The Relieved, Heartwarming, & Smiling Gallery concluded on October 3rd, and it was a showcase for many local artists whose works were made even more spectacular when framed by the gallery’s natural surroundings.  Nestled away in a Nagaoka suburb, Mr. Yoichi Sato’s gallery has a perfect balance of space for artists to display their wares while also being cozy enough allow interaction between patrons of the arts and the artists.

Below is a photo of all the exhibiting artists and their families.

The gallery owner, Mr. Yoichi Sato, filled part of the exhibition hall with his breathtaking works of art which also shared the story of his artistic growth over time.  During an interview with him, he mentioned that he culled inspiration from wherever he traveled, and in his 20s, he took a pilgrimage to ignite his artistic spirit across Mexico, Canada, and the United States.  He said that everywhere he went provided more fuel for the creative fire that had been sparked in him to create art.  He started weaving paper cord around objects, painstakingly aligning every new strand next to the last until the entire object was enveloped, elevating stones from commonplace to sublime.  Later in his creative evolution, he began adding clay to his artistic endeavors, further elevating them.  However, no matter where he traveled, he always held onto the essence of his home, Japan.  His art reflects his continued dedication to refining his craft and adding even more dimensions to his existing body of work.

Izumi mentioned that when she's discovering inspirations for her tableware pieces of glass art, she sometimes returns to life's essentials, things that we sometimes take for granted but are key elements in our daily lives.  For Japanese people, chopsticks, locally referred to as 'hashi' are vital tools for a smoothly functioning daily existence, and for Izumi's ‘Ring’ Series, she carried that inspiration of necessity, nothing without purpose into her creation.  In terms of cause and effect, the cause is needing to keep one's hashi off the table so they can be repeatedly used for dining, and the effect is a delightful piece of art that is both aesthetically pleasing as well as pragmatic in function.  Izumi has elevated a daily use item into a work of art, and each piece is one of a kind.

Delving further into her artistic motivation, Izumi said that when pushing the boundaries of her existing work, she thinks of the her inspirations in four dimensions, the fourth dimension being time.  For example, when making her ring series, sea shells caught her attention, and she found herself thinking, “Why did it take that shape?” And “What makes it that shape?”  Influences from the gentle stroke of sand, the rhythm of the wind caressing the shell, and traces of living things still present all played roles in the state of the shell when Izumi noticed it.  She takes that mood into her workshop and translates that ephemeral sentiment into her work.  Her creativity grows from that kernel of experience, and Izumi’s ideas lead to the work she brought to the Mr. Yoichi Sato’s gallery.