Roughly around 2011, I painted these pictures.
This area is called Wasada and it is on the outskirts of Oita city.
They built a shopping mall here and although it is nice it has led to urban sprawl.
There has also been an increase in billboards.
At first there were just a few but now there are many.
And I dislike them because they are ugly and they obscure the surrounding beautiful scenery of fields and farmer’s houses.
This painting shows one of the nicer areas around Wasada.
It’s next to Nanase park.
With this painting, I’m particularly happy with the distant hill.
I like the way I have painted it.
It’s different from my normal style.
Everything else in the painting could be improved.
But I’m glad I painted quite a complicated subject.
And below is a painting of Nanase river which runs through Wasada.
I’m very pleased with the viewpoint of this painting.
I think this was the view from the top of a bridge.
I’m also happy with the composition.
The figure of the fisherman made for an interesting focal point in the painting.
And below is a small village that I found further on and possibly this is no longer Wasada but another area.
I thought the composition was quite interesting.
And I’m happy with the bright, cheerful colors in this painting.
It was near here that I encountered a snake in the reeds by the river.
Luckily, it was as frightened of me as I was of it.
That’s all,
Gareth.