Turning Japanese*

 

Octopus Teapot by Japanese ceramic artist Keiko Masumoto #womensart #CeramicsArtWeek

I saw this teapot on twitter. isn't it beautiful? It wouldn't last two minutes in this house though.

I've had an arty day today. Well, not exactly arty but I did go to visit the artist who's running an art workshop for me in aid of Zac's. She lives in a lovely cottage down a little lane, looking out at fields and trees. There were some beautiful sheep in the field and Jo told me they were Dutch spotted sheep.

Jo's going to be doing a paint along type thing, so she will be demonstrating at the front and we will each be creating on our own canvases.

Jo is the artist who put on an exhibition of her work in aid of Zac's in the autumn. Her work is amazing (and expensive naturally) and really stunning.

Back to Japan, two things.

First, the Japanese ambassador to the UK is an absolute star on Twitter. He travels all over the country, tries the local delicacies, makes friends, and, best of all, takes Paddington bear with him wherever he goes.

He is a delight.

Second, the book I'm reading is another Japanese book. I've read a number over the last year or so and most are slightly surreal - but not as surreal as the Korean book I read last. That was something else.

Anyway, the one I'm reading is called My Grandfather, the Master Detective.

A young woman got her love of mystery stories from her grandfather, who is now suffering from Lewy Body dementia. In each chapter she encounters a mystery that she takes to her grandfather for a solution. It's much more straightforward than some of the time travel Japanese books I've read, and very good.

* Turning Japanese is a pop song from 1980 by The Vapors. Apparently it's about the desperation, anxiety, and mental state following a breakup, rather than a direct reference to Japanese culture. Who knew?