It’s been quiet on my site recently… mainly I’ve been busy with preparations for taking my wife and her family to the US for a week over Thanksgiving. It’s going to be crazy busy, as it’s their first time coming to the US, and none of them speak English.

Art-wise, I’m currently finishing up another ukiyoe portrait, which I’ll be able to post pretty soon. And I’ve been overwhelmed by the response to the A-Yokai-A-Day series. (Prints are still available at Etsy, and you can email me about buying the original paintings.) Also, I’ve been pretty busy framing paintings and advertising for my Chickens of the World exhibition next month at a gallery/cafe here in Fukui. I would like to have continued doing a painting every day — or nearly every day — this month, but I think I knew that would be impossible for November. In December, I should be able to pick up the pace again.

Lots of folks have asked me if I’ll be painting more Japanese monsters. Soon, either December or January, I plan on continuing that theme. There’s hundreds more yokai I could paint, but I’d also like to illustrate some kami, or Japanese gods. I’d also like to create a bit more detail in the paintings, so rather than working at breakneck speed to put out one a day, I’ll probably do one every other day or so. But the difference in time should be more than made up for in quality of the painting.

Anyway, keep on checking back here. I’ll be able to post at least one, maybe 2 more paintings before I head to the US next week, and then in December I’ll have updates about the exhibition as well as some new art. And remember: art prints make great Christmas presents! So now’s a great time to order some yokai or chickens or Philadelphia prints!