Why Sakura?

Painting cherry blossoms is a form of therapy for me.  Japanese people love sakura (cherry blossoms) because they mark the transition of the cold winter into spring.  Japanese people also think of sakura as a reference of time.  All experiences, good or bad, have meaning.  In Japan, sakura season is a time for endings and new beginnings such as school graduation, the start of a new (school) year, etc.

When sakura petals fall and we think, “Ah, sakura season is over,” it actually marks a beginning of life…the cycle of life continues.  The life cycle of sakura is very similar to our own cycle of life.  This is what I aim to express in my paintings.  My inspiration comes from everyday life as a homemaker.  With the increase of stress in today’s world, my desire is to create pieces of work to serve as therapy to others.