OZAWA MAYOUMI

OZAWA Mayumi (1941-) Western-style painter. Born in Tokyo. Currently resides in Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture. Left L'Ecole Nationale Superieure des Arts Decoratifs de Paris before graduating. In her 20s she married and divorced a surgeon. After working in the editing department for Shinchosha Publishing’s “Geijutsu Shincho,” she went to France in 1975 to study on an invitation by the French government. Transferred to L'Ecole Nationale Superieure des Arts Decoratifs de Paris as a third-year student. While studying in France, she became engaged to Comte Turpin de Crisse (1931–1990), who was director of the cultural information department of France’s foreign ministry and a professor of protocol and decorum, moved her base of operations to Crissay-sur-Manse in the Loire river area where they had a vacation house, and built an atelier (1976–1981). She fell under the spell of climate, buildings, and religiousness like those of nursery tales and made her debut as a professional landscape painter from that area. She was told by Yves Brayer that her paintings are characterized by a touch of warmth, and that determined her style. She was supported by and popular in the local area, but her works were handled by and permanently installed mainly by several famous galleries in Paris. Since returning to Japan in 1983, she has been exhibiting works mainly in personal exhibitions (Tokyo and Osaka). Her works are included in collections at art museums and libraries in Japan and other countries. Eight drawings of the old house where she lived in Crissay-sur-Manse have been used in a panel on tourist sites for the village, which is considered the most beautiful village in France, and they are posted on the walls of famous places.She became an honorary villager of Crissay-sur-Manse in 2013.