School Visit by Mr. Warabe Aska
On November 19th and 20th, Mr. Warabe Aska, a celebrated Japanese children’s book author and illustrator, visited a number of Ottawa schools as part of a tour organized by the Embassy of Japan and the Ottawa International Writers Festival.
After working as a designer in Japan, Mr. Aska became a painter and moved to Canada in 1979 where he began to illustrate children’s books. Since then, he has been carrying out his creative activities in Toronto and has received many awards including the City of Toronto Book Award. Drawing his creative energy from the environment, Mr. Aska has travelled extensively for inspiration, including to the Canadian Arctic.
Mr. Aska visited four Ottawa-area elementary schools where he shared his love of painting by discussing his works and showing some tricks which are hidden in his drawings. Over the course of these visits, more than 320 enthusiastic children and teachers had the opportunity to learn from Mr. Aska and admire his many works inspired by nature.
This was the first time that a Japanese author has been invited to participate in the Ottawa International Writer's Festival. Mr. Neil Wilson, Director of the Ottawa International Writers Festival, said that he hopes that more works by Japanese authors will be introduced in Canada and hopes that the Ottawa International Writers Festival can help in this regard.
|
