Japanese Earthquake Relief Fund.
The north coast of Japan was hit by a horrible tsunami after a 9.0 magnitude earthquake that occurred 80 miles offshore.Tsunami waves caused major destruction in northern Japan. The death toll has now officially crossed 10,000 & more than 17,000 are missing Nearly 300,000 are in temporary shelter.
Japan has often donated when other countries have experienced disasters, such as when Hurricane Katrina impacted the United States.
Walter Paul Bebirian , a well known artist, has put together a relief fund located on his website,
http://walterpaulbebirian.imagekind.com/store/Images.aspx/86c80fae-8703-484d-9e8d-56f4a4e98592/BebirianGallery186
To help give back from the devastation the Earthquake had left behind.
20% of the profits from sales of these prints will be going to the Japanese Earthquake fund
http://www.japansociety.org/earthquake
40% of the profits from sales will be going to Mari Hirooka, creator of these screen paintings for her personal expenses and to help her family and friends in Japan at her discretion . **The original screen paintings are not for sale!!! ***Only prints of the images are for sale!
About Mari Hirooka
Mari Hirooka, was born in Tokyo, Japan February 6,1930. Mari graduated from Ishikawa Kenritsu Daini Kojo, Ishikawa, Japan in March 1948. During her schooling, Ms. Hirooka had published numerous poems and had countless exhibitions of painting since childhood. September 1966, Ms. Hirooka came to live in the United States to stay in Denver Colorado in 1967, however, Ms. Hirooka obtained permanent residence visa as a writer on literature and art in San Francisco in February at Nichibei Times. Ms. Hirooka arrived in New York in April of 1968.
Mari not only an artist and writer, also designed new musical instruments, trying to produce new sounds and music, different from the ones established. Titled "Fantasy of Science." This was introduced to an exhibition at Bank of Tokyo, San Francisco and at Yamaha Piano Company.
During February 1980 the official opening of a nonprofit organization charter was granted by New York State and opening exhibition was "True Treasure Artist of Harikiri," he could not get an exhibition in Japan but he was exhibited here in the "Nippon Museum" that Ms. Hirooka had established during February 1977. This was an important step for both the US and Japan.
Ms. Hirooka had also worked with Handicapped children (mentally and physically), and there work was promoted in both countries Japan and the USA. A story was made about each woodcut print made by each handicapped child and was distributed to many schools in the US. Jimmy Carter accepted six pieces of art done by the children [blind,mentally,physically handicapped]for the White House Library.
Mari started showing her art at various places during 1981 to 1992. In 1987, Connecticut Museum NECCA had presented Mira's painting titled "American Dream".
Currently, Mari Hirooka has the rare opportunity of being one of the only artists in the entire world who has recently had one of her paintings included in one of the images in the extremely large collection of Walter Paul Bebirian's "Picture of the Moment" series in his On-Line Gallery. Ms. Hirooka, in the latest piece in her "American Dream" series entitled "American Dream-
World Great Changing" has made an unprecedented step by combining her traditional Japanese style with her more modern storytelling style to create this new captivating mix.
Mari not only an artist and writer, also designed new musical instruments, trying to produce new sounds and music, different from the ones established. Titled "Fantasy of Science." This was introduced to an exhibition at Bank of Tokyo, San Francisco and at Yamaha Piano Company.
To view Ms. Hirooka's screen prints, please visit The Bebirian Art Collection located at: