When I’m about to start something,
there’s always so much to do.
Sometimes I need a little engine to get myself moving —
so first, I choose a nice cup of tea.

There are things I have to do, things I want to do, and things I should probably do.
In the morning, my brain doesn’t work very well, and I often mix up the order of those.
So I set aside the “should probably” tasks for later,
and focus on creating an environment where I can stay motivated until my head clears.

Music helps too — something upbeat, or like background music at a café.
If I put on YouTube, trending songs, or the radio, I end up paying too much attention to them,
so I go for records instead.

I don’t really know much about old music or vinyl,
so I usually pick ones that say “Greatest Hits.”
I’ve made plenty of mistakes buying records just because the jacket was cute,
so now I stick to hit collections.
Even if they’re just one or two dollars,
you can’t really go wrong with jazz.

Now that the music and good tea are ready—
let’s begin.

As I mentioned previously, I have lots to do in summer in Boston. I am counting this September as summer.

It’s been already a bit chilly in New England (compared hot hot humid Japan)

I like outdoor exercise sessions.(and sketching at same time)

yoga/ urban sketching. Who is sketching and doing yoga at same time? It’s me.

Sadly this is the last week of seaport yoga session.

Sketch yoga postcard

I always carry cheap watercolor set and small sketchbook.

After the month of yoga session, my memories are filled with lots of yoga postures.

All collections of yoga sketch become my next art poster.

Yes! I am living for the shavasana.😎😎😎

The pop-up store @ Seaport got a fall makeover! This color combo “pink and orange” is just too cute!

Not only the color senses of furnitures, building,

fonts of the posters, cards, etc..I like the seaport designs.

During the summer, these pop up stores were greenish tone.

I liked those too.

Seaport sometimes has the free giveaway stuffs.

/

I am always impressed their goods designs.

Usually the free stuff has the role of advertising the company and sometimes the logos are too much on the product.

Most of case, seaport products are simple and chic.

In 2024, I got a blanket for the outdoor movie. This was cute picnic blanket style check pattern but blue tone for stands as seaport theme color.

Sometimes they are not simple but probably Intentionally colorful,  like the retro style.

These socks I got this year 2025 bike maintenance at seaport.

Font collection studying for my works

Walking around town and observing the fonts and colors of the trendy posters, cards is my part of research to design my own work.

Now I am making the winter event posters.

More warm tone? I will work on it!

I made sketch of Quincy center this spring. I made that art into the magnets and sale at the book store in front of Quincy center. “The next chapter books and more”

After I came back from 3months of Japan trip, I got an email about all magnets sold out. So I made more magnets and add Wollaston beach design.

Of course I am an urban sketchers. I sketch at site (mostly)

also requested stickers and postcards.

I want to make more landscape magnets series for sale at local store limited edition.

My drawing is always line drawings like comics or illustration. It’s because my sketch skill started from drawing figures from comic books. 

 when I was a child,  I wanted to become comic artist. I try to copy the comic book myself again and again. Here I am. 

I can draw portrait illustrations now.

But not realistic portrait.

Live model sketching with instructors have so much leaning.

Also it is difficult to draw someone face with funny angle. 

How can I do that?

Today’s teacher answered it with step by step instructions ..

Teacher recommended to check the video about Instructual sketch.

Hmm maybe lots of art text books are showing those techniques but I am not good at leaning from the books. I see the books but not read it.

shadow, shadow, like this?

charcoal mess!

After 3months of life in Japan. Flew back via San Francisco to Boston gave us a huge jet lag week. Usually 5days, but this time, I took around 10years to recover the jet lag.

In summer, there are so many fun stuffs to do in Boston. Outdoor exercise , outdoor painting, urban sketching outside, movies cruises, bicycling the coast etc..

I forced myself to keep awake in daytime with filling the fun things like above mentioned.

Despite all my efforts to keep me awake in daytime, I kept waking up 2am , 4am. So I did not set the alarm for the morning since I knew I will wake up and enjoy tired morning.
Suddenly the jet lag disappeared at the important appointment day! Woke up 9:30am.
Why today?

It was a Super bad timing to recover from my jet lag days.
I learned , even I can’t keep sleeping for some reason, I should set the alarm.

I like tiny book of tiny pleasures . Even I have a tiny calendar of tiny pleasures.

The book (and calendar) contains tiny happiness pictures in everyday life.

I want to collect my little pleasures too!

what do I feel happy for ? I like going out to step on new snow.

Those happiness are not big things. Easily miss that happiness unless try to notice and memorize.

I like big art exhibitions in outside.

Last year, I enjoyed the Boston downtown art exhibition called “ BOSTON WINTERACTIVE”

Outdoor art installation in Boston

That is a huge art installation event at multiple location I down town Boston.

It’s free and open to public. ( That’s important)

The BOSTON WINTERACTIVE started this year again. January to March 30th.

I can wait to see these installations till March for the comfortable weather. 

Because It’s cold now.  How cold it is?

Boston common pond is freezing completely.

 Actually many people enjoy walking on the frozen pond though.

In this cold weather, ( or always )I become very lazy and not go outside at all. 

I should walk ! 

I need a motivation to walk!  So this WINTERACTIVE event give me the good excuse to walk in the cold weather.

First art I found was pink man.

It is the entrance street from park street station to downtown crossing.

 The big butt is very standout .

At the corner of downtown, there is volunteers guide for Boston.

I got an art map.

But there is no address for the art location. 

I am not good of reading map. When I was rotating the map to find where I was,

The guide man taught me all locations of pink man ( Actually their name are Mr.Pink )from his memory.

Impressive memory!

Mr.Pink were cute. I could not tell Mr or Ms. Very easy to find from the distance.

Most impressive one for me was Living Lantern.

That Lantern moves very organically and make small squeaking noise like a small bird.

Surprisingly that organic movement and sound made by the wind of the street.

Secondly I liked the balloons in front of the south station.

I enjoyed the color changing ball sculptures with south station landscape. Also the balloons inside has moving objects which makes interesting shadow animations on the balloon’s surface. 

The biggest balloon has small windows where people can see inside snowy villages.

And there is more to enjoy it!

This day I only found the 3 pink man , light

and living Lantern, 

I can’t wait to find left of other arts!