First I imagine a work; realize the image in my mind - how to make it accessible to others? This process seems universal. The most distinct point is who will see the work and how. In my case, I can feel/find the theme for my work in everything: news, conversation, feelings, illness, and ideas. Every bit of information that can be inspiring I can develop into images. I use my five senses and transform the information like wine ferments or cheese ages.

Sometimes I feel sounds with my ears. The sounds create a picture in my eyes. These sounds can be bombing sounds from the news, or screaming mad sounds that stick into my heart. The images are coming from outside like this.


From My Notes: 1999

By Katsura Okada
Or in another case, the images are coming from ideas inside. When I paint, I move the brush as I release all the sensitivity inside. I feel images from the sub-conscious. I always sharpen my nerves in daily life, especially when I paint; I concentrate in order to paint pure sensation, images.
The compositions in my mind come ceaselessly without a rest.

I crouch or sit down on the floor, putting Japanese hand made paper down in front of me. It all depends on the images. I put plenty of water in the brush and consider the space to blot. I prepare the Indian ink, and pigments such as gold, silver, earth brown, and natural green. After the wet Indian ink and the earth color, mix chaotically, here is the moment the work completes - the drying water mixing with the solid pigment. The time for drying determines everything and creates the only picture possible. These elements can never meet again. I drop the ink and water on the paper and the process of the ink and water blotting and drifting on the paper mixes fluidity and stability, chaos and inevitability.

Here is growth that nobody could expect.
"The spring in my mind"
10" x 14.5" Indiaink on paper 1999
(c) Copyright  1999-2030  Katsura Okada All rights reserved.
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