The exhibition, Belonging to Nature: Art and Memory in the San Fernando Valley, brings together four deeply personal series: A Lady in Her Wheelchair, From My Window, My Neighbors, and San Fernando Valley. Each collection reflects the artist Keiji’s lived experiences and profound belief that we do not own nature; we belong to it. Working with only five acrylic colors, Keiji paints intuitively, guided by memory, emotion, and a “sixth sense” that has shaped his art since childhood.

A Lady in Her Wheelchair reflects Keiji’s eleven years as the sole caregiver to his wife after her stroke, tracing devotion, grief, and the quiet transformations that occur in the wake of loss. From My Window began with an almost meditative observation of the changing trees outside his home— guided by Keiji’s own subjective vision, painting not what he sees but how he feels. The San Fernando Valley series emerges from his hikes throughout that natural space, where he discovered new landscapes that deepened his connection to place. Each piece features a small self-figure, sometimes just a shoulder, allowing viewers to see the scene through his eyes and step into the space he creates. Finally, inspired by a super blue moon, the “My Neighbors” series reimagines the familiar street he once shared with his wife.

Presented by Esperanza Community Housing at Mercado La Paloma, this exhibition honors art rooted in caregiving, discovery, and our enduring connection to the natural world.

View the exhibition until February 22nd at Mercado La Paloma.

The featured artist for this exhibition, Keiji Ichikawa, will be at the Mercado La Paloma Conference Room on Wednesday, February 4th at 2:30PM. Be there and meet the artist behind these deeply meaningful artworks.