2023. Mixed media collage with kamihanga (Japanese style paper collagraph), packing tape transfer, and watercolor. 8 x 10 inches. Fot For Sale. We can’t heal from a loss when we don’t know exactly what we’ve lost, or when we don’t allow ourselves to accept that we’ve lost it. When I pressured myself to “do well” by assimilating in the U.S. in my first decade here after moving from Japan, I lost pride and respect for my culture. In order to attend to these losses and to my cultural grief, I went back to Japan in 2022 for one month to learn Mokuhanga (Japanese woodblock printmaking) and Nihonga (Japanese watercolor painting). Through acquiring the skills and knowledge of these traditional art forms, I learned the cultural beliefs, customs, and history of the country from my Japanese mentors. The process of learning these art forms and the relationships with these mentors brought the healing I needed.