Construction/Deconstruction

Hooray Frosty the Snowman photo book is complete! All the photos were shot in a mad rush before leaving Japan to visit the states for 16 days which was a blast. I got to visit family in SC and tour the Biltmore Estate, and then go visit with Dan's folks in MN and take a tour of Minneapolis College of Art and Design and see Transiberian Orchestra in Concert and get really really jet-lagged. Now I'm back and still really jet-lagged....or is it just sore from going to the body pump class at the gym with Yuki (its sort of disheartening being the only one in the class struggling to lift 2lb. weights on a bar!) I'm still working on portfolio materials and the deadlines are running VERY close now (feb. 1st) so there's no time to rest yet. But I did go to a doll show at the Nagaoka Library on Saturday and it was amazing! It was all one artist's work : Mayumi Taka-something (have to look up that other kanji). It is mostly dolls of grandmas and grandpas and some kids spending time with them. I bought 2 photo books of her work! Somewhat similiar to my dolls but on a larger scale she starts out with a wire frame and wraps it with cotton to fill it out then makes the face and hands with white ishidama clay, and stretches a flesh colored japanese-fabric over them and uses a small hot pointed iron to work the fabric into the crevices of the face and fingers, and finishes with handmade clothing, props, and handpainting the face and little smiling slits of eyes. It's inspiring!

That was the construction part of this blog entry. Now for deconstruction....After my contract is up in August....the ghetto building I live in is being condemned! Who wudda thunk it? I thought those rolly-pollies coming out of the tatami mat flooring were just a sign of a healthy home environment!