New release

Kodama

Tree Spirit

Kodama is the Japanese name for a certain kind of tree spirit. This guardian of the forest has a long and deep history with the Japanese people, even if young people today have only encountered them through the visionary film “Princess Mononoke” by genius director and animator Hayao Miyazaki.
Senju’s “Kodama” is very distantly related to Miyazaki’s cute little spirits. There are very few visual representations of these forest spirits, and one has to instead look to words and writings. Stories of Kodama vary according to regions in Japan. Different historical eras of Japan also see them change character and appearance.
One old story tells of a Kodama assuming the shape of a human because of love, and this is the idea he decided to pursue in this painting. He felt an urge to capture her just as she was transforming.

The Kodama print comes in small to very large size.

New release

Chimamire

Ghost painting by Senju

Sumi and Japanese Gansai pigment colors on paper.

The bloody handprint on her kimono sleeve reminds us of the painful and violent struggle that preceeded her death at the hands of a violent man.

Now a bloody red handprint can be found on the men facing her revenge.