Botanical Art Series & ProcessLuminous Cherry Blossom
This body of work was created in direct response to the Sakura Community Art Exhibit call for art at the Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa Park. The invitation to draw inspiration from the garden’s cherry blossom grove resonated with me.
The nearly 200 cherry trees in the lower garden represent more than seasonal beauty—they embody renewal after winter, cultural connection between Japan and San Diego, and the shared human experience of gathering to appreciate something fragile and fleeting. Hanami, the tradition of flower viewing, celebrates both quiet contemplation and joyful community under the blooms.
My paintings explore these layers through luminous gilding, soft color flows, and stylized forms—honoring the garden as a living bridge for reflection, unity, and cultural exchange. I hope viewers of my artwork find their own moments of wonder beneath the sakura.
Gilded Hanami
Gilded Flowering View
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Imitation Gold, Silver, Copper and Variegated Green Metal Leaf
Oil paint
Wood Canvas
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Width 24”
Height 24”
Depth 1.5”
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In this serene moment, a figure tilts her head in quiet reverence. Her eyes are closed as she inhales the delicate fragrance of pink cherry blossoms. The blossoms frame her face like a gentle embrace.
Her skin glows with luminous imitation gold leaf. I chose gold deliberately among copper, silver, and gold options. It evokes an inner radiance and warmth. This symbolizes the enduring light and vitality that shines through life’s fleeting seasons.
For her hair, I selected silver leaf. It nods to the trending silver hair colors of our time. Such tones represent sophisticated self-acceptance and timeless elegance. They also subtly hint at wisdom beyond her years. This suggests a quiet depth and maturity that transcends age.
The clean, flowing line work draws subtle inspiration from anime’s thick, confident outlines and stylized flatness. It blends modern intimacy with timeless appreciation for nature’s fleeting splendor. Through rich oil layers and strategic multi-metal gilding, the painting invites viewers to pause. It encourages them to breathe and savor the quiet joy of a single, perfect instant. This evokes mono no aware—the gentle, poignant awareness that true beauty often lies in its brevity and gentle glow.
Sakura Awakening
Cherry Blossom Awakening
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Imitation Gold, Silver, Copper and Variegated Green Metal Leaf
Oil Paint
Wood Canvas
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Width 24”
Height 24”
Depth 1.5”
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Request Pricing
This hopeful moment, a youthful figure reaches tenderly toward cascading branches of soft peach-pink cherry blossoms. His eyes are closed as he inhales their delicate fragrance. The blossoms hover close, framing his gentle expression like an invitation to renewal.
His skin and hand glow with luminous imitation gold leaf. It captures a warm, emerging light. This reflects the fresh energy that stirs as winter gives way to spring.
The textured oil background flows into rippling waters below. These were finished in soft, harmonious waves to ground the scene in peaceful harmony with the landscape. The sunrise backdrop, painted in warm oranges, pinks, and lavenders, mirrors the awakening theme. It evokes the first light of day breaking through darkness, symbolizing new beginnings. The cherry blossoms themselves are still awakening on the tree—buds just opening, petals unfurling in their brief, radiant bloom.
Through rich oil layers and strategic gilding, the painting invites viewers to pause. It encourages them to breathe and embrace the joyful gathering of hanami—where friends and families come together under blooming trees to share food, laughter, and sake. This celebrates the arrival of spring, the promise of abundant harvests, and the vibrant sense of community that marks the rebirth of the season with radiant, shared delight.
