アニメと押し花絵を楽しもう ! Enjoy anime and pressed flower art!

2024年1月12日(日)に「アニメと押し花絵を楽しもう!」アートプログラムを富士河口湖町の委託事業として同町の山梨県立世界遺産センターで開催しました。

　午前中は、富士吉田市出身のアニメ作家、前田こうせいさんによるトークと上映会(写真上)が開かれ、桃太郎が活躍する「約束」と、花咲か爺さんとぽちの愛の物語「ぽち桜」を上映しながら、作品への思いや裏話をわかりやすく話してくれました。(写真右奥が前田さん)

前田さんは小学生のころ、地元の富士急行線の駅前で箱の上に値札を貼って自分が描いた絵を販売したことがあり、それがきっかけでアニメ作家を志したとのことです。また、「約束」では富士山をテーマにしたと述べ、「子どもの頃は意識しなかったが、大人になって本当に素晴らしい山と感じるよ

うになった。今作らないという思いで描いた」と富士山への想いを語ってくれました。参加した子供たちは最後に、思い思いの鳥の絵を描き、改めて動画編集するワークショップにもチャレンジしました(写真左)。

　午後は、吉田チエ子先生(写真右中央)による「押し花アートで富士山からメッセージ」を開催し、12の小学生とその保護者が参加。正面のテーブルに並べられた、さまざまな色や形の押し花の素材から、子どもたちが好きなものを選んでミニ色紙に張り付ける作業をしました。

子どもたちは、植物の色合いや不思議な形を活かし、思い思いの発想で、お花畑や花火、春のおさんぽ、ミツバチ、冬の道などをテーマにした作品づくりに真剣なまなざしで取り組み、最後には保護者も参加して「童話のような押し花絵」を完成させました。

作品は、先生に透明のシールを貼ってもらい、児童が後ろに作品名と名前を記入。参加者全員が作品を持って記念撮影(写真上)し、作品(写真右)は各自、記念に持ち帰りました。　

子どもたちは「いろいろな色や形の押し花があって、作るのが楽しかった」「また参加したい」と感想を語っていました。

吉田先生は、「子どもたちの発想にいつも驚いています。何年も参加するお子さんもいて今年も素晴らしい作品に仕上げていました」と話していました。

On Sunday, January 12, 2024, the art program "Let's Enjoy Anime and Dried Flower Art!" was held at the Yamanashi Prefectural World Heritage Center in Fujikawaguchiko Town as a commissioned project by the town.

In the morning, a talk and screening was held by Kosei Maeda, an anime artist from Fujiyoshida City, who talked about his thoughts on his works and the behind-the-scenes stories while screening "The Promise," in which Momotaro plays an active role, and "Pochi Sakura," the love story of the Flower-Blooming Old Man and Pochi.

When Maeda was an elementary school student, he sold his drawings in front of the local Fujikyu Railway station by sticking a price tag on the box, and this inspired him to become an anime artist. He also mentioned that "The Promise" was themed on Mt. Fuji, saying, "I didn't think about Mt. Fuji as a child, but as an adult, I began to feel that it is a truly wonderful mountain. Now, I drew it with the intention of creating a work that contains my feelings for Mt. Fuji." At the end of the event, the children drew pictures of birds of their choice, and also took on the challenge of a workshop where they could edit videos.
In the afternoon, Ms. Chieko Yoshida held a "Message from Mt. Fuji with Pressed Flower Art" event, attended by 12 elementary school students and their parents. Children chose their favorite pressed flowers from the various colors and shapes lined up on the table at the front and pasted them on mini colored paper.

The children worked earnestly to create works of art with themes such as flower fields, fireworks, spring walks, honeybees, and winter roads, making use of the colors and strange shapes of the plants, and at the end, the parents also joined in and completed "fairy tale-like pressed flower paintings." The teacher attached clear stickers to the works, and the children wrote the name of the work and their name on the back. All participants took a commemorative photo with their works, and each person took their work home as a souvenir.

The children commented, "There were pressed flowers of various colors and shapes, so it was fun to make them," and "I want to participate again." Ms. Yoshida said, "I am always amazed at the children's ideas. Some children have been participating for many years, and this year they have created wonderful works."