SHIGERU WATANABE

Shigeru Watanabe is a member of the JAA (Japan Artists Association), and the Issen Art Association as a participant and a judge. He is also the Director of “L’atelier du Demon” and the “Galerie du Demon” in Oota city, Japan.
He has walked along the silk route and his paintings intend to portray the expression of the painter’s thoughts inspired by history.
Despite his advance age Mr. Watanabe has continued painting on a daily basis in the last couple of years, combining his love for creating with his work as an art teacher.

Mr. Watanabe was born in Oota city, Gunma prefecture, Japan, in 1928.
After graduating from Gunma University, in 1948, he started teaching both elementary and high school for children with disabilities, while doing research and coaching children in the fine arts.
He became a member of the All Creative Aesthetic Cultivation Association as well as the Association of New Pictures.
Around this time he started painting.
In 1953 Mr. Watanabe submitted his paintings for the first time to the Group Art competition. (Ueno Museum/Sougen Association, Sinsyou creator Association, Shin Kouzou Company, Issen Art Association).
In 1958 he held his first solo oil painting exhibition in Oota.
Mr. Watanabe then entered L’académie de la Grande Chaumière, Paris, in 1966.
He studied for two consecutive years after which he started his journey to discover different places in the world. He walked for more than 500.000 km spread over 30 years, searching for inspiration and understanding.
In 1968 Mr. Watanabe submitted his paintings to an exhibition of elite contemporary artists in Tochigi, Japan. The same year he held a solo exhibition, organised by the Modern Art Gallery in Utsonomiya, Japan.
In 1978 he held his 20th solo exhibition, organised by Kumagai Gallery.
In 1988 he organised a special open exhibit, the 29th world travel exhibition in L’atelier du Demon.
The following year Mr.Watanabe holds his 30th world travel oil painting exhibition, which coincided with his 40th year as a painter, organised by Nakamura Gallery.
In 1990 he exhibited his paintings at the contemporary painting masterpieces exhibition and a year after he exhibited at the Exhibition of masterpieces from Gunma prefecture (featuring Ichirou Fukuzawa, Toshinobu Onoza, Kaoru Yamaguchi, Shigeru Watanabe), organised by La Galleria.
In 1994 Mr. Watanabe held his 36th solo exhibition, “world of Shigeru Watanabe”, oganised by Shimoyama Gallery.
He held in 1999 his 37th exhibition of oil paintings, called “Painter Shigeru Watanabe goes to the desert…Words from grains of sand”, organized by Nakamura Gallery.
Mr. Watanabe held both his 40th and 41st oil painting exhibition, organised by Tsukasa Kiryuu Gallery and Nakamura Gallery respectively.
His 42th oil painting solo exhibiton was held in 2007 by Nakamura Gallery.

Shigeru Watanabe is a member of the JAA (Japan Artists Association), and the Issen Art Association as a participant and a judge. He is also the Director of “L’atelier du Demon” and the “Galerie du Demon” in Oota city, Japan.
He has walked the silk route and his paintings intend to portray the expression of the painter’s thoughts inspired by history.
Despite his advance age Mr. Watanabe has continued painting on a daily basis in the last couple of years, combining his love for creating with his work as an art teacher.

Awards

1961 Federation Award (11th Federation exhibition)
1964 36th Shin-Kouzo Company exhibition award.
1969 research award (41st Shin-Kouzou Company exhibition)
1977 wins best upcoming talent award, nominated as a fellow member. (28th Issen Art Association exhibition)
1978 nominated as a member at the 29th Issen Art Association exhibition.
1979 wins member success award at the 30th Issen Art Award exhibition.
1980 nominated for committee at the 31st Issen Art Association exhibition.
1981 wins committee encouragement award at the 32nd Issen Art Association exhibition.
1984 nominated as permanent committee member at the 35th Issen Art Association exhibition.
1985 wins the Issen Fine Art Award at the 36th Issen Art Association exhibition.
1988 wins Oota city education cultural merit award, as well as the committee award at the 39th Issen Art Association exhibition.
1989 wins the Issen fine art cultural award at the 40th Anniversary Issen Art Association exhibition.
1990 wins the Tokyo governor award at the 41st Issen Art Association exhibition, as well as the Serge Marjise Award, for his painting “Le mirage du temps”, at the International exhibition in France.
1995 is awarded the ministry of education encouragement award for his painting “Les vagabondages des dieus”, at the 46th Issen Art Association exhibition.
1999is awarded the Oota civic culture merit award.