another shrines

It's raining today in Memphis.

My arthritis is OK.
I need more excise.

itukushima shrine, Hiroshima, Japan

I drew 2 more pictures, Kumano shrine.

Kumano shrine,Wakayama, Japan

Kumanojinja, Wakayama, Japan

fall leaves?

color of fall

key chain

mug

T-shirt

small tote

Shibui Kimono open house

Hi


How are you?

Weather is so nice.

 This weekend, October 14 and 15, there is an open house at Shibui Kimono shop in downtown Memphis.

The owner reforms kimono to nice blouses, jackets, and so on.
They are beautiful.


It's worth visiting thhe shop.
They don't open everyday, so this is the chance!


I'm going to bring T-shirts, tote bags, cards, prints, etc.

And I just made 2011 calendars, one with positive message; another with Japanese shrines and good luck cats.

We look forward to seeing you, if you can make it:)




If you are interested, please email me to get catalogue for my goods

kiapositive@gmail.com

Absolutely no obligation!

Thank you!

Japanese Festival in Memphis

Hi friends,


It was really hot this summer.
Now, it’s really nice.
I wish weather is like this all year around.


Last month, there was Japanese Festival at Botanic Garden in Memphis.
About 1,500 people came.

I put my first gallery there.
I was nervous before it started, but it was great experience.
I met so many people. They are great.


I would like to put some pictures of my space there.
Sorry, I stuck there. No pictures outside.

 

She was visiting from Colorado. On the way to the airport, she changed to the wave T-shirt. Sorry for the unclear picture.

 

My introduction board.

Thank you for your time.

Shrine gates

Last 5 weeks, I have been drawing Shrine gates.

This gate is one of three most beautiful places in Japan.

Please just take a look.

                                         Sunset

                                           View from the ocean

                                                Sunset

Thank you.

 

Fish

How are you?

From today, I would like to show my pictures from positive thinking file.

 

It’s just a fish, happy fish, though.

introduction

My Life So Far

                                                                                                  By Kazuko

Introduction 

 

My name is Kazuko, Japanese. I live in Memphis with my family, my husband and our son, and two cats.

Pretty ordinary, isn’t it?

I have rheumatoid arthritis for 20+ years.

It was not very easy with its nagging pain and deformation.

In addition to that, it stole my both physical and mental freedom.

My life had changed 180 degrees.

Last three years, I had six joints replacement surgeries for severely damaged joints, TMJ joints (2007), both knee surgeries (2008), and both hip surgeries (2009).

After TMJ surgery, my pain became so severe, it finally made me decide to try new RA medicine. Doctor was very pessimistic if it works on me or not.　

It didn’t matter if it works or not.

It was the last chose.

It worked!!!!!

It was amazing.

That nagging pain was gone, most of it.

It was blessing!

I felt better.

However, most of my joints were already severely damaged.

I was not able to walk without walker and needed to be dependent on the power chair.

I decided to get my knee replacement done.

At first, the surgeon turned me down.

Instead, he gave me an excuse.

“You are still young for the knee replacement candidate.

You may wait for several years….”

He just didn’t want to do it because I had a lot of risks doctors don’t want to take.

I was angry.

“Who knows what’s gonna be in several years?

I had enough already. I want to try even if it doesn’t work.

I won’t regret.”

I was desperate.

After the first knee surgery, I was still in pain, healing pain.

But I was happy.

Between the knee surgeries, I started the urge for drawing, but didn’t know what or how.

Last time I drew was in the art class in junior high.

After the second knee surgery, I bought 72 color pencils.

I was excited just looking at the colors.

It was soothing.

My purpose of drawing was coloring.

However, I couldn’t find the coloring pads I like.

To tell the truth, I didn’t like them.

So I drew a sun.

It was toward the end of October, 2008.

It may be nothing special, but it was totally enjoyment to me.         

That was the start.

I named my drawing “Positive Thinking”.

I drew more than 300 of them in last 22 months.

July 23^rd 2010, I had another drawing opportunity.

I was asked to put my drawing at the Japan Festival in September 2010.

Then, I drew the festival at my hometown, Akita, Japan.

It’s titled “festival in the small town”.

 

 

These are my story so far.

I still need to do some rehab by myself, but I want to do some volunteer work, like visiting hospitals, schools, or anywhere to show my artworks and talk about my story.

These are my goal now.

So, what’s next?

This is Kazuko’s blog introducing positive messages with pictures, encourage myself and hopefully some others.

So I see you around?