BILL MARTIN - Mendocino Art Center
BILL MARTIN - Mendocino Art Center
BILL MARTIN - Mendocino Art Center
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the other pieces of the process.<br />
It was during this stay in Japan that Walt began<br />
to discover that he was falling in love – with a place,<br />
with a culture. His connection with Japan was to<br />
continue to grow.<br />
A woman he met during that time showed him<br />
a small book of Hiroshige’s prints of the Tokaido,<br />
made in the 1830’s. This was another significant<br />
hint in his odyssey, which led him further down his<br />
path.<br />
The Tokaido was the Eastern sea route from<br />
what is now Tokyo to Kyoto, dating from the time<br />
of the Emperors. In the 1600’s, 53 stations were<br />
built along its 310-mile route. Many artists over the<br />
centuries have depicted, in their own way, the series<br />
of stations.<br />
Walt now decided that he would return to<br />
Japan the following year to travel this route himself,<br />
and create his own interpretation of the Tokaido<br />
series.<br />
And so he did. Spending two months on his<br />
Mt. Fuji (appropriately enough) mountain bike,<br />
with camping gear and tent (at times enjoying the<br />
hospitality of the local Japanese people he met,<br />
curious and appreciative of this American traveler<br />
who seemed to have such a great respect for their<br />
culture), he traveled the length of the Tokaido and<br />
back, recording the images that would become the<br />
source of inspiration for much of his work for years<br />
and years to come.<br />
At this point, Walt still had no awareness of Bill<br />
Zacha, the founder of the <strong>Mendocino</strong> <strong>Art</strong> <strong>Center</strong>,<br />
and of the similar fascination they shared in visiting<br />
this ancient landscape, and in depicting its beauty.<br />
Though, as we spoke on the phone, Walt commented<br />
that the signed (by Bill and Jennie) copy<br />
of Tokaido Journey was right there by him – pored<br />
over and closely studied through the years. It was<br />
in 1985 that Walt heard about Bill Zacha and his<br />
Tokaido series. Zacha was to give a lecture in San<br />
Francisco; Walt made the trip to attend. There was<br />
just that one contact all those years before, and ever<br />
since, a seed of desire to come and be a part of the<br />
<strong>Mendocino</strong> <strong>Art</strong> <strong>Center</strong>.<br />
Sometimes the pursuit of a goal takes us on a<br />
long and circuitous route, and requires of us much<br />
patience to finally see something come to fruition.<br />
I find I am very touched by this story and its farreaching<br />
connections, and feel happy to welcome<br />
Walt Padgett to the <strong>Mendocino</strong> <strong>Art</strong> <strong>Center</strong>. I only<br />
wish Bill Zacha were still here, so that the two of<br />
them could catch up.<br />
Please join us on Friday evening, Oct. 10th, at<br />
7pm, for a very special hour and a half. As a prelude to<br />
the ‘Second Saturday’ opening of the show, Walt will<br />
be sharing with us a documentary slideshow<br />
presentation on the traditional<br />
process of Japanese woodblock printing:<br />
an educational and inspiring look<br />
at the history of the Tokaido, weaving<br />
photos of its landscape and architecture<br />
with the work of the early printmakers<br />
who depicted its beauty, Sekino and<br />
Hiroshige. His presentation has been<br />
enthusiastically received at the Portland<br />
<strong>Art</strong> Museum, the Berkeley <strong>Art</strong> <strong>Center</strong>,<br />
the Japanese Garden in Portland, and<br />
many other centers for the arts. We are,<br />
indeed, fortunate for this opportunity, so<br />
mark your calendars now!<br />
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