After a couple of early deadlines for the year it felt like the right time to squeeze in an artwork just for me. I know, incredibly selfish. But with a thousand travel illustrations running around my head; I just needed to pluck one out and see where it would lead to. Inspiration this time came from photos and articles I had stumbled across last year. This included a wonderful set of images from a Japanese mountain shrine. I got caught up in the stark wintery hues of the landscape, which contrasted so brilliantly with the intricate buildings. Playing with those references the drawings quickly became a cutout design; a painted diorama. Mitsumine Shrine, Chichibu was created with acrylic and ink on thick acrylic paper. But unlike my ‘standard’ canvas and paper studies the artwork is done across several layers.
Each layer cut and raised from a dark backing card. It’s a more intricate presentation, a little theatrical perhaps. The chance to play with paper in this way is just fun. Here’s some photos of the piece in its deep box frame. I just love the depth these frames provide. Just IKEA bought ones. I’ve found some people to be a little sniffy around IKEA quality, yet it’s often what you can do with the starting material. Where you can hopefully elevate it to. These frames are robust. They are a good deep black. And they offer an excellent staging for the illustration, which can be protected behind acrylic glazing. I also like to seal the back with a specialist black tape to help prevent moisture getting to the paper.
History of the Mitsumine Shrine
I’ve also taken a short video to try and showcase the layering effect. It’s a subtle shift as you move your viewpoint. And hopefully an interesting approach that stands so differently to my flat surface works. The history of the main hall itself dates back to the late Edo period. Its exterior is adorned with wood carvings; depicting flowers, animals, and mythical creatures in vibrant colors. Inside, visitors can admire lacquer work from the 16th century, showcasing the skill of artisans from centuries past. Three towering cedar trees stand as natural monuments in front of the hall. These ancient trees, believed to be over 800 years old, are said to radiate spiritual energy. Visitors often touch these trees to “recharge” their spiritual reserves. The shrine grounds also feature several smaller family shrines, including one dedicated to the Tokugawa family who ruled Japan during the Edo era.
The piece is available to buy and has been listed in the online shop. You are welcome to drop me a line if you’re interested in seeing the work up close. Always happy to have visitors by appointment. I also love to hear your suggestions, so please get in touch with those interesting places you have discovered! If you’d like to find me online: https://linktr.ee/illustrationbyjonathan.
