Cherry blossoms are out, and so is the list of where to find them in New Westminster. Which means, it’s time to pack your bento boxes and picnic mats, and head to the nearest canopy of pink flowers.
But that’s just one way of celebrating the spring blooms.
A Vancouver-based artist is bringing the spirit of the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival indoors — into a kids’ book store in New West.
Kaori Kasai, who goes by the moniker Sleepless Kao, has done a series of cherry blossom-themed paintings that are on display at the bookstore for the entire month of April. The exhibition is the first in a brand new series called Canvas Tales: When Art Meets Children’s Literature by Kinder Books. The event will feature a new artist at the store every month.
Kasai, who was born and raised in Japan till the age of 24 before moving to Canada in 1994, recalls the pomp with which the festival was celebrated back in her home country: “We had picnics under the cherry blossom trees, and families brought packed lunch boxes and sake. During the festival, strangers on the mats next to ours became friends, and by the end of the picnic, we all were a big community of friends.”
“As a child, I loved the petals falling on my head, on my face, in the lunchbox, just following us everywhere… It was lovely. And I always made so many new friends,” added Kasai, who has authored three children’s books including Monchan’s Bag, Duet, and Emily and the Mighty Om.
Kasai, who teaches at the arts education non-profit Arts Umbrella, was involved in the making of a giant pop-up cherry blossom pavilion that is featured in the ongoing Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival, and taught workshops on Furoshiki wrapping (using a traditional Japanese wrapping cloth) and sakura felt craft at the “The Big Picnic” at David Lam Park recently.
At Kinder Books, she hopes to re-create the opportunity for friendship and connection that she experienced under the cherry blossoms as a kid, through a workshop.
Kids aged four years and above can register for a session on how to make cherry blossom felt flowers with Kasai this Saturday, April 8.
The event will take place at the bookstore where Kasai’s cherry blossom paintings hang on the walls. Kids and parents, who might be strangers to each other at the beginning of the event, will get the opportunity to do crafts together, and ultimately leave the room with a new set of friends and soft cherry blossoms as mementos.
It'll be like a picnic under cherry blossom paintings, said Kasai.
The sakura felt workshops are on Sturday, April 8 at 1 and 2 p.m. Register for it at the Kinder Books website. Kasai's artworks are on display at the bookstore the whole of April.
