Looking back on the exhibition "Yaiiiro Ookami + Flower Shop Nishibepp

Good morning. How have you been spending the past week as the weather has suddenly gotten colder?

Until yesterday, Utsushiki was holding the Iiro Ookami + Flower Shop Nishibeppu Shoten Exhibition.

Thank you so much to everyone who came to Utsushiki during the exhibition and to those who purchased works online from far away!

It was a delightful 10 days, with people taking the time to call to enquire about the pieces they wanted, or rushing in just before closing time on the last day to find the piece of their dreams, and the energy of everyone looking forward to the event was palpable.

I would like to take a look back at those 10 days. Please bear with me.

The first Saturday and Sunday started with the entire team gathered together: Mr. Sato from Hiiro Ookami, Mr. Nishibeppu from Hanaya Nishibeppu, his wife Wakako and their beloved daughter Tokiko, and Nana from Uguisu and Kokuu, who opened a special cafe.

One of the good things about being a staff member is being able to get a glimpse into the setup process.

Naturally, the completed space comes into existence through a process of construction.

This time, Nishibeppu suddenly asked, "Do you have a saw?" and started by cutting down a large persimmon tree.

Although I had heard beforehand that a tree would be planted, I never imagined it would actually be a really big "tree"!

Using limited equipment and tools, Sato then lights the tree with beautifully balanced light.

When decorating the large Persian carpet that serves as the backdrop for the exhibition space, or even when creating the works themselves, I couldn't help but feel excited at the way their sensibilities and strengths respond to each other to create this world.

I feel like I want to offer my heartfelt congratulations and gratitude to Nishibeppu and Sato on the day they met and stood side by side to walk the same path.

I'm sure that visitors will see this tree in action, in ways that make them imagine villagers sitting in the sunlight filtering through the trees, or be reminded of an old tree reaching up to the sky in a town in a foreign land, or feel the presence of a tree on a starry night.

The fragrant plants that Wakako had picked from around the tray and placed in the golshok were also beautiful.

The cafe offered a delicious plate of borsch and two types of bread, sweets, and a takeaway bread set, creating a space that somehow matched the world of the exhibition.

There were endless words of gratitude from people who had eaten and were leaving, and from people who came to collect their bread, and I was sure that Nana's cheerful attitude was seeping through the soup and bread.

On the final day, Nishibeppu was again present for a workshop on making autumn-colored wreaths.

The event began with each participant collecting plants that caught their eye, in addition to the ones Nishibeppu had picked beforehand, and then they chose a location of their choice, such as inside the coffee shop or outdoors, to create their wreaths.

It seemed to me that Nishibeppu had spread a lot of things throughout the event, such as his way of looking at plants, his wisdom, and his sense of touch.

It warmed my heart to see the looks on the faces of the people holding the finished wreaths, a mixture of happiness, satisfaction, and anticipation as they wondered where they would hang them when they got home.

I want to participate too!! (lol)