About the Artist

Hiroshi Yamamoto (Hakuho)

Born in Shiga-prefecture, Japan, Hiroshi graduated Kyoto Industrial Design Institute and Kyoto Japanese Art School, studied traditional arts and history, including Nihonga and Sumi-e style painting. He studied under Mr. Rokuro Yamamoto, a specialist in Nihonga, and is deeply influenced by the works of Tohaku Hasegawa, an artist from the 16th century.

Hiroshi’s work has received awards in the graphic art field in Japan, USA and Canada. He had over 20 individual exhibitions, in both Japan and Canada.

I work with nature; listening to the sounds of the wind to tell me what to paint, and with an open heart, catch the spirit.

Nihonga

Nihonga uses charcoal, mineral pigments, shell white, and occasionally, gold or silver leaf, on washi (rice paper) or silk. The effect is texture and luminosity not seen in Western style painting.

Sumi-e

Sumi-e is a traditional Japanese brush painting technique, which is based on using an oriental brush and blank ink or subtle watercolours. Sumi, meaning ‘ink’ (–e meaning ‘painting’) in Japanese, is distinguished by its simple expressions of beauty and elegance.