FUJITA Fumio

Born: 1933 in Handa City, Aichi Prefecture
Medium: Woodblock

Mr. Fujita graduated from the Musashino University of Fine Arts in 1956 with a focus on oil painting.  He began making woodblock prints in 1963, and became a well respected member of the Sosaku Hanga (Creative Print) movement.  He is particularly famous for prints depicting trees and scenes of nature.  Occasionally he would add horses or birds to the designs.  But as a fairly prolific artist, he also did abstract prints, portraits, cats, fish, fireworks and butterflies.

His design style is often somewhat simple looking.  The trees are usually rendered with an emphasis on the straight lines of their trunks rather than leaves or blossoms.  This provides a boldness  which is broadly appealing.  Often the artist will use the woodgrain of the blocks to add textural elements to foreground or background areas.

Although unable to carve blocks now, the artist still does oil painting and works in clay to continue his artistic expression.

Exhibitions:

Japan Printmakers Association
College Women’s Association of Japan