A good day to you, fellow book or art lover, or perhaps both.
It has been a while, and I have a few spring updates for you.
New originals
A small group of new originals for sale are now uploaded on the website shop catalogue.
These are smaller scale works – small shikishi and tanzaku – with spring’s lightest blossom the center of the compositions.
You can browse all spring-themed works for sale here:
https://mafaldatenente.com/product-tag/spring/
You might have missed it before, but it is possible to search works for sale by theme and season. All the works have a number of tags to help you find your favorite nature element or season, sometimes color.
Experiencing ink painting in Zurich old town
Earlier this year, our neighborhood center – Altstadthaus – and I came together to propose a first quarterly cycle around ink painting in the heart of Kreis 1.
Small secluded gardens, cobblestone streets and alleys featuring old gas lights, cats coming down the oddest-shaped stairs. Fountains, more fountains and the Limmat river. Water everywhere. We will not run out of inspiration anytime soon. I hope the weather cooperates on at least two of our 2026 sessions.
If so, we will start our session outdoors. If not, the charming Altstadthaus itself will give us the quiet, safe space to enjoy putting ink to paper.
All levels, absolute beginners included, most welcome.
The first date is Sun, June 07, and all the remaining dates and details are at:
https://mafaldatenente.com/worskshops
A rerelease in the summer, a new story in time for Christmas
Our book release schedule is tracking per plan.
The first German edition and the second English edition of Lotus will both launch during the summer art book fair season:
- June 13 at Mini Volumes Zurich
- June 17-20 at I Never Read Art Book Fair Basel
The next short story is deep into its development and currently slotted for release on November 21-22. The full set of illustrations still in progress below has now been complete.
What can I give away?
It is a winter story. It will be set in Kanazawa, Japan. I don’t know how the story ends yet. Shaping it as you read this.
A great many hurdles are still ahead before we can see the clear path to another beautiful book. Send good creative vibes this way, please.
Your home is my books’ home
I love how my art and books always seem to find great homes – whether they are yours, a public library or a caring retail space. On that note, two special news to close this spring update.
The cataloguing of our books published to date was completed for two public collections:
- “Lotus” was added to the Swiss National Library collections, joining the earlier entry “Autumn in Japan”
- Both books above are in the Zentralbibliothek Zurich Rare Editions catalogue.
I love libraries, they are the world’s most important, permanent, publicly accessible homes for books. I have lost track of how many times I have said this when talking about my books at events, but for those of you who might not have heard it yet:
The proudest moment for the “child” who owes a substantial part of her early education to public libraries is not when she sells out one of her book editions. The most emotional, lump in one’s throat moment takes place when she finds herself on the reverse side of that library relationship – to be able to place a book, a book I created, on a library shelf for someone else to check out.
In addition to the library collections, “Autumn in Japan” is also at home in one new, and one familiar retail space in Zurich:
- You can purchase “Autumn in Japan” at the Rietberg Museum Shop. The museum is home to Switzerland’s most significant Japanese art collection, so this is a very special first-time collaboration. “Autumn in Japan” is available only until the “Japan de Luxe” surimono exhibition closes on July 7. We like to think of our books as special “printed matter” (the literal translation of surimono) too.
- The kunst.buch.kiosk will be stocking “Autumn in Japan” from June. On Saturday September 19, we will have a special Autumn day by the Limmat for all my books in print. Between 14:00-18:00 I will be there to personalize book copies and talk all things books and Japan arts.
I hope you’re having a great start to your week, and looking forward to seeing (some of) you at one of the June events.