出会いから From the moment we met

1995年、一冊の画集を手に取った。

女人藍像ー小妻師の主要ジャンルである刺青美人画を主に収録した豪華画集。

その中にあった、日本刺青の題材とされてきた浮世絵を小妻独特の華麗な筆致で表現した数枚の画に目を奪われました。

当時、刺青師から画家への道を模索していた自分にとって衝撃でありました。

そしてすぐ、ツテをたどって会いに行くことに。

忙しい中、快く迎えてくれ画の話に没頭。そこから導かれるように半年後、画描きになりたいならうちへ来れば、と小妻の元に通うことになりました。

でも当時、放浪気味で落ち着いてなかった自分を見かねて本気なら腰を落ち着けろ、と自宅のすぐそばのアパートを見つけてくれ、1996年の暮れに内弟子として転がり込んだのでした。

とくに弟子入り懇願したわけでもないのですが、波長が合ったのか一気に物事が進み、自分でも不思議な気持ちで。

のちに、おかみさんにこの件を聞いたのですが、私も小妻が何でそうしたのかわからない、何も聞いてないよ、との事でした。

とにかく、こうして始まりました。

ざっとですが、自分が小妻と出会って弟子となるまでの経緯はこんな感じでした。

次回から話は前後すると思いますが、自分が見てきた小妻師匠、まつわるエピソードなど思い出すままに綴っていきます。

In 1995, I picked up an art book

Woman in Tattoo(NyoninRansyo)—a lavish collection primarily featuring tattoos of beautiful women, the master artist Ozuma's signature genre.

Within it, several paintings caught my eye. They depicted ukiyo-e subjects traditionally used in Japanese tattooing, rendered in Kozuma's uniquely elegant brushwork.

For me, then exploring a path from tattoo artist to painter, it was a revelation.

I immediately reached out through connections to arrange a meeting.

Despite his busy schedule, he welcomed me warmly, and we became engrossed in talking about painting. As if guided by fate, six months later, he told me, “If you want to become a painter, come to my place.” And so, I began visiting Ozuma.

But seeing me drifting aimlessly and unsettled, he told me, “If you're serious, settle down.” He found me an apartment right near his home, and by the end of 1996, I had moved in as his live-in apprentice.

I hadn't specifically begged to become his apprentice, but perhaps our wavelengths aligned, because things progressed rapidly. It felt strange, even to me.

Later, when I asked his wife about it, she said, “I don't know why Ozuma did that either. He never told me anything about it.”

Anyway, that's how it all began.

To give you a rough idea, that's how I met Master Ozuma and became his disciple.

Starting next time, the story might jump around a bit, but I'll write down whatever I remember about Master Ozuma and the episodes surrounding him.