Introducing local Japanese Artist 現地の芸術家を紹介
Yosuke Kisou
is a Japanese-style painter and calligrapher.
He lives Yamagata prefecture in Tohoku , where is part of damaged area by earthquake in 2011.
Yamagata’s climate is severe, because the place in basin and surrounded by mountains.
The area is so cold and heavy snowing weather In the winter or so humid and mega hot in the summer.
The hard climate produces wealth of nature.
In spite of harsh condition for living, He enjoy Yamagata’s food, climate, nature and craft.
His works presents harmony withYamagata’s nature.
Most of his works are adopting local plant, animal, food or view as motif .
Also, Using local craftsman’s products for his art work’s materials.
Title:
Kata-e-gaku “Dogtooth Violet”
The motif in this picture is the dogtooth violet flower (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erythronium), that I sketched in the Hirashimizu mountains close to my house. The top positioned bud is printed from the back, and the bottom positioned flower is printed from the front. The paper is a white Japanese paper, “Chiriiri” 「塵入り」, made from mulberry bark fibre, leaving a rough surface when it is manufactured.

Title:
Mebaru Kata-e-zuri hanging scroll
The motif in this picture is the “Mebaru”, or Japanese rockfish. I caught one while fishing at Tobishima Island, an isolated island off Yamagata prefecture. Mebaru “目張張る” literally means “swollen eye”. Japanese people believe it is a good omen.

Title:
Three kinds of “Kata-e-zuri” hanging scrolls
From the left side, the motifs in the scrolls are: a Japanese rockfish, False lily-of-the-valley and Lilium rubellum.
I am using Japanese traditional paper, “miyamawashi” 「深山和紙」, made from mulberry bark fibre, and still manufactured by hand in Shirataka city, Yamagata prefecture.