During the time that Kilgogh was taking place in Texas, here, across the world, I was attending my first art and craft fair as a vendor in the Japanese community. The event (YAD or Yokohama Art Department) took place in Yokohama, a city very close to ours and only a short train ride from Tokyo. I found out about the event while looking for similar ones online.

Along with preparing for Kilgogh I’ve also been painting for YAD. In the two weeks leading up the event I created 3 new paintings and an illustration that I displayed for the first time there. For me this was yet another chance to see what the public thinks of my work, to gauge reactions and even more specifically, to get a feel for what people think of my paintings. I would say they were well received.

I was so pleased that Anson could join me for the first time at this event. The timing was perfect as it was on a weekend he wasn’t working. We went up together at around 10am, carrying my prints in my print bag, supplies in a suitcase and my fold up table by its handle. It would certainly have been very tricky if it was only me.

Setting up, the spaces on our upper floor were about 4 x 4 ft with an 8 ft wall to hang work on (you can see my table below. About 3 artists to a wall). Downstairs was only open space and no walls. Having the space to hang work was so helpful!

Setting up, the spaces on our upper floor were about 4 x 4 ft with an 8 ft wall to hang work on (you can see my table below. About 3 artists to a wall). Downstairs was only open space and no walls. Having the space to hang work was so helpful!

It was fun to see the very different styles of art,crafts and booth setups. Many had tables but a lot simply set up using just the walls and floor. Several artists where painting or creating while they were there. One of my favorite uses sand to create her art. She drops fine grains in lines to create floral patterns or portraits. You can view the rest of the photos from the event here in their official flickr album.

Things I've Learned & Come Away With

• Don't underestimate the power of art. Art should be powerful, moving and emotional. It should make you feel something; happy, sad or something in-between.
• Trendy work drains me of creative energy. It doesn't make me happy and when I'm not happy I make bad art.
• I was asked frequently what I am thinking when I paint. I find I'm often painting a scene from a story or place that, to me, already exists. I'm not trying to interpret or make a feeling yet I somehow capture it. I'm often the character or bystander, the heroine or the invisible observer... But they aren't stories about me or from my life. They're stories of others that exist there, in each piece.

Fill your art from the heart, the emotion, the emptying of yourself.