My mission is:
- To provide an exceptional service and experience for my clients
- To chronicle and contribute to the Spirit of Silicon Valley
- To serve humanity through my art, upholding the Samurai values of Bushido
- To convey a spirit of respect for the Earth's fragile cultural and environmental ecosystems
Serving My Clients
The word Samurai derives from a Japanese verb meaning "to serve." True to my ancestry, I strive for an exceptional standard of performance and technical mastery. The Samurai values of loyalty, integrity, and discipline are at my artistic core. I commit to the individualized or personalized goals of my clientele, which ultimately become my goals. For each project, my research centers upon a deep understanding of exactly what my client wants, the nature of the subject matter, and the most powerful way to artistically achieve their objectives. My brush strokes capture the spirit and essence of the subject. Creating a masterful Sumi-e painting is an intense process, and I follow the rigorous methodology of the ancient masters—grinding my own ink, carefully loading the brush, leaving nothing to chance. The end result of my projects is not only the painting, it is an experience. The goals of my clients are always paramount - and I make sure to implement every one to its fullest expression and extent. Depending on their wishes, I can incorporate additional elements into themed projects, such as poetry, music, wine, creative web solutions, as well as performances to convey my client's message to multiple audiences. I am proud of the testimonials my past clients have given about my art.
My Community - Silicon Valley
I am Silicon Valley's Artist-in-Residence. For me, the Valley is not just the place where I reside, but the spirit and inspiration behind my art. I am local and global like Silicon Valley and its residents: a Stanford graduate living in Palo Alto, born in Tokyo and touring the world with my latest project. My mission as an artist is to chronicle the explosive ideas, personalities and institutions that form and shape the future of innovation. I am a dual citizen of both the physical and digital worlds that coexist in Silicon Valley. Fascinated by the world of social networking and the Internet, I am a blogger, an avid Mac user, and an expert on usability and design.
My art is uniquely suited to capture the spirit of Silicon Valley, a world of ideas. The rich, distinctive ecosystem of Silicon Valley—personalities, companies, entrepreneurs—is as much about the immaterial and intangible as it is about the material and tangible. Similarly, my brush delves beyond the surface into the essential. Single strokes release the driving forces powering the greatness of ideas and dreams. When I paint a technological leader, the brush strokes become the leader's essence and vision. When commissioned by a company, I capture its history, mission and future. Like the code shaping the Valley, my elegant, flexible brush strokes allow me to convey both the timeless and the timely, the abstract and the personal. Like the reputations built in Silicon Valley, every brush stroke of my art is indelible.
Being a Global Citizen
The code of Bushido influences my artistic philosophy. The fundamental tenets of discipline, integrity, restraint, honor, and duty to society are integral to my brush strokes. I feel a great sense of social responsibility to use my art to serve humanity. My dream is for my art to play a role in our efforts to creatively tackle some of the world's most challenging problems, specifically those in the environment. My art and my personal beliefs make me uniquely suited for this challenge.
Respect for the Environment
Harmony with nature is one of the philosophical fundamentals of Sumi-e—from its origins in the landscape painting of the Zen monks to its spirit of oneness with living things. The Zen principles of simplicity, tranquility and balance are the soul of this art form. Symbolically, the economy of brush strokes in Sumi-e leaves nothing wasted—carrying a conservationist message. The Sumi-e artist uses natural organic materials. Bamboo and animal hair brushes and pine-based inks convey a deep respect for what we take and give back to the earth. In Sumi-e, meaning comes not from excess but from a profound spirituality and austere sublimity. My art is black and white, and at its core—green.
