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Obata As an Artist and a Lover of Nature

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Obata As an Artist and a Lover of Nature er 1993 me 55 ber 3 0 mal for bers of the YoseANte mite Association Janice T. Driesbach pact on Obata as an artist and a lover of nature. Chiura Obata B (1885-1975), a In Obata's words, that 1927 Japanese-born artist who spent Yosemite trip "was the greatest most of his adult life in the harvest for my whole life and San Francisco Bay Area, is future in painting. The expres- little-known for his Yosemite- sion from Great Nature is im- inspired work. But Obata, who measurable"' The classically- immigrated to California in trained sumi artist appears to 1903, produced a number of have arrived in the Sierra with A remarkable paintings, sketches a mission; he was determined and woodblock prints of the to record the wondrous land- Yosemite region from the time scapes of Tuolumne Meadows, of his first visit to the park in Mount Lyell, Mono Lake, and 1927 through the rest of his life. the rest of Yosemite's high That initial visit, which lasted country in pencil, sumi, and six weeks, had a profound im- watercolor. The sculptor T FACE. TWO Cover: Allorrriug at Mono Lake, 19 Color woodblock print, 11 x 151' Buck Meadow, June 17, 1927. Su on postcard, 3Y x 5% in. How Old Is the Moon, July 2, 19 Sumi on postcard, 5'U x 3'S in. Robert Boardman Howard, this abundant, great nature, t who accompanied Obata leave here would mean losin during a portion of the trip, great opportunity that come observed, "Every pause for only once in a thousand year rest saw Chiura at work. That The artist had become enamo is almost the first impression of the region, and he praised he gives one, either working or the terrain along the Califor on his way to work; never get- Nevada border, noting its dis ting ready""- tinctiveness from that of Obata arrived in the Yosem- Yosemite Valley. In subseque ite Sierra in June in the com- letters Obata described his a pany of Worth Ryder, a painter cent of Johnson Peak and his and printmaker. Ryder had encounters with Mount Dan returned to California from Mount Gibbs, and Mount Ly Europe the previous January all sites that served as subjec to join the art-department fac- Sierra."'. The two artists, albeit of water in case of emergency!'" of later paintings and prints. ulty at the University of Cali- united in their love of nature, The artists chose White Wolf On 26 July Obata reporte fornia at Berkeley. A veteran made unlikely traveling com- as their base camp from the lat- his departure from Tuolumn mountaineer, Ryder brought panions. Obata recorded their ter part of June through early Meadows, over Tioga Pass t considerable experience in the experiences matter-of-factly in July. There Obata could indulge campsite at Mono Mills, "be Yosemite area to their adven- regular correspondence, while his passion for fishing, an activ- Mono Lake ."' From Mono La ture. He had been introduced Ryder's single known letter ity that he engaged in fre- the group continued to Ma to the Sierra Nevada as a youth from the journey reveals his quently during his stay.More moth Lakes, Mary Lake, and and "at every opportunity trav- strong romantic nature . To significant, by 1927 Yosemite Devil's Postpile, before retur eled this great range from the judge from surviving evidence Valley was already considered ing to their "base camp at Ly Mojave Desert to Mount Shasta. and his own accounts, Obata crowded during the summer Fork in Tuolumne" around 2 His particular love was the was the more diligent artist, months . As a result, the high July. In his final letter dated stretch from the Kings-Kern producing more than fifty country was being promoted July, Obata contemplated his Divide to Yosemite, now well paintings, as well as numerous as an alternative tourist desti- impending departure planne known as the John Muir Trail ."' botanical studies, genre scenes, nation for those seeking a more for the following day, writin Although it is unsure who and postcards . The two appar- secluded experience .' suggested the camping trip, ently shared a sense of humor. Obata's letter from 4 Ryder later spoke of his "pre- During the trip while descend- July noted that "in sentation in 1927 of the Sierra ing into Yosemite Valley with Yosemite [Valley] there to Obata and of Obata to the two pack mules, they encoun- are so many automo- tered a group of school teach- biles and people that ers . At the sound of "Pack when I looked down Train;" the teachers scattered, from a viewpoint I did Editors note : Ileis essai' r, like vultures, and as Obata, his not feel like leaving excerpted from the Yosemite Asso- head tied with a white cloth, the quiet mountains.."' ciation's soon-to-be-published boot, strode past with samurai gait, Around 5 July, Obata Obata's Yosemite – The Art the awestruck teachers whis- and Ryder packed up and Letters of Chiura Obata pered "Who is he? Who is he? " their camping gear and from His Trip to the High Sierra Ryder, drawing up the rear moved to Yosemite in 1927 . Obata was a gifted artist with the mules, answered, Creek, where they and teacher who served on the fac- "He is an emissary from the stayed about four days ulty of the art department at the Mikado looking for the most and were joined by University of California at Berke- beautiful spot on earth!' Howard. The group ley for many years. His love for Ryder and Obata entered subsequently traveled Yosemite and the High Sierra is Yosemite National Park via the on to Tuolumne Mead- evident from his paintings and Tioga Road, their car laden ows. Even though prints as well as his words. Please with "two beds, fourteen Obata planned to de- see the "Catalog" section of this boxes of food, painting materi- part Tuolumne on 15 journal for nrc-,t,r~re~,ti:rr eh - als, fishing gear, two suitcases, July, he chose to ex- the Obata b_ a tent, a large saw, a large axe, tend the trip, writing a big shovel, and a big bucket that "after knowing 1 .11TE ASSOCIATION, SUMMER 1993 PAGE THREE .2r knowing this abundant, great nature, to leave Color olumne Meadows would mean losing a great p ortunity that comes only once in a thousand years . am full of gratitude as I bid stature as an artist, both to him- comprises thirty- five color the World Landscape Series was ell to these Sierra Moun- self and his friends in America woodblock prints . All but one an ambitious and an unusual From the deep impres- and to his family in Japan . The show California scenes, and project. That the prints were of my experience there paintings, sumi, and pencil twenty-seven of them are well-received on Obata's return gs an emotion which oth- drawings from the Yosemite views of Yosemite . While to the United States is demon- may not understand . I am trip constituted the majority of views of such titles as Spring strated by their substantial ex- g forward with pleasure the artist's first one-person exhi- Rain, Berkeley, California; Setting hibition record and significant :lope as to how I will be bition held in San Francisco the Sun in the Sacramento Valley; and press coverage. However, the to express this precious following spring . Further, the Foggy Morning, Van Ness Avenue prints were accorded scant rience on silk ." watercolors that Obata made appear among the sheets, the attention in literature of the Obata had a strong personal in Yosemite in 1927 served as dominant theme is established period. Whereas the accom- rise to the remarkable land- models for the greater part by such works as Before Thun- plishments of American artists he encountered, and he of an innovative portfolio of derstorm, Tuolumne Meadows; who made prints in Japan dur- the Yosemite journey as prints that he produced in Sundown at Tioga, Tioga Peak; ing the early twentieth century, c pportunity and a challenge Japan between 1928 and 1930. Clouds, Upper Lyell Trail, along such as Helen Hyde and Bertha r:•oduce a significant body Obata's World Landscape Lyell Fork; and Evening Moon. Lum, and major figures in the work that would prove his Series portfolio (as he titled it) In concept and execution, Japanese shin-hanga print PAGE FOUR YOSEMITE ASSOCIATION, SUMMER 4 ;lore, _l Ion,, be, 1927. ; urni and tcrcolo; n paP"-, I x Obata's Yosemite: The Exhibition The many art works pro- movement, such as Hiroshi duced by Chiura Obata tel on July 16, 1927 as well as American artist, during his Yoshida and Hasui Kawase, during and following his with the inauguration of the time in Yosemite. have been the subject of study, 1927 Yosemite trip are the High Sierra Camps, events Obata appears to have been subject of an exhibition to that both responded to and _Janice T. Driesbaclr has been overlooked . It is possible that be held at the Crocker Art encouraged Yosemite's higher curator of art at the Crocker A this is due in part to his percep- Museum in Sacramento profile as a tourist resort. Museum since '1985. A graduti tion by others as a Japanese from August 27 through Obata is therefore distin- o fAllegheny College, she receii artist working in America and October 17 1993. Also titled guished as an artist who found her M.A. degree in art histor)l as an American in Japan. Obata's Yosemite, the exhibi- this California landscape a com- from the University of Iowa.
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