As a child, I always wanted to go to art museums and see paintings on the walls at home. That stayed with me, quietly, my whole life. About 15 years ago I started to collect art. About 75% of it never made it up on my walls. And I didn’t think of it as a collection. Last year, I started to look at what I’d accumulated, and what I wanted. And I realized I had a lot of beautiful art of specific kinds that I loved. Paper art. Specifically, Japanese wood block print art. Even more specifically? Late 19th and early 20th century art.
I have some paintings, a lot of posters (even some limited edition prints). But it’s the pop-culture + ephemeral + utter craftsmanship of ukiyo-e printing that I adore. My favorite style is shin hanga and sosaku hanga movement pieces, and my favorite artists are Yoshida Hiroshi and his son, Yoshida Toshi. And the son is my absolute favorite.
I bought a TON of artwork this last year. Instead of the usual pieces every couple of months, I learned a LOT about online auctions and so I got a lot more pieces in my collection.
I’d like to get the rest of those pieces up sooner rather than later. And also? I’d love to give away a few pieces. Probably sell some, too.
That last thing. I’ve also collected stuff I don’t want. I bought SO MANY STAR WARS TOYS when I was deep in grief about my dad. They’re nice. They may be valuable. I want to sell them, and a bunch of other things I bought out of grief. I have an entire clutter room in my apartment, which luckily still has enough room for me to work and do craft stuff and fold my laundry, but it’s just stacked with stuff I bought between 2020 – 2023 when I was just crushed inside. I spent the early part of last year beating myself up about that stuff, like, “oh, if you hadn’t bought this junk you could’ve gotten that original print of ‘Ueno Park’ you’ve wanted for like six years.” Then I let it go.
I have a store started. But I’ve put zero effort into it. I’d like to figure out how to change that. Because there’s a story there I’d like to tell. And money I’d love to split with some children’s charities.
But one thing at a time. I just appreciate that I became an art collector. Not the biggest, not the best, and not the wealthiest by far. But still. It’s a wonderful hobby for me.
And it was the hobby that led me back to notebooks, paper books, and the epiphany that I’m all about those mass-culture, pop-culture, paper arts.