Hello, I'm Terashima, the representative employee of Jibun Rashiku LLC.
One of the activities we, Jibun Rashiku LLC, value is "creating a space where everyone can freely express themselves 'as they are'." As part of our activities, we recently exhibited a workshop called "Rakugaki Lab" at the "Iwakura Marche" held on Sunday, May 18th, at Takaragaike Park in Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City!
"Iwakura Marche" is a handcrafted festival organized by local businesses around the Iwakura area of Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City, and individuals who love the region and are engaged in various activities. Its aim is to invigorate the community and foster warm human connections. We are delighted to be able to participate in an event that contributes to regional revitalization and creates wonderful connections.
The "Rakugaki Lab" we exhibited this time was a workshop where participants freely drew together on a large panel, 1.8 meters wide and 1.8 meters high, under the blue sky.
Thanks to the warm advance notice from Iwakura Marche's Instagram, by the 10 AM start time, eager parents and children were already waiting, saying, "We came in clothes that we don't mind getting dirty!" After that, from small children to adults in their 60s, a truly wide range of generations enjoyed "rakugaki" (doodling) incessantly until the end of the event. We were so busy throughout the day with countless smiles and enthusiasm directed at the canvas that afterwards, we wondered, "How many people actually drew?"
Why do we prepare such a large canvas and value "drawing freely"? It's because we wanted children, in particular, to have a dynamic experience of drawing on a scale larger than their own bodies, using their whole bodies – something they rarely get to experience in school classes. Furthermore, we believe that the experience of "fully enjoying the process itself" – using diverse tools available on the spot (brushes, cleaning brushes, sometimes even hands!) and immediately trying out ideas that come to mind, without being constrained by "results" like skill level or a finished product – will surely lead to some kind of transformation in their lives.
Also, for adults, we hope they can rediscover the joy and fun of the drawing process itself, without worrying about results, just like they did as children. If you let go of fixed ideas like "I have to draw it this way" and anxieties like "What if I fail?", anyone can surely return to their childlike innocence and enjoy the joy of drawing freely and passionately. This is precisely the origin of expressing oneself "as you are," from the heart.
"Rakugaki Lab" is a place where participants can express colors and shapes as they feel, from the heart, and share the joy of creation while resonating with the energy of others gathered there. We feel immense joy that this activity could take place in the warm, open setting of Iwakura Marche.
Sisters who came in clothes they didn't mind getting dirty
Someone draws, and then someone else draws on top
Even junior high school students, who looked more mature, came
A work that is constantly changing
Artists who can't stop once they start drawing
Activities at this "Rakugaki Lab" are planned to be held regularly in the future. The next session will be held on Saturday, June 14th, at 10 AM, at Atelier Nae, right near Kitaoji Station. Please come and unleash the colors and shapes of your heart, returning to your childlike spirit! Let's fully enjoy the joy of the drawing process together.
Finally, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all the organizers of Iwakura Marche and everyone who stopped by the "Rakugaki Lab" and enjoyed drawing with us. Thank you for the wonderful time!
P.S. We also received a lot of warm support for our singing stage performance at Iwakura Marche. We will report on that activity in a future blog post. Please look forward to it!