Japan – Jan Karlin — What's Next?

Enchanting Chinese Ceramics

December 15, 2017 Jan Karlin

Osaka, Japan, is usually off the radar of most tourists. It is Japan’s second largest city and contains many of the advantages of Tokyo on a slightly smaller scale. The food scene is one of the most exciting in Japan, with local specialties such as okonomiyaki (a version of a Japanese pizza cooked on a griddle with your choice of ingredients), unusual fish from the ocean nearby, and small restaurants that present Kushikatsu cooking of seemingly endless ingredients grilled on skewers.

The arts scene is also important, with three local symphony orchestras, lots of chamber music, and local theatre and opera such as Bunruku which combines traditional music with life-sized puppets in 500 year-old stories.

CREATIVITY’S PUZZLE – TADAO ANDO

November 30, 2017 Jan Karlin

Building upon what exists, creating that which does not exist — Culture is something that needs to be nurtured on top of accumulated history and memories. . . . it is about creating a condition where the old and new coexist in a fine balance.

This quote by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Tadao Ando is an accurate observation about the creative process. I recently had the opportunity to attend an important exhibition of his past and present work at the National Arts Center in Tokyo, Japan. I was unfamiliar with his architectural achievements and happy to learn more about this influential and accomplished person.

Multiple Hats

September 18, 2017 Jan Karlin

My life has been defined by multiple hats, switching each of my career roles as necessary. My first love was the theater, but I was also involved in music from a very early age. Dabbling in the visual arts, film and dance provided me with lifelong appreciation. Add to this many opportunities that came my way growing up near New York City, and it doesn’t surprise me that my career paths reflect my multiple interests and training.

As I look back, I am fortunate that my parents had a small family business that gave me a valuable model for self-employment. When my husband Jeff von der Schmidt and I decided to form a non-profit corporation many years later, we knew what that would mean on a daily basis