JUN/ KEN ARTS Collective consists of seven people whose overlapping and participant roles as artist /printmakers, educators, students, art collectors, curators and art programmers (some, in training), created an entity that would be recognized by funding agencies. As a result we won two grants that largely made this show possible. We wish to express our warmest appreciation to The Japan Foundation of Toronto for their immediate enthusiasm and subsequent unstinting support, as well the Canada Council and the Ontario Arts Council for their interest in our project and for funding assistance.

Elizabeth Forrest

After obtaining a BA (York U, Toronto) and BEd from U of Toronto, Elizabeth Forrest studied  printmaking at the Ontario College of Art, graduating in 1976.  From 1978-85 she was a part-time instructor of Printmaking at the Ontario College of Art.

Elizabeth traveled to Japan in 1988, funded by the Canada Council, to research Japanese woodblock at Kyoto Seika University under Akira Kurosaki.    She remained in Japan until 1999, working and exhibiting in Japan and Canada. Now back in Toronto, she continues her art practice and works as an educator. Several times a year, Forrest conducts Japanese woodblock printmaking workshops at Open Studio, KOZO Studio Gallery, and other locations.

Tani Miki

Tani Miki is a Program Officer at the Japan Foundation, Toronto, where amongst her various activities, she coordinates exhibitions, including “Found in Translation: Interpreting Elements of Japanese Design (2006-2007), “UNIFORMS” Marco Bohr (2006), and “Tools for Daily Living” Susan Low-Beer (2006). She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Gendai Gallery, situated in the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre. Since last year she has returned to school part-time at the Ontario College of Art and Design.

Moya Bligh

Moya Bligh was born in Kilkenny, Ireland and has lived and worked in Japan for almost thirty years. Her first encounter with woodblock printmaking was in Urbino, Italy, during a term abroad from Dublin’s National College of Art and Design (NCAD). In the mid 1970s Moya traveled to Japan for the first time and then she studied mokuhanga at Tama Art University, later completing her MFA there.

In the early 1980’s Moya Bligh permanently moved to Kyoto. She studied under Akira Kurosaki at Kyoto Seika University in the late 80’s, where she met Elizabeth Forrest.  As founding members of a foreign women’s artist group WAA, Moya and Elizabeth participated in organizing, mounting a number of group exhibitions. She teaches woodblock at Mainichi Culture Salon, Osaka and at Kyoto Seika University. Moya Bligh exhibits her work in Japan, Ireland, and the UK.

Carol Dorman

Carol Dorman has been a specialist in antique Japanese woodblock prints for over ten years in association with the Stuart Jackson Gallery in Toronto.  She has lectured on ukiyo-e publicly, appeared on television, co-curated exhibitions, edited and co-edited books and catalogues, as well as bought and sold ukiyo-e prints for the gallery.

Ms. Dorman developed her passion for Japanese art while studying anthropology. She received a Masters Degree from the University of Toronto in 1984 and in that year she bought her first ukiyo-e print.  For twelve years she pursued her interest in Japanese prints while working for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, primarily in TV News, on The National, and for CBC Newsworld.

Wendy Cain

Wendy Cain holds an Honours Degree in Fine Art from the University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, CANADA and is an A.O.C.A. (Associate of the Ontario College of Art, Toronto, Ontario).  Since 1972, she has had fifteen solo exhibitions, the most recent, Shipwreck Dreaming, Art Gallery of Northumberland, Cobourg, Ontario.  She has participated in over two hundred group exhibitions, most as a Canadian printmaker and papermaker.  Recently, her work has focused on the practices of hand papermaking, and she has established a paper studio in Newburgh, Ontario.  She currently teaches printmaking and papermaking at the Ontario College of Art and Design in Toronto as Associate Professor of Art and Chair of Printmaking.

Felix Chakirov

Felix was born in Russia in 1986 and in 1998, his family immigrated to Toronto, Canada.  He finished his elementary education in Toronto and attended SEED Alternative Secondary School.  He is currently in the fourth year of the University of Toronto, specializing in Art History, and majoring in Sociology.  

Felix has had a genuine interest in art ever since he was introduced to the Hermitage Museum Collection Catalogue at the age of seven.  His interest extended to both the academic study of art and its practice.  His works have been produced as illustrations for books of poetry and children's books.  Felix is presently associated with the Draft reading series, which aims at introducing emerging and established writers and artists to the Riverdale region of Toronto. He designs the Draft publication which is distributed at the reading series, and helps with organization and promotion of the series.