Today’s featured cherry blossom piece is “Welcome to the Neighborhood.”
This piece is 10x16 inches, oil on panel.
It depicts tall cherry blossom trees and a home across the street from where we lived on Yokota Air Base, Japan. While I normally do not paint buildings I wanted to include a part of one in this collection to give a reference for how tall these trees were.
The tall, close trees in “Welcome to the Neighborhood” reminds us of the tight knit community we lived in. It was special to experience, especially during COVID.
Before we moved to Japan in September 2020, we lived in a coastal town here in North Carolina not far from where we live now. We were in a country neighborhood, living on 2 acres and no immediate neighbors within a few acres of us. We did not know any neighbors when we lived there.
It was inspiring to have a closer relationship with nature and really made me fall in love with this area. But it also felt isolating at times, especially when the COVID shut downs happened.
It was a massive change when we moved to Japan and suddenly had a whole bustling community of people all around us, seeing the same people at work, school, parks, parties, base events, and grocery store trips.
We loved it.
Yokota Air Base neighborhood.
Under these trees was a gathering place for our immediate neighbors where we would have bon fires on weekend nights. Laughing, joking, storytelling, crying, relaxing, and venting. It became a place where people opened up and connected.
The Japanese phrase “Ichi-go Ichi-e” translates to
“one time, one meeting” and means we should try to savor the small moments we have with people because these moments are fleeting and once in a lifetime.
While this Sakura Collection—Sakura is the Japanese word for cherry blossoms—is about savoring the small moments and new beginnings inspired by this phrase, “Welcome to the Neighborhood” reminds us to appreciate our community, wherever that may be.
In the spirit of community, I would love to hear from you.
I want to know about the community you live in or connect with most! Tell me a few things about your community. It does not have to be your neighborhood, just where you feel the most connection with others.
Send me a quick message at — hello@annastasha.com
Artfully,
