The client works at sea in Hokkaido and holds such devout faith in the dragon god that he bears the name "dragon" on his boat. "Ryujin-sama no Gokago (Blessing of the Dragon God)" was born as if guided by his heart. From the moment I received the commission, I prayed for safe fishing and abundant catches, and for ever greater prosperity for his family and business, and painted the dragon god, revered since ancient times as the deity of the sea and water, with my whole heart in every stroke.
With prayer: the waters of Kifune, and a dragon of the northern sea
Learning that the client visits Kifune Shrine, which enshrines the god of water, every year, I painted with the wish that the pure spirit of water and the power of the dragon god who guards the northern seas would resonate with each other. As I painted, there were many moments when forms seemed to appear as if I were being guided, and I feel deeply that this painting was not made by my hand alone, but was born with the help of a great, unseen power.
To the right, and turning counterclockwise: a prayer for growth and expansion
Many of my works are composed facing right. Besides carrying the good luck of a line that "rises to the right," I have the dragon god move to the right and then circle counterclockwise. In the spiritual world, counterclockwise rotation is said to mean growth and expansion, and clockwise rotation contraction. I entrusted my wish that the client's business will keep growing without limit to the very sweep of the dragon's body. The composition came about naturally, without hesitation or struggle; my hand simply moved.
Green and gold: colors I was guided to
The colors, too, came to me intuitively: green and gold. I had not researched it beforehand, but I later learned that the color most closely associated with the shrine the client worships at was precisely that green, and I was filled with quiet wonder. I believe these were colors I was meant to paint, beyond any reasoning.
A dragon holding the sacred jewel: bringing wealth and happiness
The sacred jewel (hōju) the dragon god holds has long been a symbol that brings financial fortune and good things. In the image of the dragon god holding abundance and happiness firmly in his claws, I placed my wish that blessings will gather one after another for the client. I will never forget hearing that, around the time I delivered this work, the fishing began to bring good catches, and how delighted he was.
Cymatics of "thank you": everything begins with gratitude
In this work too, I quietly layered the cymatics of "arigato," thank you. Cymatics are the ripple patterns drawn by sound frequencies, and they are the motif I intend to place at the center of my work from now on. What I put here is gratitude for being alive itself. Daily blessings and the connections we encounter are all made of gratitude: I hid that feeling in the form of invisible ripples. I hope the power of the dragon god and the vibration of gratitude resonate quietly together within this painting.
What this painting pointed to
The connections born through painting, and the smiles of those who receive the work. This piece became an irreplaceable work for me, one that set my direction as I became a fully independent artist: giving form, without hesitation, to the images that come through intuition. I hope it will be cherished for many years, and I sincerely pray for the client's continued prosperity and abundant catches.
Painter KOHIKO (光日子)