Arcata artist Annette Makino debuts in SoHum

Redwood Times
Garberville, California
July 1, 2013

Arcata artist Annette Makino will show her Japanese-inspired paintings in Southern Humboldt for the first time in July at Persimmons Garden Gallery. The public is invited to the opening on Friday, July 5 from 6 to 9 p.m., which will also feature live music by The SoHum Girls Band and The Fabulous Resinaires.

”I’m really excited to share my work with folks in SoHum, and Persimmons is such a warm and inviting place to show work,” Makino said. “I’ve created several new paintings for this show, and am looking forward to hearing people’s responses.”

Using bamboo brushes, Makino paints with sumi ink and watercolors on rice paper and other papers. Updating a Japanese art form called haiga, she combines her paintings with original haiku and other poem fragments.

Makino’s pieces convey a quiet Zen perspective and gentle sense of humor. Many of her paintings portray flowers, plants or landscapes; dogs are another common theme. A close-up painting of flowering red clover includes this haiku:

three-leaf clover
counting the blessings
in the everyday

Makino grew up with a Japanese father and a Swiss mother, and has lived in both Japan and Europe. She draws inspiration from those roots, as well as the untamed beauty of the Pacific Northwest.

She comes to her work with more than thirty years experience in writing and graphic design as a communications and outreach specialist for nonprofit organizations. She has a degree in international relations from Stanford University and has studied drawing, painting and graphic design at Humboldt State University.

Makino has published her poems and haiga (haiku art) widely, and her haiku recently took first prizes in two categories in the ukiaHaiku Festival.

She has previously shown selected prints at the Mateel Cooperative Gallery in Garberville, but the Persimmons exhibit marks the first time she will be showing original work in SoHum.

Makino’s show will run through July and August, along with works by Piercy ceramic artist Nan Penner. There will also be signed prints and greeting cards of Makino’s art for sale at Persimmons. There is an online gallery of her work at www.makinostudios.com.

Playing at Persimmons the evening of the art opening will be The SoHum Girls with Marcia Mendels, Brigette Brannan and their band. Their music spans rock, ballads, country and pop. Making a special appearance will be The Fabulous Resinaires, who keep audiences laughing with their costumes and witty song lyrics.

Persimmons Garden Gallery is located at 1055 Redway Drive in Redway. For more information, call 923-2748.