"If you neglect your

"If you neglect your art for one day, it will neglect you for two" is a Chinese proverb that's been dogging me.

A shopping trip with a friend turned into an exploration of galleries in Yanaka an old-fashioned neighborhood in Taito-ku. By accident and good fortune we met Jim Hathaway who paints sumi-e, traditional Japanese ink painting. He's lived in Japan for twelve years and after we had viewed his work, he invited us to stop for a cup of tea. Jim's down-to-earth and I really enjoyed hearing about the art community of Yanaka. It's much more vibrant than I'd ever guessed.

Seeing all of the art at Jim's and other galleries makes me realise how long I've been neglecting my art. I want to drag out my printmaking tools and carve some blocks. But I have too many computer-based projects going on right now. Maybe next week...