Muramasa Kudo (B 1948) Japanese/American, Lithograph. Titled "Water Lilies." Signed bottom right, numbered in pencil 81/275 bottom left. Depicts a woman in a boat surrounded by water lilies. Overall size: 41 X 50 in. Sight size: 27 1/2 X 36 in. #1503 . Muramasa Kudo was born near Tokyo in 1948 and spent his childhood years in Aomori, a small city in rural northern Japan. From an early age, Kudo was taught love and appreciation for the beauty of nature, and it was this reverence that provided inspiration for his creative desires. Taking First Place in Japan’s prestigious Youth Calligraphy competition at the age of thirteen, Kudo went on to achieve the status of World Class Master in the art of Calligraphy just two years later. A world traveler, Kudo settled in Los Angeles in 1980, where he continues to create works imbued with a gentle oriental aesthetic. In 1992 Senator Art Torres, Chairman of the Pacific Rim Committee, appointed Kudo as California's Cultural Ambassador to Japan and the Pacific Rim. Kudo has been exhibited across Asia, the United States and Europe, and he regularly donates pieces to charities for environmental issues, AIDS awareness, and the World Hunger Project. A Zen Philosopher and poet, his masterful subtlety of color coupled with his appreciation for nature results in works of sublime harmony and balance, such as this exquisite piece. Location BB