LOST WALK HOME ( 帰り道に迷う) : a portrait of Fujiyoshida

I spent January and February of 2023 in Fujiyoshida, Japan as an artist-in-residence with the Saruya Artist Residency program. During my stay, I was able to complete a series of drawings based on my experience of the town and the surroundings, which I exhibited at the end of February in a solo gallery show at the Saruya gallery in FabCafe Fujiyoshida.

The illustration depicts the characteristic details of the landscape that I was immersed in. In my artist statement for the exhibition, I wrote:

“In my 6 weeks of staying in Fujiyoshida, I have walked and walked and walked through the cold without any particular destination. This illustration series is a meditation on being present, and a reflection on the slow pace of walking, observing and remembering. I often get lost trying to find my way back home, which has only led me to new discoveries and longer, scenic routes.

I documented the environment in two different ways. I maintained a daily practice of drawing in a travel sketchbook. These were drawings of daily scenes in my studio, the cafe, or in a local izakaya. They were made while stationary, and drawn quickly on site.

The second method of documentation was through larger, more involved drawings. For the illustration, Lost Walk Home, I focused on the idiosyncratic details of the town’s landscape, collaging fragments of objects, architecture and scenery to capture the character of this place. This was a much slower process, made with close attention and care.

As mentioned, I also maintained a daily sketchbook practice through the duration of my time in Japan, which I found to be a complimentary exercise to my more involved drawing project. I was able to print these sketches using a risograph printer and exhibit them alongside my primary illustration project. These travel sketches are also featured in the second volume of my yearly Vernal Equinox zine.”

Exhibition Artist Statement: