Lisa was born with a condition called Arthrogryposis. It is a stiffness of the joints and small under developed muscles in the body and in her case it affected all four limbs. Doctors initially thought she would never walk, but by 3 years old she was walking.  At school her mom had to petition for her to get into the classroom as there were no accommodations for children with special needs.

With the passage of the Rehabilitation act of 1973, which prohibited discrimination against those with disabilities in federally funded programs, Lisa’s school began providing services for the disabled.

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 went further in reach to prohibit discrimination against those with disabilities.

The text is the 1927 U.S. Supreme Court case, Buck v. Bell, which set a legal precedent that states may sterilize inmates of public institutions. The court argued that imbecility, epilepsy, and feeblemindedness are hereditary, and that inmates should be prevented from passing these defects to the next generation.

“Lisa” 60 x 37 Ink on panel

Detail:

My work is featured in “Psychological Perspectives the quarterly Journal of Jungian thought” in and article titled “Healing Cultural Divides: A Jungian Approach” by Jessie Thompson and Clifford Mayes where they explore basic Jungian ideas in the hope of healing the divisions that exist in this multicultural world.

I am honored to have my work featured in “Centerpoint Now” a book that marks the 75th anniversary of the United Nations. The book features artists, activists, scientists and others who through their work help to access the complex issues that oppose the United Nations global endeavor for peace. The article is a statement on the criminalization of immigration. The publication will be distributed to the office of each of the 193 member states of the United Nations.

Tiffany’s portrait tells the story of the 442nd Army Battalion made up entirely of Japanese Americans who fought in Europe and Africa during World War II.

As a way to see the ink on panels portraits and the fine detail that is hard to see online I am making videos about each portrait that present the work in the way I would want you to see it with the narrative I would be speaking as if we were viewing the work together.

The first one is my Grandfather:

Another ink on panel portrait of my father taken from a photograph by Dorothea Lange of the Japanese American Internment during WWII. The text is Executive Order 9066 which established the internment camps.

This and more of the ink portraits will be a part of a show at the Japanese American Museum in San Jose running August 1, 2020 thru February 3, 2021. There will be upcoming online events and hopefully open to see in person.

Detail:

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 the 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.

“Tiffany” 60 x 37 Ink on panel

Detail:

These portraits speak to the courage and individual strength each of us posses in times of struggle and isolation.

This is Heather, she is a 1st Lt serving in the United States Air Force. Her grandfather Silvino Parcasio served in the Philippine scouts from 1927-1945 when in 1942 he was captured by the Japanese Imperial Army forced into the Bataan Death March and imprisoned. Upon liberation by the United States in 1944 he enlisted in the US Army in 1945 and served until 1962.

Many of Silvino’s compatriots, who were American Nationals by way of the Philippines being an American Commonwealth, were federalized to fight with the US Army in 1941 when the Japanese invaded the Philippines and were promised U.S. military benefits and services. In 1946 the U.S. government rescinded those military benefits to those that chose to return to civilian life.

The text is the Rescission Act of 1946 that annulled benefits promised to the Philippine Scouts.

“Heather” 60″ x 37″ Ink on panel

Detail:

I have started on a new series addressing environmental issues that use forests and trees as a theme.