these last three months have been an adventure into new territories for me: overnight i became a publisher, a conceptional designer, a competition tender, an artist (this is the only one i'm familiar with), a member of the jury (my two children were the real judges), a secretary, a quality controller, a sales agent and a delivery person all at the same time. i can tell you that's quite exciting! and it helps to have mum around to baby-sit:)
it all started with an idea that's been in my head for some time: a colouring book made by a number of different artists who had diverse artistic styles and concepts. i didn't want to tell them what to do, but from where to do it: their hearts. a spontaneous thought of 'i'll just do it!' beginning of january and 'i love japan' was born: a colouring and activity book dedicated to the children of japan who were affected by the 3.11 earthquake/tsunami. they should get something they can hold in their hands, something that reassures them that the world has not forgotten them. and also something to have fun with: to colour in, to scribble, to cut out and paste, or to simply look at and enjoy.
i started to contact all my artist and designer friends ... from uni, from professional and private life, one even from childhood who i haven't spoken to for 30 years ... everyone i could think of! lucky me, a very reliable and talented friend, anna dabrowski, agreed to help me with the layout and all over design of the book. so things got flowing. i found 24 artists, i found sponsors for paper and printing, people who helped me with advice and experience... it was really amzing to see all these open hearts in a money-driven city like hongkong, giving time and talent and resources to this charity project!
make a long story short: i initiated this book because i have always felt a special bond towards japan. i connect to the japanese aesthetic, the sense of colour, of proportion of space and ornament, the appreciation of craftmanship, the perfection of detail, the subtlety of it all... the list goes on. the half year i stayed in tokyo and worked as an intern at a fashion house has made a deep impression. it changed my artistic approach. this is one reason i want to help japan. the other is that now, as a mother, it is so natural to feel for these children who were affected by the earthquake/tsunami/nuclear desaster last year. it want give them something to put a smile on their faces.
i created an individual blog for this book project: please visit japan-i-love.blogspot.com
