Written on January 20, 1991 [Permalink]

January

This is some kind of a new record - three weeks without an update. It's too bad that I haven't been keeping this thing going recently. When I look back at the stuff from the beginning of this project two years ago, it's more interesting for me to get a feel for the day-by-day routine than to simply have an 'update' every once in a long while. I'll try and get back on track this year.....

It's going to be difficult to cover all the activity of the past few weeks. I got the New Year cards out early this year, about 7:30, as I wanted to get it done before it started raining. I got cards from a few of the customers, and a couple of them asked to renew for another year. Later that afternoon, I pasted down Gotoba In [3-1], ready to start the third set. I didn't get started on the carving for a while, as we went over to Hiroyo-san's place for a couple of days. When we got back, I had Michiyo take some pictures for a P/R flyer for the exhibition. I had the same-day service photo shop run off a few dozen prints of one of them, and sent exhibition announcements to all the media on my mailing list.

Thinking about the upcoming exhibition and the possibility of new customers starting who may want 'back numbers'. I have lots of second year prints (about 60 each) on hand, but a very disorganized pile of stuff from the first year. I used a pile of the folders that Ashida-san left me, stuck labels on and prepared 12 packaged sets, using prints from the drawer. I also organized the descriptive sheets to accompany the prints, and got them all squared away in manila envelopes. I'm not sure what to do about the stock of first year prints. I never got around to printing very many copies of each of them that year, and if future new subscribers want to 'catch up', I won't have stock. I think that during this coming year, as I get time, I'll print enough of each to bring them to the 100 level, the same as the more recent years. Anyway, at least there's some packed and ready to go.

A call from the 'Magokoro Shimbun' in Hachioji. 'Thanks for the flyer, but it came too late to be of any use ...'. Three weeks in advance is too late for a weekly newspaper? Gulp. Later calls came from the Mainichi, the Sankei shimbun, and the Asahi Towns, all of whom will run the information. Mr. Hiyoshi of the Aoi Post came round with copies of their New Year's Issue featuring my stuff on the front page. It's not as dramatic as last year's Fureai exposure, but attractive nonetheless, and much more widely distributed. He said that it was going to about 900,000 households in the next few days. The ones going to the 'Ome line' area carry a mention of the exhibition. These various mentions should be able to pull in some visitors ....

The preparations for the exibition have taken much more time than I expected. The descriptions to accompany each print had to be run off on the wordpro, then glued to lightweight plastic board and laminated with plastic film. I also made a huge paste-up display of all 100 of Shunsho's designs, laid out in the strips of 10 by 10, showing each year's prospective work. The bix box had to be repaired and re-packed, and a pile of small signs and descriptions made up. I also completely re-wrote the pamphlet, making it more concise, and I hope more understandable. I also included an order form this year for the first time. Previous pamphlets have given a lot of information, but never led anybody to order a set, and I don't think that anybody actually thought that the thing was anything other than an information handout. We'll see if this approach makes any difference.

The gallery has a mailing list of their own, and wanted some stuff to send out, so I made up a 100 postcards for them using the copy machine at the local convenience store, and stuck a photograph on each one. We also sent out a small bunch of our own, to various people we think might be interested in coming. (I even sent one to the mayor, just for fun!)

I went down to Sekaido to order a bunch more frames, as I didn't have enough for the exhibition, and got a bit of a shock - he said they would be ready in about a month. A month! Last year it usually took about a week. I told him about the exhibition, and he said that he would 'do what he could do....' They arrived yesterday, the 19th, just in time. The mats were the proper colour, and they even included some replacement mats for some of the ones I still have left from last year that they shipped with the wrong colour.

There was a 'Daruma Market' at Ome the other day, and I took the kids over and picked up a medium size daruma and three small ones. They're for the exhibition - the big one to stand for the entire ten year series, with one eye left blank, and the little ones to stand for each year, two with eyes filled in, and the third to be 'started' at the exhibition.

[ can I find a photo? ]

A phone call came in from a Yajima-san at Shogakukan Publishers. They put out the magazine 'Serai', to whom I sent a P/R flyer last fall. He wants to come for an interview and photo session later this month. This one sounds good! This is a magazine devoted to expensive and exclusive products for the attention of 'les nouveau riches'. I would be sharing space with multi-million yen sports cars and all manner of other 'high living' goods. It's not really my bag, but readers of this thing would pretty obviously be prime candidates for subsciptions. He's coming on the 28th.

Another call came in from a Yamashita-san (a different Yamashita-san), who had read about me in the Asahi Towns, and asked if I would be willing to come to the Tachikawa City Karuta Tournament to show my stuff. Would I? I went down there this afternoon and was introduced to everybody before the action started. There were about 80~90 people there, most of whom took a little flyer I prepared that gave details of the exhibition. A few of the 'heavy' card players seemed fairly interested in the prints (I had the first set with me for display), and maybe something will come of it. I didn't join the games, as these guys were serious! I'll stick to my practice sessions with the old ladies at the Kominkan.

A very interesting call came in from Saeki-san at Yuyudo, the print publisher we visited two years ago to get information on case makers. He had been phoned by Okada Yoshio(!), who had seen the Aoi Post article, and who wanted an introduction to me. He wants an introduction to me? It seems so. I don't know what he has in mind, but we made an appointment for a date in early February, the earliest time that he is free. This should be interesting. I've liked his work ever since Michiyo and I saw (and bought) some prints made to his designs about 10 years ago. What on earth does he want?

What else has gone on? Well, when I was shipping out the January prints (for those couple of people who are still 'catching up'), I found that Seiyu no longer carries the brown kraft wrapping paper, so I chased around Tachikawa trying to find a paper supplier. I eventually found a place to order the stuff, right here in Hamura. Bills to pay ... 110,000 to Yamaguchi, 30,000 to Shimano-san, 40,000 to Muse for some more backboards ... the Post Office account is getting pretty low, and there'll be almost nothing coming in this month, with no print being made.

Not to mention the carving work on Gotoba In [3-1]. Finished the blind, and started on the carpet. The kimono is full of pattern, and what with the time that will be lost with the exhibition next week, I'm beginning to think that he might be a little bit late. Good way to start the year!

And of course, English classes, four nights a week.....