As part of 7artscafe’s eclectic menu of food, drink and year-long arts events, 7artscafe prides itself on supporting local artists and musicians with weekend concerts and revolving art exhibitions. Steps away from the banks of the beautiful sakura-lined Ooka river and the art enclave of Koganecho, 7artscafe is a prime gallery space for local and international visual artists. Currently through February 27, Yokohama visual artist “Rommy” Hiromi Morita’s artworks are displayed featuring over 15 paintings plus her collection of sketches.
Born in Okinawa in 1948, Rommy is the first child in a family of eight children – her mother a native Okinawan and her father a World War II Filipino-American navy sailor. Raised in Shuri, Okinawa overlooking the Shuri Castle ruins that resulted from the great “Battle of Okinawa,” Rommy was influenced from a very early age as family members performed Okinawan traditional dance known as Eisa (エイサー ) daily outside her house. After a surprise first prize win of an art contest sponsored by Okinawa Times Newspaper, Rommy was inspired to continue painting throughout her high school tenure. After high school graduation, she moved to Yokohama, married and raised three children. During this time, she opened “きじむなあ” an Okinawan restaurant in Bashamichi, one of the first Okinawan restaurants in the Kanto area. Rommy returned to Okinawa for her 20th high school reunion during which time her classmates recalled her great art talent. She again was inspired to pick up her paintbrush and started working in oil pastel once again.
For the last 25 years, Rommy has been working in various media–including oil painting, watercolors, Japanese sumi-ink, lithographs, mixed-media, and photography. She has exhibited her artworks at various shows throughout Yokohama. Rommy presents three themes in her 7artscafe exhibit: “Landscapes of Japan and Overseas”, “Cats” and “Erotica”. 7artscafe also holds a selection of her postcards on display.
Full of zest with a warm and heartfelt smile, Rommy is often having a glass of wine at 7artscafe greeting visitors and sketching personal postcards.
This exhibit runs through Sunday, February 27, 2022.
For more information, please see: 7artscafe.co.jp/current-exhibition