Bird Singing Flowers While Awaiting SpringSilvie and I recently paid a visit to the Kirsten Gallery in the University District. Richard Kirsten-Daiensai is the main artist featured at the gallery, and his current showing is entitled "Eternal Dreams & Rapture Born from the Heart: New painting from Japan, and 60 years of rare treasures from his personal collection." I think this quote from the gallery's website sums him and his work up better than I could:
"Richard Kirsten Daiensai: Seattle artist, painter, printmaker, sculptor, and Zen Buddhist priest. Daiensai has spent several months each year for the past 49 years wandering through Japan and Korea. All his paintings and prints are done in the quiet and solitude of these retreats, thus creating art that reflects the divine energy that exists in all things. Often, the spiritual quality of his work is tempered with a sense of cosmic joy and warm humor."
His artwork makes me smile, which is exactly what I told him when I met him -- a kind-looking old man, nursing a cold, sitting serenely behind a cluttered desk in the corner of the gallery sorting through the day's mail. I was introduced to his work when I happened upon a used copy of his 2004 book (very appropriately called "Smile"), which is a beautiful collection of short meditations and images from his art. We saw some of these same works at the show, along with many other paintings, mixed-media pieces and sculptures (one of which he invited me to heft in order to feel its weight). Here are a few images, along with their wonderfully expressive titles, all taken from the gallery's website (www.kirstengallery.com/index.htm):
It's Never Too Late to Celebrate, said the Dancing Rabbits, So Let's do it Now
Sage Listening to a Conversation Between a Flower and a Stone
Every Time I See You Flowers Bloom in My Heart
Your Happiness, is My HappinessPeace,
Joe
Joe
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