Artist · Trish Duggan
This is the first woodblock print I made while attending the Jesuit Nanzan University in Japan. I had always been fascinated by birds and clouds. My second print consisted of four woodblocks that I put together.
“A heart without dreams is like a bird without feathers.”— Suzy Kassem
“We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world.”— The Buddha
“Radiate boundless love towards the entire world.”— The Buddha
“Japan was made by a handful of brave men—warriors, willing to give their lives for what seems to have become a forgotten word: HONOR.”— The Last Samurai
These were woodblock prints with ink drawings of birds that I added. I made them when I was at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where I majored in Political Science but took an art class every semester to keep my imagination flourishing.
“Like a bird we are meant to fly, to soar above our troubles.”
“I climbed the majestic Mount Fuji which was an unforgettable experience.”
“As a samurai, I must strengthen my character; as a human being I must perfect my spirit.”— Yamaoka Tesshu
“To know life in every breath, every cup of tea...”— The Last Samurai
Artist · Kojiro Fukuoka
The Japanese cherry blossom, or Sakura, is Japan’s national flower, and it represents hope and renewal. This famous Japanese artist creates cherry blossoms out of paper and is collected by museums around the world.
“Like these blossoms, we are all dying...”— Yagyu Jubei Mitsuyoshi
Glass Fan · Trish Duggan
Fans are very important in Japanese culture; in fact, in traditional Japanese dress you can’t be considered fully clothed unless you are carrying a folding fan.
The fan itself is symbolic, with the small end representing birth and the blades symbolizing the many possible paths leading away from this beginning. The colors of the fan are also significant. Red is considered lucky and gold is thought to attract wealth.
The main use of fans is to create a cooling breeze for the user, but in Japan it goes beyond the obvious. Fans were once thought to keep away evil and were used in religious ceremonies. Holding a fan was also considered restorative to the soul.
“The clean blade of truth — it can’t be stopped.”— L. Ron Hubbard, Scientology Zero
The clean blade of truth cuts through all deception and lies.