My ongoing show “con.Text”, featuring 18 ink on panel portraits, at the de Saisset Museum in Santa Clara will be having an outdoor reception Thursday, April 13, 2023 from 4-6 p.m. 

There will be light refreshments outside on the lawns in front of the museum and you are welcome to take your time in the galleries. 

The museum is located on the campus of Santa Clara University, 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA 95050  (408) 554-4528.

If you cannot make it mid week Thursday we have scheduled small group walk throughs with me on Friday April 14 and Saturday April 15 at 11:30 -12:15pm and 1-1:45pm. Due to capacity restrictions advanced registration is suggested and will open soon.

2 of the 18 pieces hanging in the show:

“Tiffany” is the granddaughter of Roy Sakasegawa who was drafted

into the U.S. army in August 1941 from Salinas CA four months before

Pearl Harbor. After the attack Roy’s family was incarcerated along with 120

thousand people of Japanese descent, 62% were American, in Poston

Arizona one of the 10 internment camps set up to house the internees.

Roy went on to serve in the 442nd Infantry division composed of Japanese

Americans who fought mostly in Europe. The 442nd Regiment is the most

decorated unit for its size in U.S. Military history. The unit earned more

than 18,000 awards including 21 Medal of Honor.

The text used to make the marks is Executive Order 9102 that

established the War Relocation Authority the agency responsible for the

forced relocation and internment of Japanese Americans during WWII.

Lorraine’s great grandfather first came to the United States in the

1850’s on a 30ft Sampan, a Chinese fishing vessel not designed to cross an

ocean. He landed in Mendocino County and immediately began work in

the lumber camps as a cook. After going to China in the late 1880’s he tried

to return to his family in California, but due to the Chinese Exclusion Act

of 1882 he had to pay to take the name of a citizen to be allowed back to

his family in California.

The text used to render the portrait is The Chinese Exclusion Act of

1882, which was the first and only law to prevent all members of a specific

ethnic group from immigrating to the United States. Many Americans on

the West Coast attributed declining wages and economic ills to Chinese

workers so Congress passed the Exclusion Act to placate worker demands

and assuage prevalent concerns about maintaining white “racial purity.”

It is my pleasure to have two pieces included in a show that marks the 50th Anniversary of the Sister-City program between the city of Kashiwa, Japan, and the city of Torrance.To celebrate this milestone Torrance Art Museum is presenting an exhibition of the myriad artistic talents of the Japanese American community based here in southern California. These diaspora artists reflect the complexity and diversity of art practices from those who share a dual legacy, inclusive of the cultures of both countries, to form unique composite expressions of culture.

The show is titled “Bridging the Pacific” and is curated by Max Presneill.

Opening reception January 28, 6-9pm

January 31 thru March 4th

Artists: Tetsuji Aono, Yumiko Glover, Kio Griffith, Clement Hanami, Bryan Ida, Ichiro Irie,  Takeshi Kanemura, Wakana Kimura, Ibuki Kuramochi, Kaoru Mansour, Yoshie Sakai, Macha Suzuki, Misato Suzuki, Tomoaki Shibata, Miki Yokoyama

As featured artist for the up coming The Billboard Creative show in February titled “We the People” I had the pleasure to do an interview with curator/fabulous photographer Mona Kuhn going in depth on the inspiration for the series and its meaning to me.  

The show features a portrait of my friend Kio Griffith presented on a billboard located in front of Paramount Studios on Melrose Ave. There is an interactive map on The Billboard Creative website.The show will exhibit 30 artist work on billboards across LA. 

Thank you Mona Kuhn for your support and kindness, The Billboard Creative for this wonderful show and Adam Santelli for all your hard work.

I am honored to present 18 portraits from my “con.Text” series in a solo exhibition at the deSaisset Museum on the campus of Santa Clara University.  

Thank you Lauren Baines and Christopher Sicat at the de Saisset Museum for all your hard work and efforts. 

The show opens to the public January 24th – June 17th. 

I will be showing a new portrait of my grandmother that I just finished that that is based on a photograph taken by Dorothea Lange. 

There will be a reception and further programming announced at a later date. 

21 x 24 acrylic on panel 2022

In my fading light series I depict endangered or threatened species as light fades to dark. The light and the dark represents the contrast between hope and despair

27×22 acrylic on panel

In my fading light series I depict endangered or threatened species as light fades to dark. The light and the dark represents the contrast between hope and despair.

“Mt Jade” 29 x 39 acrylic on panel

I was commissioned to do a painting that was inspired by Mount Jade the largest mountain in Taiwan. I chose to depict the mountain and its lush beautiful environment in a piece that juxtaposes the two together. 

“ Mt Jade” will be in a traveling exhibition that will tour 3 cities in Taiwan at the end of the year

Another from my fading light series that highlights endangered species.

Deep Dark blues and greens.

I have been healing from nerve damage in my right arm brought on by overwork. These are the first works in 5 months.

“Whooping Crane” 21×19
from the fading light series using deep deep darks

From my Fading Light series highlighting endangered species.

“Monarch” 20 x 26 acrylic on panel

the dark background is a slow build of transparent glazes to eventually achieve darkness