“The pumpkin is to Yayoi Kusama what the Campbell’s Soup can is to Warhol: an everyday comestible elevated to the status of fine art, via a singular artist’s skills and vision” (Phaidon).

The year is up, and my walls are empty again. My last post this year is dedicated to my Grade 12 leavers, who had just enough time this spring to begin and finish painting transcriptions of Yayoi Kusama’s numerous pumpkin paintings.

Through their transcriptions, they learned how something as detailed (or tedious!) as painting an infinity net or thousands of dots can be a meditative exercise that helps to place ourselves in Kusama’s vision and process. There is something to be said for being in the present and getting lost a little; with persistence, you end up somewhere else having experienced some joy along the way.

Congratulations to the Class of 2018! May your futures be bright and colourful.