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Nature Art with Chiura Obata (Naturalist's Apprentice)

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Nature Art with Chiura Obata describes not only the life of a contemporary Japanese artist, but also depicts a man who maintained his spirit and dignity when he was interned with fellow Japanese Americans during World War II.

Chiura Obata was born in Japan in 1885. His older brother and wife were unable to bear children of their own, so they adopted Obata when he was five years old. Obata showed a talent for art at any early age, and his rigorous training began immediately in his new home.

Most interesting to Obata was the nature around him. He studied plants, birds and animals. He learned to make his mind calm and to use all his senses, not just his eyesight, when he was observing his subject.

In 1903, at the age of 17, Obata set sail for California, where he fell in love with the Pacific Ocean, the mountains, the redwood trees and Yosemite National Park. He also encountered prejudice and survived the earthquake of 1906. Through it all, Obata ultimately became a teacher at the University of California in Berkeley.

This book is filled with fascinating old photographs, reproductions of Obata's beautiful sketches and paintings, along with art exercises for budding artists who want to try out some of Obata's techniques. The exercises encourage readers to follow their feelings and draw nature as they see it. I found this book perfect for a presentation on Japanese Art to a second grade class.

When Obata and his family became internees in 1942, he recorded the story of their imprisonment through art. Even though their accommodations were dirty and depressing, Obata encouraged his people to see the beauty of nature in order to survive. He organized an art school and students would carve sculpture from tree stumps and build lamps from old car parts.

Obata became an American citizen in 1952 and lived to a ripe old age.

This book is an excellent introduction to the artist Chiura Obata. Illustrated with photographs, drawings, watercolors and woodblock prints, this biography (aimmed at younger readers but very informative for all) recounts his life story including the major highlights and upheavals. Obata loved the "great nature" of wilderness. This love of nature enabled him to live through hard times and flowed into his work. His unique training in traditional Japanese art combined with western sensibilities and appreciation of the natural environment enabled him to find unique paths to visual expression.

His story is an interesting one and worth investigating. This is a very good place to start. Recommended.