February, Spring is coming to my classes

It is the end of February today.

Every year I thought I need two more days in February.

My students have been working hard for our spring show.

The spring show is from March 28 to April 1.

I heard cherry trees will bloom about that time.

A boy student is painting indoor plants with little figure of horses.

February, Shutter project

I have been working on painting on a shutter with my assistant.

It is the entrance of my classroom.

I am going to move out end of March, but I had to paint on it by a building owner's request.

We started this project end of last December.

It took hours to clean and remove rust, then hours to paint on a shutter.

It was a difficult work for me.

I had to use chemical rust remover.

I have been busy with running my classes, so my time is limited.

We even work after snow. 

Finally, we completed shutter project yesterday.

I thanked my assistant.

February, Catching up ...

It has been warm and sunny since this Monday.

There are some snow piles in the shady area, but it is melting slowly.

My students are catching up with their paintings for their spring show.

Spring has come to our classroom.

8 years old girl completed this painting in 3 hours!

It is fun to teach wet- into-wet for children.

I wish if I could paint like children.

This is 17years old girl's painting/drawing.

Her sence of flower arrangement is just like her painting/drawing.

February, Painting on shoes

Children are painting on shoes for their spring show.

We are going to have "deco-uwabaki contest".

Deco means decoration, and Uwabaki means indoor shoes.

In many Japanese schools, students are supposed to wear indoor shoes.

Those shoes are made of white canvas cloth, so it is very easy to paint on it.

Children are enjoying designing shoes, and working hard to get a prize.

12 years old boy painting on her mother'ｓ shoes.

I like his Egyptian design.

February, Getting ready for our spring show

My students have been working on their spring show, from March 28 to April 1 in Kawagoe.

We are behind of our schedule because of snow storms.

Those are 5 years old girl's works.

I like work with little artists.

This is her first wet into wet painting.

She loved it.

Those are my demonstration and senior students' works.

We are using sumi sticks for drawing.

Adult students are also working on painting of Provence scenes from my photographs.

My demonstration. I miss my summer in Provence!

I used salt for an old wall.

February, Snow Storms

We had a big snow 8th and 14th, two weekends.

It is Thursday today, but still lots of snow on the ground.

I took this picture after the snow when I commute by bus.

Mt. Fuji was beautiful.

I have been working on painting on a shutter of my classroom.

The owner of building requested me to paint a shutter and paint on painting on it.

I have never done it. It was not an easy job, but I had no choice.

I worked with my assistant yesterday. She is a great helper.

We painted letters, a the trunk of a tree and leaves today.

You can see pile of snow, an umbrella for dripping water from the gutter above the shutter, and a heater. 

I want to complete this project in February.

I am closing this classroom end of March and moving into an another place in April.

2014/02/09 Heavy snow hit eastern Japan yesterday

The snow started on Saturday morning.

I took those photos on Sunday morning from my condo.

It was beautiful.

Snow accumulation reached 26 centimeters in Tokyo according to news.

  My little garden covered by snow.

  I took a bus to my classroom.

  I only had two children because of the snowy road.