Tag Archives: monochrome diary

Flower Journal 2024

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This is a progressive post: I will post floral portraits throughout the year.
Photos, unless otherwise noted, are shot in Pacific Northern Kanto Plane, Central Japan (JST). They are published the moment the picture and text became ready.

Wild lilies of summer time Japan.
Yabu Kanzou / Hemerocallis fulvaWild flower. Medicinal (leaves) and edible (buds). Blooming slightly earlier than usual it seems, but what do I know. Photographed: 2024.07.01 15:17:39 Edited 07.05 Published 2024.07.05 at 19:17

Hydrangea blossom.
Hydrangea “Dance Party” variantAs of June 30, still in the season of Hydrangea blossoms, which usually ends as the hottest part of summer arrives in a few weeks. Photographed: 2024.06.13 17:23:22 Edited 06.30 Published 2024.07.01 at 00:00

Honeysuckle blossoms.
Japanese Honeysuckle / Suikazura / Lonicera japonicaYou can actually suck the nectar, as the name suggests. Sweetly scented. Photographed: 2024.05.25 15:14:49 Edited 06.02 Published 2024.06.02 at 18:28

White hydrangea with pink trim at edge of petals blooming on pavement, Tokyo.
Blue hydrangea blooming at store front, Tokyo.
Hydrangea (variations)Both photographed in Tokyo, JPN, f. top in Yanaka district and between Hongou-Ocyanomizu. Surprised, noticed first time in my life how many hydrangeas planted on small patches of soil on pavements (bottom photo) / in planters at store fronts (top) and people’s homes. If you are planning a visit to Tokyo and want to have a nice walk through the city, I recommend the area of Yanaka – Sendagi – Hongou – Suidoubashi. First two, vintage Tokyo, the first a bit touristy but not rip-offish. Latter two areas host many schools, Unis and vocational colleges alike, resulting in lots of eateries, many competitive in both quality and affordability. Also notably, books (used/specialty) musical instruments and sports gears in nearby Ochanomizu / Ogawa Chou. Recommendations from a long-time Tokyoite you didn’t ask for. Photographed 05.29 at (f. top) 15:05:06 & 17:50:47 Edited 05.30 Published 2024.05.31 at 15:17

Daisies at the end of blooming season.
Daisy / Bellis perennis (end of season)Will miss. Photographed: 2024.05.14 17:51:18 Edited 05.15 & 05.30 Published 2024.05.30 at 20:23

Small pink wild flower of early summer Japan.
Hime Fuuro / Geranium robertianumThriving, growing out of a crack in concrete soil retainer, captured in pretty early summer sunset. Photographed: 2024.05.14 17:42:59 Edited 05.14 Published 2024.05.15 at 19:52

Muscari blossoms with a Violet in a grass jar by window.
Muscari / Muscari botryoides (with Violet)Muscari, blooming with its stem twisted reaching for the sun, with a violet, both rescued from gardening accidents caused by a clumsy human.Hazy pink pom poms outside are cherry blossoms in full bloom – appeared here twice (Apr11&May07). Photographed: 2024.04.14 17:39:04 Edited 05.13 Published 2024.05.13 at 18:16

Wild flowers of spring in Japan.
Hoshi No Hitomi (Starry Eyes) / Veronica persicaMost commonly called “Ooinu no fuguri” meaning, large dog’s scrotum, successfully insulting both the dogs and the flower in one go. “Starry Eyes” is the alternate name much less common, Heaven alone knows why. In the photo, the blue flower is surrounded by Hime Odoriko Sou (Little Dancing Belle – “Hime”, the word “princess”, is frequently used to describe “small/little”-ness of flowers). The Starry’s flower is smaller than my pinky nail. The first blossoms spotted on 03.14, now in mid May, they are slowly fading from the scene. English names for both (Starry and Dancing) are my translations. Photographed: 2024.03.22 16:09:08 Edited 05/09 Published 2024.05.10 at 20:10

Spanish Bluebell blossoms.
Spanish Bluebell / Tsurigane Suisen / Hyacinthoides hispanicaFlowering season just passed. Photographed: 2024.04.29 14:24:11 Edited 05/09 Published 2024.05.09 at 20:24

A purple daisy flower in rain.
Miyako Wasure / Aster SavatieriThe name “Miyako Wasure” is said to have come from the story of exiled emperor Juntoku, who had seen the flower and its beauty made him forget (=”wasure”) the city/capital Kyoto (=”miyako”) he longed to return. The aristocrat died in the place of exile, Sado Island, Japan. Photographed: 2024.04.24 13:24:11 Edited also on 4/24 Published 2024.05.08

Last petals of cherry blossom tree in sunlight.
Sakura (Somei Yoshino)One of the last petals hanging on, just several of them. Now at the time of publishing this image, petals are all gone / tiny cherries are in formation. The tree, the same one in a pic published on April 11, has been a favorite hang out for warblers/Japanese Nightingales/Uguisu – three names for the songbird in macha green. Photographed: 2024.04.27 15:59:27 Edited 04.30 Published 2024.05.07

White Viola blossom of Japan.
Viola verecundaPhotographed: 2024.05.03 16:43:34 Published 2024.05.03 at 18:41

Petals pf Violet blossom on a person's fingers.
Violet / Viola mandshuricaPhotographed: 2024.04.25 16:00:56 Published 2024.04.29 at 22:46

Harujion flowers and buds in Japanese field.
Haru jion / Erigeron philadelphicusCurrently in full bloom. Buds facing down as if already withered, but that’s where they begin; as they blossom the stems straighten and flower upward. Edible, according to Wiki. Photographed: 2024.04.21 17:38:48 Published 2024.04.24 at 14:40

A blossoming daisy in detail.
Daisy / Bellis perennis (blossoming)First spotted back in mid March, a few months earlier than usual. Photographed: 2024.04.11 14:48:35 Published 2024.04.22 at 19:21

Monochrome picture of an Iris blossom.
Iris TingitanaFull bloom as of late. Photographed: 2024.04.14 16:23:37 Edited 4.20, Published 2024.04.20 at 19:47

Laurel flowers in detail.
Gekkei Jyu / Laurel / Laurus nobilisScented/medicinal leaves and fruits. Currently in full bloom. Photographed: 2024.04.17 12:40:20 Edited & Published 2024.04.17

Wild Sakura blossoms in full bloom.
Yama Zakura / Cerasus jamasakura“Wild” variety of Sakura. “Zakura” means Sakura, Yama, “mountain”. Blooms together with leaves and flowers longer compared to more popular “Somei Yoshino” variety. Photographed in wild at sunset: 2024.04.14 17:55:35 Edited & Published 2024.04.16

Sakura blossoms in full bloom.
Sakura (Somei Yoshino)Currently full bloom in Pacific Northern Kanto. Pictured is the tree in my yard. If you are planning a cherry visit to Japan, let me recommend Tokyo. Not just well known viewing spots, but literally every street corner / neighborhood park has cherry trees blooming like they mean serious business. Collective energy – of trees and people – during the blooming season I find it to be enlivening. If timing is right, you get to see them fall, usually there is this one day when they – pink petals – fall hard, and the city becomes this ethereal theater, an unforgettable sight to behold. Photographed: 2024.04.11 15:32:54 Edited & Published 2024.04.11

Buds and leaves of a wild flower in spring, Japan.
Hotoke No Za (buds) / Lamium amplexicauleJapanese name literally means, Lotus seat of Hotoke/Buddha, named for the leaves’ likeness to the lotus leaf Buddha sits on. Full bloom as of late. Photographed: 2024.04.11 14:47:25 Edited & Published 2024.04.11

Trumpet daffodil blossoms.
Trumpet Daffodil / Rappa Suisen“Rappa” means trumpet in Japanese. Mediterranean origin. Photographed: 2024.04.08 15:55:08 Edited & published 2024.04.08.

Sakura blossom buds in detail.
Sakura / Cherry Blossoms (buds)The first blossoms spotted on 03.31 (Pacific Northern Kanto Plane). Photographed: 2024.04.02 15:25:19 Edited 2024.04.02, Published 2024.04.04.

Detail of a Camellia blossom fell on the ground.
Camellia (fell)Camellia has a distinctive method of decay: the whole flower drops, instead of petals falling one by one, resulting in the ground carpeted with rouge-fuschia flowerbeds. Photographed: 2024.04.02 14:59:55 Edited & Published 2024.04.03

Van Sion Daffodil blossom, detail.
Van Sion DaffodilPhotographed: 2024.03.31 17:19:22 Edited & Published 2024.03.31

Small spring blossom in Japanese country side.
Ko Hakobe / Stellaria mediaMedicinal. Photographed: 2024.03.22 15:58:03 Edited & Published 2024.03.29

Spring wildflowers of rural Japan.
Hisakaki / Eurya japonicaOriginally “Hime Sakaki”, corrupted into Hisakaki. “Hime”, princess, oft used in names as the “smaller version of”, e.g. smaller version of Sakaki. Scented savory/spicy. Photographed: 2024.03.25 14:46:55 Edited & Published 2024.03.28

Spring wildflowers in Japan.
Hime Odoriko Sou / Lamium purpureumLeaves are edible, high sugar content in nectar. Long side of the flower measures about a centimeter. Photographed: 2024.03.25 15:50:40 Edited & Published 2024.03.25

Pink small wild blossoms in spring time Japan.
Hime Tsuru Soba / Persicaria capitataPhotographed: 2024.03.25 16:00:52 Edited & Published 2024.03.25

Black and white portrait of a Ki Ichigo blossom.
Ki Ichigo /Momiji Ichigo /Rubus palmatusBerries are edible. The first blossoms spotted several days ago. Photographed: 2024.03.22 16:06:11 Edited & Published 2024.03.22

Black and white macro photo of Dandelion blossom.
DandelionThe first blossoms spotted on 03.14. Photographed: 2024.03.16 17:04:39 Edited & Published 2024.03.19

Spring small blossoms in Japan.
Hotoke No Za / Lamium amplexicaulePhotographed: 2024.03.14 16:22:58 Edited & Published 2024.03.14

Black and white macro photo of Narcissus blossoms in rain.
NarcissusScented. Photographed: 2024.03.12 11:43:13 Edited & Published 2024.03.12

Black and white macro photo of a hyacinth blossom in rain.
HyacinthScented. Photographed: 2024.03.12 at11:53:24 Edited & Published 2024.03.12

Black and white portrait of a camellia blossom.
Camellia.Photographed: 2024.02.10 at15:45:54 Edited & Published 2024.03.11

Black and white image of Japanese Apricot blossom.
Ume/Japanese Apricot.Scented. Photographed: 2024.02.10 at15:31:27 Edited & Published 2024.03.11

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Cocoon.

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She was a compact two wheel drive in the modest shade of silver.
Previous owner from western Japan left a cigarette burn on the driver’s seat.
Sales man at the lot remarked on my face, said I look rusted like the car’s old engine.
Purchase was made in autumn 2011, the year everything felt like one big defeat.

Thought nothing good would come from this, turned out couldn’t be further from the truth.
Soon there were nights parked on a sand dune, curled up to hear the endless loop of waves.
We’d ride up the hills, into the storm and rest under the trees, wrapped in their unquestionable resiliency.
Most importantly though, she was a shelter with changing sceneries, encased my shedding, the morphing, the reaching for Creativity.

My humble, sturdy sidekick fell silent in the late February 2020.
“Cocoon spat me out” I said, I felt like a cicada freshly out of his, with soft pale green wings that harden overnight.
100 months in my modest silver cocoon, had brought me to where I always dreamt I’d visit.
We took one long ride together, thousands sunsets enclosed us along the way.

A wave on a cloudy beach.
Windshield rain shadows on a journal.
Cloudy sky through a driver seat.
A tree in rain through a windshield.
An abstract drawing in afternoon light.
Night Ocean.
Gardenia blossoms obstructed by leaves.
Artworks in a studio.
A windshield pattern on rainy drive.
Swans against water ripples.
A gardenia bouquet in an artist studio.
A self portrait on a curved mirror.
Textile art work in studio.
A rear view mirror self portrait.
Works in progress in artist studio.
A car parked on a rural road at dusk.

This post is dedicated, an ode to my sidekick, we had parted our ways in early April.
Photos are mostly taken with iPhone, all edited using vsco B5 filter.
All artworks are from the series “Spider Lily Red” (2012 – ).
The second selfie: “one eye” is a happenstance, I am so very much a ‘commoner’.
The sales man did not receive my vendetta; figured him being him would be the punishment enough ;)

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Port view from a car window.
2017.12.31 – FAQ: What took you so long?
Ocean waves in blur.
2015.12.26 – Almost Transcendent Blue – the year in review

Creative Process, September 2018.

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Art studio with spider lilies.
Spider lily blossoms in vase.

Spider lily blossoms and a drawing.
A spider lily blossoms and artwork.

Spider lily blossoms by a Jizou statue.
Swallowtail butterfly on spider lily blossoms.

The project: Spider Lily Red.
In progress is the second of the two piece series called “Flare”.
Images are from this past September, captured moments during the precious three weeks I get to spend every autumn with my favorite lilies, my muse, taking in as much, their familier red to last me for a year.
The photos are in sleepy smoky monochrome, because I am saving up the stored red so as to pour it all into the second piece I will be painting in the coming months.

Thank you for your visit, and Happy Holidays!!

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An abstract flower drawing detail.
Pencil Drawings for Spider Lily Red 2 (2015-2018)
Art works in studio.
2019.03.07 – Creative Process, March 2019.
An artwork in progress.
2016.07.27 – Monochrome Diary, July 2016.

Monochrome Diary, June 2018.

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A leaf on sand at dawn.
Natural objects in studio.

A honeysuckle flower.
A close up of Agapanthus Lily.

A hand painted dress.
Art works in studio.

A coffee cup with found objects on waterfront.
Art studio view.

“No amount of time will erase the memory of a great dog.” – Internet Meme

Images: Late May to early June, 2018. 4th from top is of an agapanthus bud. 5 and 6 are details from Wing Dress (Velocity) and Spider Lily Red (Flare 1), respectively.

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Self reflection on a fish eye mirror.
2014.12.27 – Inspired Moments, 2014.
A dog at a sunset sea shore.
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A Walk on the Beach.
2019.12.31 – Trinity.

Monochrome Diary, June 2016

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Everything’s got a little black within it.

Flowers and a sketch book.

A discovery on Swallows: a compact aerodynamic frame was accompanied by the expression of an eagle.

Swallows on phone line.

Crazy, sexy, cool. Naming just a few, start from top: Oxalis (Imo Katabami), Spiderwort (Murasaki Tsuyukusa), Meadow Sage / Salvia Guaranitica

Oxalis flower detail.
Spiderwort flower detail.
Salvia Guaranitica flower detail.

Cast of characters, clockwise from top left: Yarrow, Cherry Sage, Can’t Recall, Salvia Guaranitica (flower only), a cuppa java, my best friend Sofi asleep in the phone, Pentax WG3 in micro-macro mode.

Flowers, a coffee cup and cameras.

Thank you, to the month of June, for all the scents, shades and shapes,
and Thank you! for your visit.

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An Ivory Sea Shell textures.
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Sumire Violet blossom detail.
2019.05.14 – Creative Process, May 2019.

Grain Haiku

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Ocean with Clouds.
Fishing cormorants.
A yacht at a port.
A gardenia blossom.
Foggy sunset with crows.

All images were photographed with iPhone 4s during the hottest days of summer 2015 at sundown. Grainy textures came, mostly from the lack of light, and a slight bit from editing with vscocam.

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Ripples on Sea Surface.
2021.03.30 – Spring Song Revisited.
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2018.11.30 – Individuation is a bitch!! – a postscript.