A
n artist’s creative journey can take many twists and
turns through the peaks and valleys of life. Morgan Hill
painter Lorna Saiki’s path began with realism, detoured into
abstract watercolors, traveled through representational land-
scapes in oils and, three years ago, circled back to abstract
themes. Reflecting on her life of raising a family, pursuing
careers, entering retirement and, amazingly, surviving
stage- 4 cancer, Saiki said, “I’ve always been all over the
map in my life. It shows in my art.”
Born the second of nine children to first-generation
Japanese parents in Honolulu, Hawaii, Saiki has found that
art is “something I always had in me.” While her father
farmed in the cane fields and her mother worked as a seam-
stress, her interest in art blossomed with coloring books
before she began freehand drawing.
“I remember when I was ten years old, my sister’s boy-
friend complimented one of my drawings,” she said. “I
decided then that art was something I could do.”
While continuing to dabble in art, it was mostly set aside
for several decades as Saiki worked as a flight attendant for
the now defunct Pan American World Airways, a medical
services agent for Kaiser, and a client representative for
the since-relocated Lohmar Laundry Services in Gilroy.
Simultaneously, she married and raised two sons.
In 1998, Saiki’s life took a dramatic turn when she was
diagnosed with an advanced stage of colon and liver cancer.
Over the next several years, she underwent chemotherapy
and two major surgeries. In addition to her treatments, she
credits a determined optimism and will to survive with
her eventual recovery. She briefly returned to work before
retiring for good in 2001.
GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN
“I had to really dig deep in my subconscious to find
calmness during my illness, not knowing if I would
survive.” Saiki said. “I apply that same thought process to
my art, to paint what I feel inside.”
Though she has taken art classes in high school and
college, and more recently night courses at Gavilan
College, Saiki considers herself mostly self-taught. Starting
out as a realist, her night courses steered her to painting
abstract watercolors. Then in 2005, when she joined South
Valley’s Valle del Sur Art Guild (VDS), she found many of
the artists painting landscapes, so she began joining plein
air paint-outs, returning to realism. Three year ago, she
again returned to abstract painting.
“I don’t feel my paintings need to make a ton of sense,
it’s more about capturing a feeling with color and shapes
with a minimum of detail. Sometimes less is more.”
Saiki’s landscapes demonstrate a notable command of
light and shadow. Unbeknownst to Saiki, her landscapes
can be likened to the Tonalists of the late 19 th century,
an American movement with an overall tone of colored
atmosphere or mist. Building on that foundation, her more
recent abstract treatments spark the imagination with
sound composition and interesting hues and shapes that
encourage the involvement of the viewer.
In 2006, Saiki took first place for her painting of
Anderson Reservoir in the Fall Open Juried Show
sponsored by Gallery Morgan Hill, and a first place in
2011 for oil media at the VDS Open Juried Show. She has
received other ribbons from the Santa Clara County State
Fair, VDS and the City of Gilroy. For more information
visit the Valle del Sur Art Guild website.
august/september 2019
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