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On Becoming
Atsuko Dowling As a child I was weak at painting and had not learned to draw correctly. I therefore thought I had a poor hand for drawing while at the same time all my friends could draw beautifully and wonderfully. On the other hand I still can remember dreaming of being an artist and drawing well in the future.
My father had a negative opinion of art as a profession. He thought that "living off of one's art sales would not offer a decent standard of living". He hoped I would become a dentist or a pharmacist and be successful with my life. As I was deeply influenced by my father I couldn’t pursue art and thus let it interfere with my studies. My mother however was sympathetic to m artistic ambitions and secretly allowed me to learn "Nagauta" and also play the piano.
One time as a sophomore in high school I was assigned to make a painting over the summer. I decided one day while I was drawing my backyard that I would someday purposely paint a picture when I had time for myself. I was starting to really enjoy drawing and painting.
I began thinking about incorporating art into a career through design and went and spoke to a teacher of mine about taking a college entrance examination. It seemed to me that such a goal would be best achieved by attending an art college. My teacher asked me how I was preparing for the test or how I planned to prepare for it and it dawned upon me that I really had not taken any basic preparatory course for art school. I gave up on the idea and instead opted to study Japanese Literature at an university that emphasized its study.
After I graduated I got a job and gained extensive work and social experience. I also met my current husband Robert S. Dowling and got married to him. I then really thought about focusing on art and painting in order to fulfill my keen desire for it. A few days after this, I knocked on the door of a "Suibokuga (ink on washi paper painting)" class without any prior knowledge of it.
The teacher asked me to draw a picture as an example and then shifted to another student abruptly without any explanation. I was just a beginner and didn’t even know how to use the brush. During the first one year, events like this caused me to be sad and even cry yet I never thought of giving up.
As time passed, I came to understand the key points of painting. I moved my hand while holding a brush to imitate well known classic artworks. I started to paint with advice from the teacher.
I remember being so absorbed into my painting once that I lost the feeling of holding the brush in my hand. Another time a large flower pot tumbled off a shelf and I didn't even notice I was so deep in thought while painting.
Around this time a friend in "Suibokuga" class invited me to learn oil painting together. The timing was just right so I agreed to study it.
The teacher of oil painting was highly skilled in minute depiction. I learned "dessin" from the teacher which is necessary for painting. Soon I started to study with another teacher of "Suibokuga" and "Haiga".
One day a person I met in an English conversation class told me about an upcoming art exhibition at Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum. She was exhibiting some of her works and invited me to go to the exhibition. At the exhibition I met her art teacher and he invited me to attend his painting class.
The students in the class were just starting to study a tableau of Japanese painting. I joined the class right away. The following year, 1985 I exhibited a work in the "Toho-Ten" exhibition at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum. I have exhibited my art in the "Toho-ten" exhibition every year in March in the same place in the 18 years that have passed since then.
In 1991 I joined a group of artists in California. In 1992 I had my workshop of Japanese paintings in the "wine country" in California. In 1993 I had a private exhibition in Indianapolis. In 1995 I participated in some group exhibitions in Napa. In 1996 I showed some of my paintings in Ginza. Since then I have shown my works in Napa 5 times at group exhibitions.
In 1997 one of my works, "Image of Grand Tetons", was printed in "China-Japan Modern Art Book" in China. Incidentally, this Art Book contains works by 3,328 artists (
2,912 Chinese artists and 416 Japanese artists). I have held three artist’s shows in Ginza and have exhibited my works there every year since 2000.
In the autumn of 2003, I had an opportunity to visit the Imperial Household Agency in Tokyo with two of my artworks and talked with top first Ladies-in-Waiting through the goodwill of Ms. Shizuko Ohashi. She is one of the founders of "Kurashino-Techo Company" with the late Mr. Yasuji Hanamori and the former president. I thanked her for affording me the honor. She provided me with comments as shown below:
The paintings of Ms. Atsuko Dowling are unique and colorful. I especially am found of her paintings of flowers. I said to a Lady-in-Waiting, "I know Her Majesty the Empress likes paintings of flowers. May I present Ms.Atsuko Dowling’s paintings to Her Majesty?" The Imperial Household Agency was not accustomed to receiving the paintings due to their strict regulations. I took the paintings directly to Her Majesty. She liked them and enjoyed having them for a while in the living room she shares with Emperor.
I also think Ms. Dowling’s paintings are darling and attractive and she has a terrific technique which is neither Japanese nor Western.
(In Kona, Hawaii)
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