Japantown Mural Project

Tamiko Rast of Rasteroids Design asked me if I would like to submit a piece for the Japantown Mural Project.  How exciting to be one of 50 artists who would have their work blown up and displayed right in Jtown!  The idea for this work had been percolating in my mind for a while now, maybe several months, maybe a couple of years so I was happy to be able to put my hands and paper to work. (Tamiko designed the blue background.)

It's entitled Family Portraits ~

Chance and fun are two major elements of this work. Found objects comprise the materials, whether they be scraps of rescued paper, fabrics, or leaves found on walks in the neighborhood. Life is given to small things in this way that are usually overlooked. Putting these together into patterns of repetition and variation is like both creating and solving puzzles; trying to find a balance in the arrangements of pieces.

The circles are like people, in that they are comprised of layers. They are arranged in groupings or stand alone, but all have their place - much like in a community.

If you look carefully there are 2 taiko "clues" in there...

I think my favourite is the first big one on the top left.  Amidst the fun and busy, I think I'm still drawn to those that stand alone.