「拓」(hiraku) – cultivate / pave the way –

Happy New Year!

On New Year’s Day, the sky was clear – my family and I went to a state park for a morning hike, took a deep breath overlooking the coastline of Santa Monica to Venice, and renewed my spirit for the New Year.

Kakizome, the New Year calligraphy, is traditionally held on January 2nd in the solar calendar. This year as well, following the tradition, I drew water on the New Year’s Day to prepare Wakamizu (若水 – the first water drawn from the well on New Year’s Day) and rubbed the Sumi ink, and I wrote a piece with the intention of bracing my mind and body.

My character for the new year calligraphy “Kakizome” for 2021 is 「拓」(hiraku), which means to cultivate, or to pave the way. From the last year’s resolution「歩」(ayumu), we as a family have walked together a long but magical way, hand in hand. I want this year to be the year we cultivate, nurture and explore further, even it may feel challenging at times. I want to keep challenging myself to find new expressions, and most importantly, to *enjoy* the changes — in the environment, in our daily life, in the society, and the world.

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新年開けましておめでとうございます。

元日は家族で州立公園へハイクに行き、サンタモニカ・ベニスの海岸線を見下ろす小高い山の上で深呼吸、快晴の朝の清々しさに心洗われる思いで新年への心意気を新たにして来ました。

新暦1月2日に行う、書初め。今年も、伝統に倣い、元日に汲んで一日お供えした若水で墨を擦り、身も心も引き締める思いで一字したためました。

今年の一字は、「拓」。

去年の「歩」で、家族で手を取り合って歩み進めてきた道を、今年は更に開拓していきたい。制作活動も、心地よいリズムを探りながら、また今までにない表現を探求していきたい。新しい環境も、日々の変化も、変動する世界も、新たな繋がりも、楽しんでゆけるように。

今年もどうぞよろしくお願いいたします。