InterviewFeatured Artist

"Since I was little, I loved to look at and draw. I also received awards when I was in elementary school. However, I didn't focus on painting in high school or college, and even if I became a salaryman, I couldn't go to a painting class because it was a company that didn't have a day off. When I was looking for a classroom on the Internet after retirement, I saw a painting by Shiyuki Abeto, an artist who paints wonderful things in watercolor, and I was very attracted to the atmosphere and transparency, and I thought that I wanted to paint this kind of painting myself. That's why I applied for a class." 　The painting class was full because of its popularity, and I had to wait for four months, but I was lucky enough to learn it in Mr. Shiyuki Abe's class. It seems that his encounter with the work of Shiyuki Abe is the origin of the painter Yamazaki. Currently, Yamazaki sometimes gets viewers impressions similar to those he felt when he first saw Shiyuki Abeto's paintings.　 "Now I have an Instagram where I upload my work, and I have received quite a lot of comments on my posts, such as 'I was really excited by the atmosphere and transparency.' I originally grew up in the countryside, so I feel that I can draw landscapes without feeling uncomfortable. I like landscape painting because of the influence of my teacher. I regularly travel to ask for materials and take a lot of photos. Basically, I draw according to the photo, but I sometimes add colors that I feel for the color."

"For watercolors like those used in school, you can paint the next color from the top whatever color is at the back. You can put a brighter white on top of the green. However, transparent watercolor can no longer be turned white once you paint green. Because it is transparent, the color below is reflected. Even the same watercolor paint has such a difference. If you want to leave the bright parts, leave them without painting until the end. The charm of transparent watercolor lies in its transparency, airiness, and the beauty of the mixture of colors. By fusing the three charms, the viewer can feel warm. I think that's the charm of transparent watercolor." 　　Yamazaki, who himself has been attracted to transparent watercolor, is currently active in a position to attract people to the charm of transparent watercolor. He likes to be drawn with wonderful scenery he found on his domestic trips. We asked him about his thoughts on creating works with the theme of light and shadow in his works that are not particular about specific motifs.　 "One of the characteristics of transparent watercolor is bleeding. That may be the real pleasure of transparent watercolor. I learned all the techniques from the teacher, drew a lot of numbers in my own way, and finally became able to do it gradually. I'm not very good at drawing motifs such as "flower paintings" and "people's paintings". I want to draw the harmony of the scenery rather than focusing on any one. I think the important points of my work are light and shadow, so I would be happy if people could experience the realism of their works without being obsessed with motifs such as objects or people."

"I don't usually draw people, but I would like to draw people as part of the scenery. One of the few works that shows people is my grandchildren and my son-in-law (my daughter's husband) playing in the sea. It seems that he took his children to play when he was off work, and later showed me a photo of that time. The color of the beach and the shadows of the people had a narrative quality, so I thought I would give it as a gift and started drawing this work in secret. Now it is displayed in the house of my daughter and grandchildren. This work won a silver medal at the National Sunday Painter Competition." 　One of the photos, which are reminiscent of a peaceful holiday, was born from a casual conversation with his family. I felt that the charm of transparent watercolor, which can depict the waterside in a beautiful and transparent way, and the charm of a warm scene at home complement each other. Yamazaki said that he painted about 80 works in 2024. It seems that the current schedule is undecided, but the Instagram where the work is uploaded is very substantial, so if you are interested, please check it out.　 "Last year, in 2024, I held my first solo exhibition, and it was held after receiving many voices such as wanting to see the original painting. I am glad that many people came to the venue. I hope to create works that are close to reality but convey the softness, warmth, and transparency unique to paintings. I have always wanted to draw what I want to draw as I please."