About this project

Hello Kickstarter, we are working with the Oakland-Fukuoka Sister City Association who will be celebrating their 50th anniversary this year with the city of Fukuoka, Japan. OFSCA is one of the countries oldest sister city programs made possible through the efforts of the late city councilman, Frank H. Ogawa in 1962. We have two artists, a painter from Oakland, California and a photographer from Fukuoka, Japan. They have been blessed with the opportunity to do a traveling exhibit that will be celebrated as part of the anniversary in May and August of this year, 2012.

James Gayles is an Emmy Award winning visual artist from New Jersey/New York and has been a resident of Oakland, California for nearly 30years. James is a master in watercolor and mixed media painting and his goal is to share with the citizens of Fukuoka, Japan, Oakland’s diverse and cultural presence through portraits of Bay Areas jazz and blues legends. James with a traveling assistant will also conduct a workshop using his watercolor techniques with students in Fukuoka. The completed artwork from the workshop will be a 60” x 40” watercolor and mixed media painting on panel as a gift to the Mayor and city of Fukuoka, Japan. www.jamesgayles.com

Hiroko To is an international photographer originally from Fukuoka, Japan and moved to Oakland more than 10 years ago where she studied photography, art & design. After moving back home to the city of Fukuoka 6 years ago, Hiroko continues to travel between Fukuoka and the Bay Area. Her photography is represented at Slate Contemporary gallery in Oakland. Hiroko’s goal is to share the essence and symbol of these sister cities in this exhibition, which will also include a student photography workshop in Oakland. The final image from the workshop will be a 60” x 40” photo-mosaic symbol on panel as a gift to the Mayor and City of Oakland, California. www.hirokophoto.com http://www.slateartanddesign.com/Exhibitions/Hiroko_To.html

This opportunity is a dream but the cost is a reality so we are asking for your support this day to help fund our shipping, crating, airfare, art materials and printing cost of $10,125. We are aiming for a stretched goal of $15,000 to help complete other expenses, including a short film on activities in Fukuoka that will be part of a video installation in an Oakland exhibit during August 2012. Kickstarter is an all or nothing funded program which means we need to reach our full goal of $10,125 or more through your financial assistance. In return we are offering for each pledge the rewards listed to the right with the most precious gift, a signed collaborative limited edition giclee print on an archival Hahnemuhle Photo Rag paper (308g).

This collaborative artwork by Hiroko and James is a work in progress expected to be completed by March 2012.  It will reflect a figurative presence and an abstract base quality of a bossa nova female jazz artist, Hiroko and James coincidentally share in their jazz collection. Stay tuned for updates on this project.

The Oakland Fukuoka Sister City Association helps to foster and promote cultural awareness, understanding, and friendship between the people and cities of Oakland and Fukuoka. We believe that this collaboration will strengthen us as individuals, strengthen our cities, our regional communities and our Sister City organization, which will ultimately enhance international understanding and harmony between cities and nations. www.oakland-fukuoka.org

A special thank you to Nai for putting together this video and everyone that helped us with launching this project. Let the journey begin!

Sincerely,

Hiroko To, Photographer and Project Manager

James Gayles, Artist

Oakland-Fukuoka Sister City Association

Eric Murphy, Project Manager