Greenblatt, who lives in Los Angeles, has been featured in exhibitions all around the world, including the USC Pacific Asia Museum<\/a> in Pasadena and the Kitakyushu Municipal Museum of Art<\/a> in Kitakyushu, Japan.<\/p>\n In 2024, she participated in an international exhibition at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, where she received a gold medal for \u201cRejuvenation,\u201d the digital fusion of her painting and photographic works. She was also featured in GZ Basel 2012, Invitational Exhibition by Galeria Zero, in Basel, Switzerland; the Los Angeles Airport Exhibition and many more venues.<\/p>\n Greenblatt\u2019s work is on display at the Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum in Balboa Park.<\/a> The solo show, titled \u201cUplift the Human Spirit,\u201d is on view through April 26.<\/p>\n Greenblatt, who curated the solo exhibition, took some time to talk about her work.<\/p>\n Q: This exhibition showcases three distinct kinds of artistic approaches: calligraphy, ikebana and photography. Can you tell us more about what the viewer will see or experience when walking through the exhibition?\u00a0<\/p>\n A: The exhibition is divided into three parts: \u201cExpressive Calligraphy,\u201d \u201cFusion Ikebana\u201d and \u201cFemale Energy Photography.\u201d All fall under the umbrella of the exhibition\u2019s title, \u201cUplift the Human Spirit.\u201d Therefore, viewers will see vitality, enthusiasm, passion for life, hope \u2026 something uplifting and useful.<\/p>\n Q: This exhibition is described as a \u201cdynamic fusion of tradition and innovation.\u201d Please tell us more about this interesting juxtaposition of old and new.\u00a0<\/p>\n A: I was born in an old samurai family in Japan and brought up in the traditional Japanese artistic environment. After graduating from Aoyama Gakuin University in Tokyo, I studied Western style art at UCLA under the noted artist Vicki Dolnick. It came very naturally to me to create fusion art with energetic, uplifting and useful art due to my upbringing and Western style art training later.<\/p>\n Q: How did you come up with the concept of this exhibition, titled \u201cUplift the Human Spirit\u201d?\u00a0<\/p>\n A: It all goes back to my artist statement, which has always been as follows: \u201cI attempt to activate and uplift human souls through transformed art elements, including Japanese characters and symbolism. Past and present, known and unknown, East and West meet to create a contemporary dialogue conveying my passion for life and my eternal good wishes for all the people of the world.\u201d<\/p>\n![\""Hope"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/SUT-L-VISUAL-JAPANESE-03.jpg\")
<\/a>\u201cHope\u201d (mixed media) by Shizuko Greenblatt is part of the \u201cUplift the Human Spirit\u201d exhibit at the Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum in Balboa Park. (Shizuko Greenblatt)<\/p>\n
![\""Passion](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/SUT-L-VISUAL-JAPANESE-01.jpg\")
<\/a>\u201cPassion for Life\u201d (acrylic on canvas) by Shizuko Greenblatt is part of the \u201cUplift the Human Spirit\u201d exhibit at the Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum in Balboa Park. (Shizuko Greenblatt)<\/p>\n