Is Max Crazy?

Is Max Crazy, or What?!???!!

Yes, he's out of his frikkin' mind!

 

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No, I think he has a right to be a recluse if he wants to be.

 

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He should keep making love to his mountain bikes.

 

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I think he's gay.

 

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He's cute!

 

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I don't want him to "go for it" cuz I want Max!

 

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Wow, she's awesome! Can I have her if Max doesn't want her?

 

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Where do I sign up for a mail order bride?

 

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Ignore the two "drop your jaw handsome" guys in this photo. This blog isn't about us (private drooling acceptable)....

Max called yesterday and said he wanted to bring his friend Yamakawa-san over for a brief visit. Of course I said yes! It turns out they are going for a bike ride in the mountains. Well, so am I but not to the same place because although she is apparently a top contender for mountain climbing in Japan, she doesn't have a lot of history on mountain bikes. And that is perfectly understandable.

Max has been telling me about Yamakawa-san for a long time. They met through the traditional Japanese introductions. She is about 41, single (now), is a nurse, and exercises like crazy. She hikes, mountain climbs in all seasons, climbs waterfalls and all that stuff. When the two of them go hiking she leaves Max in her tracks.

He has been saying for some time that he isn't sure if she's "his type". And the way he described her I had a completely different image.

So when she showed up.. I was stunned. This woman is gorgeous! Slim, very athletic with a bright, laughing face, open eyes, friendly smile, totally relaxed. She has that long straight black hair that goes down to the waist... you know the kind that all North American guys seem to drool over? Yeah, that kind. Very very nice women all round.

She loved watching Max and I talk back and forth and even commented on how enjoyable it was seeing us talk with absolutely no reservations whatsoever. She didn't even once comment on "your Japanese is so good", which was a very nice breath of fresh air. We just talked, and laughed. And she can laugh! It rings out strong and true.

I gave her a tour of the house. She saw all of Max' work and was very impressed. I took her upstairs and showed her the Globalized Rug. When I told them how Stefnee makes them, and the history of all the material and how all the love and positive energy is infused in it from all of YOU, both she and Max were extremely impressed. Mission accomplished! She loved how bright and cheery and well-decorated Stefnee's room is.

I showed her my Hippy Dippy Bag and she absolutely loved it. I told her that if she ever wanted one, Stefnee has some on her online store, and she could even make a custom one if she wanted.

I told them both of the most recent "run in" (two days ago) I had with Dickhead's Dad (he is such a childish man... *shaking head, feeling sorry for him*) And she laughed.

I absolutely LOVED meeting her.

Max told me in the past that she considers him as a boyfriend, but he doesn't feel that. He's not sure... And of course if the chemistry isn't there it isn't there, right? But I couldn't make any of my own observations until I met her.

Well I met her...

And the next time I have Max to myself I am going to tell him that he is out of his fucking mind if he doesn't latch onto her.

I think that the problem is that Max is soooooo deep into his comfort zone that he really has no idea about what human inter-relations are like. In fact, I'm pretty sure he hasn't even had a girlfriend in 20 years and I am 100% sure that the only "person" he has made love to in that time has been his mountain bike (six of them). And yes, for us, each one of our bikes are personified... they all have their own unique characteristics (mine have names).

So what I wanna know is this: Is Max crazy, or what?!?!?

I'm off to the mountains myself, and will return in several hours (maybe with more photos) because the weather is soooo nice today. Let me know what you think.

I love you!

Cam

Welcome to Washi Urushi

Welcome to Washi Urushi, the new Etsy store for Max & The Yoshida Artwork Gallery!

I spent the day creating Masaki's new Etsy store. I hope that Etsy lets me keep it as there are other stores on Etsy that are run by one person, and the goods are created by another. I am doing the exact same thing.

The difficulty in setting up this store is that each individual item is of a different size and weight, and I need to pre-package everything in order to determine shipping.

Today I set up nine (9) items with some temporary text. I am looking for some inspiration for these items regarding a more attractive sort of "wordy thingies". I know it will come to me in due time *wink*, I just need to be patient.

It took pretty much the entire day to come this far. We will see how things go.

I plan to list all of my eto, as well as my bonsai. If we get orders, then Max will create something "similar but not identical" to what is displayed. It will take some time to add their art, but because it IS art, I don't foresee what we have listed, or will list, flying off the shelves!

But for now... a year or longer project has come to as close to completion as I can achieve in this NOW moment. I want to sit back and see how well we are received.

Welcome to Washi Urushi (Paper Lacquer)

I love you!

Cam

My Eto Collection

These eto, or 12 animals of the Japanese (Chinese) calendar have been made painstakingly by hand by my best friend Max (Masaki Yoshida) and his parents.

The artwork is exquisite, and everything is done in Japanese paper, or "washi"; with a metal wire frame underneath.

It can take up to two months to make some of the more difficult eto, but if you look closely you will understand why.

The colouring is an "urushi" or a lacquer produced from the urushi tree in japan.

11 years ago I decided to support their business by suggesting they make eto. My first purchase was the dragon. Ever since then, every year I have been adding to my collection.

I have one left to add: The Tiger; that will be 2010, and all 12 will be complete.

If you are interested in commissioning anything like this, please contact me. But PLEASE remember: THIS IS ART and it is not "cheap chinese junk", therefore if you are not willing to invest in art, please don't ask me the price.

One of the things Max does do, though, is create custom orders based on a customer's budget. So if you want to make something that costs ... say... $100, he can do that for you.

I will be starting an Etsy shop to manage their business so customers around the world can see, and make their own, this beautiful, and completely unique (there are no others doing this) art form.

If you are interested in finding out what "eto" you or a loved one belong to, you can look to the Japanese Eto Calendar. It's a little different from China, but as I don't live there I'm not interested in the Chinese calendar.

I love you!

Cam
(Year of the Snake)

2009 is the Year of the Bull? Ox? Cow? Steak!

The other day Masaki and his mom came by, bearing gifts (and a purchase). They brought the usual rakkyou that I love, some other tsukemono (pickled cabbage), and some boiled nimono daikon. In return I gave them the omiyage I had brought back for them from Canada, namely a mountain biking magazine for Max, a box of Dare Maple Cookies for the family, and some other small things.

The other main purpose of their visit was to bring and present to me this year's eto, or the animal that represents 2009: the bull.

So, without further fanfare, and all introductions aside, I present to you yet another amazing job by Masaki Yoshita, done in washi, or Japanese paper!

(I only have one more to collect, that's next year's tiger and I'm excited because then I will have collected all 12 eto and I will have proof that I have known this best fried for longer than 12 years!)

When one of you decides to come and visit me.... I can hardly wait to show you my collection. Of course I would take you to visit Max and his family because you all know him by now and I know you would probably weep for joy when you see what they do. I make my request to the Universe and live my life as if "you" (whoever you may be) are already coming, have already made plans, and the day is yet to come when you will be "delivered unto Me"! Every day I believe this. I really really doooo!

In the meantime, enjoy what I enjoy through these photos (clicking them will take you to Flickr where you can see them even larger if you so wish).

I love you!

Cam

P.S. And I DID decide that I AM going to work in collaboration with Max and make his site, doing all the sales and stuff for him. Yep. Others do it all the time on Etsy. So, I just need photos from him.

P.P.S. The ring in the last photo is my new ring that I ordered on Etsy from "artisanlook". Ev, one of the team of three lives in Montreal and she hand delivered it to me! I had a wonderful time meeting her. OMG I LOVE LOVE LOVE this ring! I wear it on my left thumb, and it feels as if I already have belonged to it for at least 136years!!! If you want amazing jewelry, go look (and order) stuff from their site!

If you want to see the meeting... please visit my YouTube channel and take a look. Lots of amazing, fantastic, wonderful memories were created in Montreal and not all of them were of me walking through snowstorms looking at hundreds of years old brick buildings (which were frikkin awesome! ... 1657 was the oldest one - a church. Go figure heh).

 

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Gallery Max 2008.11

I visited Masaki and his family today. Every year around this time they display their art in a coffee shop/art gallery.

For those of you who are not yet familiar with their art, they work in paper. Everything they do is made of Japanese washi. They make their frames out of wire, and then begin layering on the paper, shaping the product as it goes along. Each and every piece of hair or scale is an individual piece of paper that has been pre-made, then glued on. Once the form is complete they colour it with a natural lacquer from grasses, trees, persimmon trees and the such. Then they use a natural finishing lacquer to give it the shine, the depth, the shadow and the glow.

Carrie, Jen, and Paula have seen their work first hand. I hope that more of you one day will have such an opportunity to see, touch, smell, and be amazed at the work they do.

This year, Masaki created these battling bulls that you can see at the top of the page. The colouring base is persimmon tannin that has been fermented. There are approximately 10 coats of this persimmon coating, followed by many more coats of special lacquer from the Japanese lacquer tree (which is highly allergenic).

Prices of product vary from $50 to $3,000 depending upon the size, and complexity of the product. Some may think that smaller means much cheaper, but due to the complexity of the work, that is not always the case. For example, the smaller the dragon, the more finely detailed the scales, etc. must be, thus the work becomes more complex.

If you would like to see more photos, please visit my flickr by clicking on the image below and following the link.

I love you!

Cam

P.S. I have asked this in the past, but if anyone is connected to an art gallery or some rich person who likes to work on this kind of thing as a philanthropic gesture, by all means please introduce us!

I really wanted to put their work on Etsy, but I am not allowed to do so. Masaki would have to do it himself, without a representative, but with no English skills whatsoever, it just isn't possible. I guess I could become him... but he needs an email address and these days, Max doesn't even have an internet connection! And he doesn't care!! Yes, he really is THAT analogue.

Click here to view their artwork in slideshow format.