SUSHI PAINTINGS

These paintings were inspired by pen and ink drawings of marinelife I made in the nineties

for a friend who was a biologist in the Department of Marine Biology, University of California,

Santa Barbara. As I was working on this project, a colleague in the Geology Department looked

over my shoulder and said "Ah! Sushi!." I began the Sushi project immediately and in the

following years, created 18 paintings of which 7 are currently available here.

Chinese and Japanese calligraphy were first included as decoration. However, in 2001 and

2002, I studied sumi-e (ink-brush painting) with Nobu Yamamoto, a member of the Japanese

royal family who was residing in Santa Barbara. The Sushi paintings of this period are

significant because of the work I did with Yamamoto Sensei, and particularly because she gave

me my chop, which translates,"student of Yamamoto." Mrs. Yamamoto died in 2003, a few days

before her 102nd birthday. I was very privileged to have had the opportunity to take classes

from her, especiallly for precious time spent looking over her shoulder watching her paint.

It is with profound respect for Yamamoto Sensei as an artist and master teacher that I am able

to honor her through my work.