Hailing from Japan, I had a group of high school students with Good Try JAPAN program visit my atelier for a career-inspirational talk and a calligraphy workshop. Good Try JAPAN is a career education program in partnership with HIS, a Japanese travel agency, which aims to inspire young teenage students to see the world and think about their future careers. Participating students get to visit world-leading tech offices such as Google, Twitter, Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco, and Stanford University, meet employees there to hear about their life experiences and insights on how it’s like to step outside from own country and work in the United States. Then they visit Yosemite National Park for nature activities, interact with local high school students to broaden horizons, and think and communicate their ideas and thoughts between travel buddies. I was asked to meet the students to talk about my life journey, experiences and struggles working as an independent artist in foreign country.

It was exciting finally open the door to public and have them visit this newborn atelier space. It’s always fun to meet ambitious youngsters who are seeking who they are, what they want to achieve, and what they dream of.  I was also around their age when I decided to study abroad. It was not an easy road, and still not is, but it is definitely an adventurous path that’s worth taking.

I love seeing various ideas and imaginations from students; everyone is unique. During the workshop, one of the students wrote “話” (conversation) in calligraphy, and put smily faces inside of the radical “口”; one smiling with its mouth opened, one closed. I asked her why, and she said, “one is talking, and another one is listening. I think that the conversation is very important, and I want to be able to have many good conversations in my life. ” I love that observation!  I was happy to see that everyone was having a great time holding brushes and expressing themselves on paper.

Calligraphy is like a mirror of your inner self.

I hope everyone was able to have some time to focus on their inner self through this workshop, and re-evaluate their goals and beliefs. Wishing you all great success in your bright future ahead!

– Photo by Shinya Hirose