Inspired by: Paul Horiuchi

Paul Chikamasa Horiuchi (Japanese: 堀内 親正, April 12, 1906 – August 29, 1999) 

American painter and collagist. He was born in Yamanashi, Japan, and studied art from an early age. After immigrating to the United States in his early teens, he spent many years as a railroad worker in the Western U.S. In 1946, he moved to Seattle, Washington, where he eventually switched his focus from painting to collage and came to be associated with the “Northwest School” of artists.

I was introduced to to Horiuchi’s work on our first visit to the Seattle Asian Art Museum. The artist had just passed away and there was a retrospective of his work. It was amazing!

Having spent time on Japan as a young man, the aesthetic and strong composition spoke to me immediately. It was a different form of abstraction that I had never seen.

I was reminded of Paul’s work this week as I discovered two large originals in the elevator lobby on the 10th floor of the Safe o tower in downtown Seattle.

What a fresh joy that sighting brings – they inspired me all over again