris. The Boston Museum of Fine Art opened its new Asian wing in 1983. The first show was "The Living National Treasures of Japan". Serizawa's work was on the cover of the catalog.

"Serizawa: Master of Japanese Textile Design" opens at Japan Society in New York. Japan Society's website headline is,"Japan Society Gallery Celebrates Serizawa, Keisuke, Seminal Figure in Japanese Art".

The Verne Gallery will be showing Serizawa's hand stencil dyed prints and fans at the International Fine Print Dealers Association "Print Fair" in New York City at the 67th and Park Avenue Armory opening on Thursday, November 5 through Sunday, November 8th. In honor of the 55th Anniversary of the Verne Collection, The Verne Gallery will be featuring many of these Serizawa hand stencil dyed prints and fans that have been in the private collection for over 55 years. Please come and see us at "The Print Fair" in New York.

Mitzie Verne
(Founder of the Verne Gallery of Japanese Art in 1954)

Verne Collection website:www.vernegallery.com

Inspirations from the Prints & Plates at the Verne Gallery by Yuko Kimura

2009-08-25T08:11:00.000-07:00

“Fusion no.1”(2009) collage of intaglio monoprint, enamel on copper, thread by Yuko Kimura

Working at the Verne Collection for over five years, I have found some wonderful inspirations for my artwork. As a printmaker, I have been particularly interested in observing printmaking plates along with the artists’ prints at the gallery. As the coordinator on the Japan trips the Verne Gallery organized for collectors, I have had the opportunity to meet the artists and observe them working in their studios. Some artists showed us various printmaking plates that they had been working on. They spend so many hours working on plates before actually starting to print on paper.

Currently, some of the beautiful small etching copper plates by Brian Williams are on view at the Verne Gallery. The print & plate is an earlier work by Brian of farmhouses near Kyoto, Japan. Many visitors at the gallery said that it is so fascinating to look at the detail of the plates. The black ink that is applied into the etching lines appears to be ready to print on paper. However, the ink is totally dry on the surface.

“Shiga House” (1980) etching print & plate by Brian Williams

Other plates that always attract print collectors are Daniel Kelly’s woodblock plates (plywood)that he used for “Butter Cup” (2008). Daniel originally used these plates as packing material for shipping the whole edition of 50 prints to the gallery from Kyoto last fall. He sent three plates and both the front and back were carved and used for printing. Each plate was used to separate the different colors, and it required over ten separate blocks and endless stages of printing to produce one image. The same block can be printed over several times to create the subtle shading from dark to light called “Bokashi”. On the surface, you can see all the carving marks with residue of inks and pencil registration marks. Whenever people ask questions about woodblock prints, these plates help people understand how difficult it is to produce traditional Japanese woodblock prints. The idea for this was based on a small woodblock print called “Buttercups” that Daniel made in the early 80’s which was collected by the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

“Butter Cup”(2008) woodblock plates and print on handmade paper from Nepal by Daniel Kelly

Another woodblock plate in the Verne Collection is by Clifton Karhu. The title of this piece is “ Ise Eatery”. In the plate , it shows the entrance door of the restaurant, and it is written”meshi”in Japanese character which literally means a bowl of rice or a meal. When we visited the Karhu’s old studio a few years ago when he was still alive, his wall space was filled and decorated with his woodblock plates above the shoji windows. The carved woodblock surfaces were all coated with brown varnish. I remember that Mr.Karhu showed us some of the unique plates that show only snowflakes or only rain. He would use them for adding the weather changes to any images. It was wonderful to see the woodblock plates as architectural elements at the Karhu studio.

“Ise Eatery”(1996)woodblock plate by Clifton Karhu”

Every summer, one of my responsibilities is to organize the print drawers of all the artists at the gallery. It is a great way to observe each print. One day, I was looking through the mezzotint artist, Katsunori Hamanishi’s drawers, and I was so inspired by the prints that have a thin lead leaf-plate as a part of the print images. One of them is titled “Division Work no.16”. At the Verne gallery, this Hamanishi’s special print is one of the few works that have incorporated actual plate(lead leaf) into the print.

I E-mailed Mr.Hamanishi, asking what made him decide to include lead leaf in some of his mezzotint prints. As always, Mr. Hamanishi replied to me by the next morning. ( Thank you very much!) He wrote, “As you can imagine, I was attracted to the understated subtle color of lead itself. Lead has such a special color and I remember that I tried to make the lead color by mixing etching inks, but it was impossible for me to make the same color. As a result, I found very thin lead leafs. The embossing was done for these lead leafs using a collagraph technique, and then, the plates were chine colle’d with spray adhesive.”

Mr.Hamanishi is famous for using gold leaf and mica as well in his highly crafted mezzotint work. He wrote, “Both gold leaf and mica were used in ancient times in Japan. Gold leaf was used by the Kano-ha school and Rim-pa school for fusuma, wall paintings and lacquer handicrafts, and mica( kira-zuri) was used by woodblock artist, Sharaku during the Edo period. He used mica in order to show elegance in some of his prints. After I tried using mica in my own style, I found out later that Sharaku used mica in the same way in his Ukiyo-e prints. At a glance, both gold leaf and mica may look gaudy and glittering to some people. But I use gold leaf and mica for creating a quiet atmosphere. Also the contrast of gold with Urushi lacquer-black ink intensifies the beauty of my mezzotint.

"Division Work no.16" (1990), mezzotint and lead leaf

Silence Work #3b, (2000),Mezzotint with gold leaf and mica by Katsunori Hamanishi

Since I discovered the earlier work by Mr.Hamanishi, I kept thinking about the beautiful effects I could achieve using copper foil on my print surfaces. My fascination with Hamanishi's lead leaf prints and the way he incorporates gold leaf and mica in his mezzotint work inspired me to try and make a new series titled "Fusion".

As a printmaker, I have always been attracted to texture on etching plates. In 1993, I started to experiment combining two different mediums, etching and enameling over the used etching copper plates. I had stopped working with enameling for a long time since I had no access to an enameling kiln. This year, I set up an old small enameling kiln in my studio, working with this medium again. I am particularly interested in a method of integrating prints and enamel pieces into collages by stitching them together with threads. Like my grandmother, who sewed the families' clothes together with scraps of fabric together, I have been exploring endless possibilities of layering fiber textural elements from cloth in my work.(See my BABA and BORO series at www.vernegallery.com)

Usumono from Boro series 2009, collage of intaglio monoprint on paper and silk, thread by Yuko Kimura (Usumono is a translucent kimono fabric)

For this “fusion” project, I used thin copper foil that has the same thickness as printmaking paper. Then, I cut out the foils in free forms and enameled over the surface of etched lines. I used transparent enamels so that the etched lines would show through the layer of enamel.

“Fusion no.5” Collage of intaglio monoprint, enamel on copper, thread

During the process of firing, the brilliance of color and the texture of the enamels are varied by the amount of heat and time in the kiln. This relates to my process of pulling prints through the press. The condition of the ink and the paper, and the pressure of the press are elements that change the print images. Each process informs the other, as I change from print to enamel and back.

Here I would like to say “Many Thanks" to Mr.Hamanishi for technical information via e-mails. Also, special thanks to Michael for warm support which keeps me going.

By Yuko Kimura

Please see the work of Brian Williams, Daniel Kelly, Clifton Karhu, Katsunori Hamanishi and Yuko Kimura at www.vernegallery

Thank you for looking at the blog. Michael Verne

Visiting Mayumi Oda by Yuko Kimura

2009-07-25T11:20:00.000-07:00

Frog under the Crescent Moon

It was a foggy morning, I drove the one main road toward the south west of the big island in Hawaii. (This foggy gas came from the Volcano in the south.) There is only one main road in this island wherever you go. Driving from the North part of the Island, I saw continuous vast black lava landscape without seeing any buildings or people for a while. After passing the small Kona airport, you start to see more houses, shops and the university buildings, and from the main road, you constantly see the ocean in the near distance. The color of water is intense blue. Pure nature is right there in this island.

Mayumi Oda’s house was surrounded with lots of tropical green plants and fields. This place is called “Ginger Hill Retreat Center” And Mayumi came out from her kitchen wearing white clothes possibly after the early morning-meditation. Mayumi teaches Zen Buddhist practice and gardening for growing organic vegetables there. She said she moved to this island from California about 7 years ago and that was a long time dream for her. Inside the new studio was so spacious, high ceiling, lots of windows with beautiful wooden floor. She spread out her large scale drawings and prints on the floors. She said she always likes being bare foot and works (and walks) on the drawings and paintings that are on the floor. What a comfortable and peaceful place to work! At the corner of the room, there was a pile of her drawings and her little dogs were sitting and relaxing quietly on them. But it seems like it is very natural thing in her studio. She didn’t ask the dogs to move from her drawings.

Mayumi let me look through piles and piles of drawings from the past. It took 3 hours for me to look through. Many of them are sumi and Japanese watercolor pigment-drawings and sketches of Goddesses and Buddhist figures on rice paper or newsprints in various sizes. Like Mattise, she seems to draw with simple lines in a spontaneous free manner without worrying about mistakes. Some of the drawings have layers of cut-out paper pasted in order to change the lines and forms. It was wonderful to see the process of change in the drawing surface. Even though, many of them have wrinkles and torn edges, I told her how much I love her drawings with collage that show the editing process. She said she never thought of showing these sketches/drawings to the public until recently, but these original drawings started to sell very well. Along with a number of Buddhist images, I found a couple of outstanding early drawings from her Victorian Invention series. In particular, I selected two drawings from her famous print “Victorian Invention, Bicycle”. One of the drawing is in color, and the other one is a simple graphite sketch drawing on newsprint. Of course, these have wrinkles, stains, and torn edges, but all of these elements show a history of her layers of work in process. These original drawings are preparatory work for her silkscreen prints that she produced in the 70’s. That was when she lived in Princeton, N.J. Looking at these drawings with Mayumi, she recalled her earlier exhibitions in the 1970’s at Mitzie Verne’s house in Shaker Hts. Almost the whole edition was sold by Mitzie that day almost forty years ago. With these memories, she feels so special about this piece. Mayumi also remembers Michael’s father, Daniel Verne ,who was an oral surgeon,and who did humorous caricature drawings of her. She said that Daniel was a most admirable person.
Victorian Invention. Bicycle watercolor

Mayumi said that she was originally an etcher and etching is her favorite medium. She used to print all by herself and to work so many hours printing using toxic acid and other chemicals for etching that she developed a serious health problem. She also lost some friends who used toxic chemical for printmaking. Since then, Mayumi became very health conscious. For her etching, she worked with deep etching, deep embossing, and sugar lift for suggesting splash of water. She uses simple lines to suggest movement of figures or animals and plants. The main subject matter in her etching are images of deep sea diving and of her love of gardening. They all look so alive and happy. She said she doesn’t care whether her print or technique is perfect. Rather, her interest is to express each line freely by using deep etching. Her lines have a wonderful physical nature. They are both simple and beautiful and expresses a moment of liberation.

Mayumi loves using bright colors, and she hopes that viewers can get lots of energy from her work especially during difficult times in their life. I was so lucky to be able to visit her and to learn about her creative process. When she is not in her studio, she works many hours weeding in her garden each day. She said everything grows so fast here, and that she has to constantly keep up with the weeding. She looks so healthy, small and skinny. But she is so full of energy. She gave me energy today. That was incredible!

July 2009

Streams and Mountains Without End: Asian Art and the Legacy of Sherman E. Lee

2009-06-18T11:56:00.000-07:00

( Irises(detail), Watanabe Shiko, from Cleveland Museum of Art)
Streams and Mountains Without End: Asian Art and the Legacy of Sherman E. Lee at the Cleveland Museum of Art

June 27– August 23, 2009
The Kelvin and Eleanor Smith Foundation Exhibition Hall

50 masterworks on view from CMA’s renowned collection of Asian art acquired during Dr. Lee’s tenure as a curator and director

Streams and Mountains Without End: Asian Art and the Legacy of Sherman E. Lee at the Cleveland Museum of Art is a memorial exhibition honoring the late Dr. Sherman E. Lee (1918-2008). Comprising approximately 50 masterworks of Asian art acquired by the museum during Dr. Lee’s tenure of more than three decades as a curator and director of the CMA, Streams and Mountains Without End pays tribute to one of the most important individuals in the history of this institution and a leading figure in the museum world.

Under Dr. Lee’s leadership, the Cleveland Museum of underwent a dramatic transformation—both physically and in terms of the development of its collection—and became one of the most significant institutions of its type in this country. His broad knowledge of the field and insistence on maintaining the highest standards of aesthetic quality are clearly reflected in a collection that is world renowned and has strengths in many different areas. Nowhere is this more evident than in the remarkable holdings of Asian art assembled at CMA during his tenure. The exhibition explores and celebrates Lee’s role in building CMA’s Asian collections as well as his collecting philosophy, taste, and scholarship in the field.

Juxtapositions of selected works in the exhibition clearly demonstrate the visual and stylistic standards that informed Lee’s selection of works of art for the museum, and introduce visitors to subjects, themes, and styles that cut across the large and diverse field of Asian art. Encompassing works of different cultures in a wide range of media, the exhibition conveys the remarkable range of Lee’s aesthetic and scholarly interests as well as his willingness to venture into certain new fields not yet widely recognized as collecting areas by Western connoisseurs. Visitors will come away with an appreciation of Lee’s discerning eye, his foresight, and the collection’s extraordinary scope and quality.

Born in Seattle, Wash., Dr. Sherman E. Lee received both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from American University, and a doctoral degree from Case Western Reserve University. Lee joined CMA in 1952 as curator of Oriental art and was promoted as the museum’s third director in 1958, a position he held through 1982. He had a passion for Asian art, and under his tenure as both curator and director, helped to build a world renowned collection at CMA.

Lee was internationally known and revered for his many books including A History of Far Eastern Art, profiling exhibitions and leadership within the museum world. In addition to serving as director of CMA, Lee served as curator of Far Eastern art at the Detroit Institute of Art, associate director of the Seattle Art Museum; led the Japan Society, Asia Society, and The China Institute; and served as adjunct faculty in the art history department at Case Western Reserve University. Before his death, Lee was an adjunct professor of art history at the University of North Carolina.

Streams and Mountains Without End: Asian Art and the Legacy of Sherman E. Lee at the Cleveland Museum of Art is organized by the Cleveland Museum of Art, and curated by Anita Chung, curator of Chinese art at CMA; Stan Czuma, curator emeritus of Indian and Southeast Asian art; and Jim Ulak, deputy director of the Freer and Sackler galleries. This exhibition is presented by Hahn Loeser + Parks LLP. Support for education and public programs has been provided by the Womens Council of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

For program listings, please check the website:
http://www.clemusart.com/events/talks.aspx

WARABUKI: THE DISAPPEARING THATCHED FARMHOUSES OF JAPAN BY BRIAN WILLIAMS

2009-05-22T09:33:00.000-07:00

A big shaggy roof of mossing thatch. Beams and boards of unfinished wood, silvery with age. Cracked plaster, ochre earth showing through. Sliding paper door windows, with maybe a tear here and there from grandchildren visiting from the city
Chickens let free to forage among the vegetables. Japanese garden by the front door with obligatory pond and stone lantern, enclosed by an old tiled
wooden fence, and presided over by a venerable and artistically pruned pine.
What a beautiful combination of textures and shapes, what a rich sense of peaceful age! I damn.
near leaped out of the bus window. I had fallen in love

I had no idea such houses existed. Actually, I had no idea at all what I was going to see when I got on the bus from Kyoto. It was autumn of 1972, and I had had just arrived in Japan on a one way ticket, and with only a backpack and $300. in my pocket. And I hadn't done much homework either. Hadn't really
read any guide books, couldn't even say good morning in Japanese. So I was open to anything, and had few expectations.

I climbed Mt. Fuji three days after I got here, then headed to Kyoto. Found a cheap backpackers hotel, and started teaching English illegally. In my free mornings, I roamed Kyoto, old temples and shrines. slowly, I settled in and started to make my way. But I became anxious to get out of the city, and thus I found myself on that bus, with its illegible (to me) destination and headed north from Kyoto into the mountains. In the little mountain village of Hanase, I first saw some of the old thatched farmhouses of Japan. Made from the earth and part of it. They were beautiful, and completely in harmony with their surroundings. My fingers ached to paint them.

I painted in Hanase for years, in all seasons. I traveled elsewhere too, all over Japan, finding some regional variations and styles of these marvelous country homes. And everywhere I went,
I saw the age of Warabuki ("Straw-roofed") houses was coming to an end. Young people were leaving for the cities. Agriculture was being mechanized, and , no longer economically viable, was turning into a part-time weekend occupation, done as much to take care of the ancestral land as to make a living. There was no time to harvest the thatch, no community to gather for a communal thatching.

Thatchers were a vanishing breed of craftsman, and people no longer had time to harvest and dry the thatch. So it was getting more and more expensive to thatch a roof, cheaper to cover it with tin.

To the country people, tile was, and still is a sign of greater affluence. With some money, a conversion could be made to a tiled roof. Better yet, a new house could be built with synthetic
materials(modern!). This process is now in an end stage, and there are very few thatched houses left anywhere in this country, and most of those are imperiled. But I live in one, and in my next post, will write some about the adventure of living in it, and in a farming village, for a quarter century now.

From Brian Williams 5/22/2009

If you would like to make a comment to Brian, please feel free to. If you have trouble
using the blog, please e-mail me your comment to info@vernegallery.com and I will put it
on the blog for you. Please see Brian's paintings and prints at www.vernegallery.com

The photo of the farmhouse above shows it about to be bulldozed. The painting, "Autumn Leaves" of this farmhouse was done in 2009.

Welcome to Japanese Prnts and Paintings from the Verne Gallery

2009-05-11T11:54:00.000-07:00

In these times when life seems to have speeded up on many levels and where much of contemporary art has a combative feel, I invite you to learn a little bit about the Japanese culture to meet the artists on a personal level, and most importantly to take in the quiet elegance of their work.

The Verne Gallery of Japanese prints and paintings was established in 1953, and for many years we offered traditional and contemporary Japanese woodblock prints by Japanese artists. In 1986 our focus shifted to include the work of American artists who had been deeply influenced by a brief or lengthy exposure to Japanese art and culture.

The purpose of this blog is to present not only the work of these artists, but also their experiences in Japan. Over the years, I have found that most of the visitors to the gallery
respond initially to the subject matter of a piece of art, but then they want to know something about the artist. They don't want to hear exclusively about where the artist studied, or how many museum collections his or her work is in, but rather about the artists habits, frustrations, likes, dislikes, and aspirations. As a result, I hope the Japanese print makers and American artists who have lived or are living in Japan will contribute to the blog and provide the reader with a first hand account of what is happening in their lives and in the contemporary Japanese art world.

Stay tuned for blogs from me and the artists. I hope you enjoy the new blog.

Thank you,

Michael Verne
President and Owner
Verne Collection of Japanese prints and paintings
www.vernegallery.com

Parts of the above are from "Quiet Elegance" by Michael Verne and Betsy Franco
published by the Charles E. Tuttle Company.