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12月16日まで、長野市の北野カルチュラルセンターで油絵と銅板の芸術家、小松美羽さんの展示会が行われています。

芸術家って、ブレークする前から知っていたら、何か嬉しかないですか？

飯山市の人形アートの高橋まゆみさんは有名になる前にこの千曲市稲荷山地区の蔵氏館で展示会があった。その人形の表情とか雰囲気が気に入っていて、展示会を見に行った。貸切状態でした。今は飯山市でマイ美術館があって、北信の一流観光名所となっている。

油絵と銅板の芸術家、戸倉上山田の隣の坂城町の小松美羽さんこそ、ブレークしそうです。春に坂城町で展示会が行われて、かなり注目された。今回の長野市の北野カルチュラルセンターでの展示会を是非みたいと思っていて、長野県旅館青年部の理事会前に先輩の二人を引っ張って、行ってみました。

若手、尚且つ美しい小松さんはニューヨークの落書きと日本の伝統モチーフを混ぜた様な作品を作っています。着物や獅子、着物に獅子、なおかつ、入れ墨の様に。色々。

（すみません、私は芸術評論家じゃないので、適当な説明しかできない。まあ、この写真を見て、ご自分の好みに合いそうならばぜひ見に行って下さい。取り敢えず、私の好みなので、紹介しています。）

Oil paint and brass engraving artist Miwa Komatsu's art is on exhibit at the Kitano Cultural Center in Nagano City through December 16th.

When it comes to artists, don't you just love getting to know someone's works before they become famous, and then they make the big time?

A few years ago, Iiyama's Mayumi Takahashi who specializes in doll art had an exhibit here in Chikuma City at the Kurashikan. I'd been fascinated by the amusing looks of the dolls and went to see the exhibit -- and had the place to myself. Now, there is an entire museum dedicated to Takahashi-san's dolls in Iiyama and it is one of the top tourist destinations in northern Nagano Prefecture.

I have a hunch Komatsu-san is on the verge of making it into the big time, too. I missed her display in her home town of Sakaki (our next door neighbor here to Togura-Kamiyamada Onsen) last spring. So I really wanted to see her work at the current display at the Kitano Cultural Center. I dragged a couple of my fellow innkeepers there on the way to a meeting in Nagano City.

And I was certainly not disappointed. Komatsu-san combines New York graffiti style with traditional Japanese designs, like shishi lions and kimonos. Or try shishi lions on kimonos, in an almost tattoo-like style. And it doesn't hurt that she is young, energetic, and very beautiful lady.

I am not even going to pretend to be an art critic. Take a look at these pictures, and if her style is something that matches your tastes, I encourage you to take advantage of this exhibit at the Kitano Cultural Center and chek out Komatsu-san's works. I for one really like her style.

小松美羽 Miwa Komatsu

北野カルチュラルセンター Kitano Cultural Center

One of Komatsu-san's engravings with the actual bronze engraving plate displayed, too

Eyes seem to be prominent in Komatsu-san's works, as well as traditional Japanese motifs, like these red torii gates.

A close-up of one of her whimsical details