Fumiko Kurokawa
Contemporary sumi-e
Fumiko Kurokawa "Waiting in the Fog" Sumi-e on paper Image size 14" x 18"
Sumi-e, a traditional Chinese and Japanese art form literally meaning painting with water and ink, is an extraordinarily expressive medium ideal for capturing subtle moods of quiet subjects. Unlike realistic Western painting, which uses light and shadows to create an illusion of perspective, sumi-e emphasizes beauty of forms and notan1 (dark/light relationship) created by highly disciplined brush movements to control ink flow on paper. In this regard, sumi-e and Oriental calligraphy share common aesthetic qualities that have no parallel in Western art.
Sumi-e artist Fumiko Kurokawa is noted for her exquisite mottkotsu ho (without outline) brushwork that captures the quintessence of the quiet beauty in her landscapes and still life subjects. To achieve different effects, she uses an amazing collection of brushes and a wide variety of paper, including Chinese gasenshi, Japanese mashi, silk cloth. In the past several years, Kurokawa explored the intangible beauty of various forms of water - clouds, frost, snow, and ice, etc. - using only black ink. This challenging endeavor prompted her to develop new visions and techniques.
"Waiting in the Fog" is a body of Kurokawa's latest studies on the elusive beauty of fog. Her hauntingly beautiful landscapes emerging from behind luminous veils of vapor are rendered with rich tonality and exquisite nuances (To see an example of her extraordinary brushwork, click on the image below). Her mastery of the medium, matched by her refreshing aesthetic sensibility and willingness to attempt the extraordinary, establish Kurokawa as one of the most exciting contemporary sumi-e artists.
The exhibition - Click on paintings to enlarge.
Contact call (505-988-8072) or use Inquiry/order Form for price/order.
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| Fumiko Kurokawa
"Spring Rain in the Mountain"
Sumi-e on paper 22" x 18.5"
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Fumiko Kurokawa "Fog Rolling In"
Sumi-e on paper, 3-piece panorama: 14"x18", 14"x54", 14"x18"
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| Fumiko Kurokawa
"Distant Thunders"
Sumi-e on paper 14" x 18"
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Fumiko Kurokawa
"Fog over the River"
Sumi-e on paper 18" x 14" Sold
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| Fumiko Kurokawa
"After the Rain"
Sumi-e on paper 14" x 18"
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Fumiko Kurokawa
"Half Hidden"
Sumi-e on paper 14" x 18"
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| Fumiko Kurokawa
"Emerging Forms #1"
Sumi-e on paper 14" x 18"
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Fumiko Kurokawa
"Emerging Forms #2"
Sumi-e on paper 14" x 18"
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| Fumiko Kurokawa
"Storm over Cedars"
Sumi-e on paper 14" x 18"
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Fumiko Kurokawa
"Waiting in the Fog"
Sumi-e on paper 14" x 18" Sold
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About the artist
Born in Kawachi-Nagano near the Wakayama Prefecture in Japan, Fumiko Kurokawa spent her childhood surrounded by mountains and towering Japanese cedars. She had always wanted to be an artist, but fate and circumstances made her a typical Japanese housewife and mother of three sons. When she was in her late 30’s, after her youngest son entered kindergarten, she began to study sumi-e, watercolor painting, and sketching. She was especially inspired by her sumi-e teacher Yasuo Shimizu, and her talent was recognized quickly. Since 1984, Kurokawa has been exhibiting her works in major art shows, including the Japan-France Modern Art Exhibition. Her works have brought her many awards, including Work of Excellence and Best of Show awards in the Toboku group shows in Tokyo.
In 1990, Kurokawa and her late husband built a traditional country house in the village "No-se". It was there she found the "forgotten Japan" - old houses with straw-thatched roofs, mountains with towering Japanese cedars, plenty of rice fields, and a simple life. She would pack her car with painting materials and drive alone to remote villages and countryside to explore and paint. It was and still is a wonderfully nurturing place for an artist.
More recently, Kurokawa fulfilled her long-time dream of training young artists. Inspired by Kurokawa’s paintings, the principal of an elementary school in Osaka started a new sumi-e class and appointed Kurokawa to teach in it. Her devotion to the community also prompted Kurokawa to offer classes to mentally and physically handicapped individuals. It has been a tremendously rewarding experience, and her pupils’ works often surprised her.
Art education
1976-1982 Studied sumi-e with Jo-ichi Fukui
1982-1985 Studied sumi-e with Yasuo Shimizu
1983-1987 Studied pencil and charcoal sketching with Jyoji
Kikunami and Shintaro Yasukura1986-1988 Studied water color painting with Minoru Mihara
1989-present President, Suiboku Nanamidori Kai (Nanamidori Sumi-e Club)
1999-present Instructor, Sankei-gakuen Osaka
2000-present Instructor, Kine Elementary School, Nose, Osaka
Awards
1984 Selected for show, open competition, Nishinomiya City, Hyogo
1985 Selected for show, open competition, Itami City, Hyogo
1989 Copper prize, open competition sponsored by "One Painting Publisher", Tokyo
1991 Selected for show, Japan-France Modern Art Exhibition, Tokyo
1992 "Work of Excellence" award, Toboku group show, Tokyo
1992 Selected for show, open competition, Toyonaka City, Osaka
1994 Best of Show award, Toboku group show, Tokyo
1994 Second prize, open competition, Takarazuka City, Hyogo
One-person shows
1990 Gallery Ikeda, Osaka
1991 Gallery Gen, Osaka
1992 Gallery Ikeda, Osaka
1994 Gallery Ikeda, Osaka
1995 Gallery Ikeda, Osaka
1997 Gallery Ikeda, Osaka
1998 Gallery Ikeda, Osaka
1999 Gallery Kawanishi, Hyogo
1999 Gallery Kawachi, Osaka
2000 "Musing in Rural Japan", Touching Stone Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico
2001 Gallery Kawanichi, Hyogo
2001 "Moment of Grace", Touching Stone Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico
2002 "Waiting in the Fog", Touching Stone Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico
Reference
1. See description in sumi-e painting web page.
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