Kawachi Western Art Supplies will open its first brick-and-mortar store at Nakameguro Tsutaya Bookstore for a limited time from June 17th to 30th. Founded in Shinsaibashi in 1920 (Taisho 9), Kawachi Western Art Supplies is a specialty store for Western art supplies beloved by many artists and cultural figures, and is known for entrusting Tsuguharu Foujita's works to them during the war. After moving to Shinsaibashisuji 1-chome, the store changed its name to Kawachi and continued to operate until 2016. Currently, the flagship store has relocated to Tokyu Hands in Shinsaibashi, and the store operates five locations, including four in Osaka and one in Kobe. Inheriting its original name, Kawachi Western Art Supplies debuted online in January 2017 as a new brand. As a long-established art supplies retailer, the store collaborates with specialized manufacturers and artisans to plan and develop original items, which are sold on the store's official website.
At this year's "Kawachi Western Art Supplies Nakameguro Tsutaya Bookstore Pop-Up Store," they will be exhibiting and selling original products such as the innovative "BIG OIL PASTEL," which is the same size as 15 standard oil pastels, "Blues" (smocks) to protect clothing while creating artwork, and "mini-frame" brooches handmade one by one by frame artisans, as well as art supplies, paints, sketchbooks, and other purchasing items.
In addition, from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM on June 17th and 18th, Ahhi Choi, a painter with a studio in Ashiya City, Hyogo Prefecture, will be holding "Ahhi Choi LIVE PAINTING," in which she will paint a 20-meter canvas over the course of two days, and the finished work will later be cut into 38 bags (the event will end when 38 applications are received). From 1pm to 9pm from the 23rd to the 25th, Yamamoto Yuki, an artist who specializes in portrait painting, will be performing a live painting event using "BIG OIL PASTEL" in "Yamamoto Yuki LIVE PAINTING supported by Moet & Chandon." Yamamoto will also be creating portraits (for a fee) using Kawachi Painting Supplies' sketchbook "LIVERTY BOOK."
