On April 30, 2026, I was elected as a Signature Member of the Pastel Society of America (PSA). The reason I entered this competition was to submit my work to the 54th PSA Annual Exhibition, which will be held later this year. Both creating art with pastels and pursuing realism—which represents my artistic roots—hold profound significance for me. While I have not yet reached the level I aspire to, I feel this is the path I am meant to follow for the rest of my life. Becoming a member of the PSA was a major dream of mine, and I hoped to take that first step forward.
Fortunately, the piece I submitted, *My Father’s North Side*, was selected for the exhibition and went on to win the American Artists Professional League Award.
I want to express my deepest gratitude to Jimmy Wright, President and Exhibition Chair of the Pastel Society of America, and also to everyone involved in this competition. And I am also honored to have my artwork displayed alongside those of my seniors who participated in this competition. Congratulations to everyone.
Fortunately, the piece I submitted, *My Father’s North Side*, was selected for the exhibition and went on to win the American Artists Professional League Award.
I want to express my deepest gratitude to Jimmy Wright, President and Exhibition Chair of the Pastel Society of America, and also to everyone involved in this competition. And I am also honored to have my artwork displayed alongside those of my seniors who participated in this competition. Congratulations to everyone.
私は2026年4月30日にPastel Society of America（PSA）のシグネチャー・メンバーに選出していただきました。この審査を受けた理由は、その後に控えるPSA 54th Annual Exhibitionに応募するためでした。
パステルでの絵画制作と、私のルーツともいうべき写実表現は、どちらも私にとって大きな意味を持っています。私はまだ、自分が目指す場所にはまったく到達していませんが、これらは私がこれからの人生を使ってやるべきことだと感じています。
その過程でPSAに加盟することは大きな夢であり、その第一歩を踏み出すことができたらと考えていました。幸運なことに、私の応募した作品「My Father’s North Side」が入選し、さらにThe American Artists Professional League Awardを受賞することができました。
Pastel Society of AmericaのPresidentであり、Exhibition ChairであるJimmy Wright氏、ならびにこの展覧会に携わるすべての皆さまに深く感謝申し上げます。そして、多くの素晴らしい作家の皆さまと同じ場所に作品を展示していただけることを光栄に思います。
皆さま、おめでとうございます。
パステルでの絵画制作と、私のルーツともいうべき写実表現は、どちらも私にとって大きな意味を持っています。私はまだ、自分が目指す場所にはまったく到達していませんが、これらは私がこれからの人生を使ってやるべきことだと感じています。
その過程でPSAに加盟することは大きな夢であり、その第一歩を踏み出すことができたらと考えていました。幸運なことに、私の応募した作品「My Father’s North Side」が入選し、さらにThe American Artists Professional League Awardを受賞することができました。
Pastel Society of AmericaのPresidentであり、Exhibition ChairであるJimmy Wright氏、ならびにこの展覧会に携わるすべての皆さまに深く感謝申し上げます。そして、多くの素晴らしい作家の皆さまと同じ場所に作品を展示していただけることを光栄に思います。
皆さま、おめでとうございます。
My Father's North Side
I considered writing a commentary on this painting, but my thoughts are already complete within the painting itself. Whatever impression viewers may have is entirely their own, and I believe it is the “right answer.” I find that very interesting.
In the past, I painted my daughter standing in front of my father’s decaying clinic on three separate occasions. After the third one, I began to feel that these paintings had been failures. That was about two and a half years ago. Yet this failed theme remained with me.
I had been trying, after the fact, to improve the relationship between my daughter and my father, who had been indifferent to her. I came to realize that this was a mistake. Behind it was my attempt to rewrite my past, and my wish that things had been different. The idea of using painting, after all this time, to turn the relationship between my father and my daughter into a good memory struck me as trite. I felt it was not something that should be resolved through painting. That was what had been bothering me.
この絵に関してコメントを書こうと思いましたが、私の考えはもう絵の中で完結しています。見る方がどんな感想を持たれても、その方の自由であり正解だと思います。私にとってそれはとても興味深い部分です。In the past, I painted my daughter standing in front of my father’s decaying clinic on three separate occasions. After the third one, I began to feel that these paintings had been failures. That was about two and a half years ago. Yet this failed theme remained with me.
I had been trying, after the fact, to improve the relationship between my daughter and my father, who had been indifferent to her. I came to realize that this was a mistake. Behind it was my attempt to rewrite my past, and my wish that things had been different. The idea of using painting, after all this time, to turn the relationship between my father and my daughter into a good memory struck me as trite. I felt it was not something that should be resolved through painting. That was what had been bothering me.
私は父の朽ちかけたクリニックの前に娘が佇む絵を過去に3回描きました。そして3回目にどうもこれらの絵は失敗だったと思いました。２年半ほど前のことです。しかしこの失敗したテーマがずっと私の中に残っていました。
今まで私は、父が無関心だった私の娘と、父の関係を後から改善しようと考えていました。そしてそれは間違いだったと思います。そこには私の過去の改竄や、こうあって欲しいという願望がありました。私の父と娘の関係を今更絵によって良き思い出にすり替えるという発想が陳腐であり、絵で解決すべきことではなかったと思います。つまり、それが引っかかっていたことです。
