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Since childhood, I have carried a subtle sense of inadequacy—
a quiet discomfort about not being able to write
“my own kind of characters.”

Even in calligraphy classes, my brushstrokes often spilled
beyond the paper’s margins,
as if refusing to be contained.

The turning point came when I met a teacher
who embraced this as my individuality
and guided me with gentle insight.

During my student years, I became deeply absorbed
in the profound artistry of calligraphy,
studying classical works with care and reverence.

The breath and presence etched into ancient stone monuments
and wooden slips—Chinese and Japanese—
expressions I absorbed almost by inhalation,
still form the backbone of my practice.

The days spent in meditation while grinding sumi ink
remain among the richest and happiest moments of my life.

Although later honored with top prizes
at national exhibitions,
I gradually distanced myself from the frameworks
of awards and schools.

What I seek is not something confined
within the name *shodo* (calligraphy),
but a freer, more intuitive ,
boundary-transcending “ink art.”

My work is rooted in the quiet yet profound spirit
of Japanese culture—
a sensibility shaped by long dialogue with nature,
with *ku* (emptiness),
and with the impermanence of all things.

I do not adapt this heritage to suit external expectations;
instead, I breathe life into each brushstroke
and let space dissolve gently into *ku*.

Creating a piece feels like listening
to beautiful silent music—
without melody, yet with a certain harmony,
a resonance beyond hearing:
not so much “born” from within me,
but as if arriving from somewhere distant,
or from deep within.

The lines I draw are not simply written;
they are born in the moment,
guided by breath, movement,
and unseen currents of emotion.

One example of my visual approach
is a six-part series inspired by the Japanese anime *Dragon Ball*.

Each work, in S10 size, can be appreciated
as a standalone abstract painting
suitable for a living space.

Yet when all six pieces are displayed together,
they reveal the character “龍” (dragon),
embodying a hidden narrative
that bridges contemporary abstraction
and cultural symbolism.

This approach reflects my interest in works
that operate on multiple levels of perception—
intimate and expansive, immediate and conceptual.

At a time when aesthetic sensibilities
are becoming homogenized worldwide,
my work serves as a vessel
that holds the subtle shadows of meaning,
the stillness, and the very sense of “just being”
that can only sprout from the cultural soil
where I was born.

Preserving this authenticity allows my art
to resonate beyond borders
with the universal aspects of the human soul.

The artist name “Saiko_truecolor” embodies my wish
to live my true colors—
not merely hues, but the essence of the heart
as expressed in the Buddhist teaching
“shiki soku ze ku” (form is emptiness).

I live through color and entrust my brush to *ku*—
the brushstrokes born in that liminal space
aim to embrace, support,
and sometimes gently encourage
the hearts of those who encounter them.

While building on classical foundations,
I continue to seek new forms of calligraphy
that transcend boundaries.

The scent of sumi, the quiet acceptance of the brush
as it receives the blackness,
the moment when strokes dissolve into *ku*—
these remain at the heart of my journey
to depict my true colors.