Masahiro Nakajima is an artist living in Oakland, California. He was born in Gifu, Japan in 1948 and received a B.A. from Tokyo University of Agriculture in 1970 . He moved to San Francisco in 1970, earning an A.A. in 1974 from City College of San Francisco and, in 1977, a B.F.A. from the San Francisco Art Institute. His work, which includes both sculpture and paintings, was exhibited in multiple shows at the Triangle Gallery in San Francisco. Mas has also been a featured speaker on suiseki art for various organizations.
Mas uses oil spray paint on wood to create both his abstract paintings and his natural stone sculptures. His sculptural style evolved from his interest in the traditional Japanese art of suiseki. Mas was introduced to suiseki by the late Yukikichi “Keiseki” Hirotsu, one of the founders of California suiseki. In his first 10-15 years as a suiseki artist Mas concentrated on making bases for stones following the traditional styles of both California and Japan. Since then he has enjoyed combining his suiseki with his fine art and expanding suiseki into the realm of sculpture.
Mas died in Oakland in September, 2018.
Education
1970 – B.S., Tokyo University of Agriculture
1974 – A.A., City College of San Francisco
1977 – B.F.A., San Francisco Art Institute
Business
1978 – California General Contractor’s License
1977-2002 – Owner and Founder of Maruzen Construction
Exhibitions
2002, Triangle Gallery, Group Show, “The Japan Show”
2003, Triangle Gallery, Solo Show
2004, Triangle Gallery, Solo Show
2004, Triangle Gallery, Group Show, “WoodWork”
2006, Triangle Gallery, Two Person Show
2006, Triangle Gallery, Group Show, “Recent Work by Gallery Artists”
2007, Triangle Gallery, Group Show, “New Work by Gallery Artists”
2008, Triangle Gallery, Group Show, “Time will Tell”
2015-2016, Oakland Museum of California, Group Show, “UNEARTHED: Found + Made”
2006-2018, Bay Island Bonsai Annual Exhibit, annual Group Show
1982-2018, San Francisco Suiseki Kai, annual Group Show
2017-2018, Redwood Empire Bonsai Exhibit, annual Group Show
Permanent Collections
Oakland Museum of California
Presentations
2004, Golden State Bonsai Federation Convention, California
2005, Sacramento Bonsai Club, California
2006 International Stone Appreciation Symposium, Pennsylvania
Associations
1982-2018, San Francisco Suiseki Kai
2006-2018, California Aiseki Kai
Nodai Alumni Association USA
[…] last few BIB exhibits featured suiseki art by Mas Nakajima. Nakajima’s abstract paintings and stone art attract a lot of attention and give visitors […]
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