JetWit has become increasingly aware of JET alum artists doing interesting work and making names for themselves in the art world. Below is a little background on a few of them (though there are many more out there). Click here for more JetWit posts on art and JET alumni. You can also see a more complete list of JET alums in the art world in the Art section of the Library.
Zandra Ellis (Nagasaki-ken, 2005-09) – Bronx, NY
- Painter and writer –http://www.flickr.com/photos/zmongoose/
Born in the Bronx to Jamaican immigrants, Zandra Ellis cut her milkteeth on Marley, manga and museums; 17 years later, she emerged blinking in the sunlight, from LaGuardia High School with a diploma stamped “Art.” Somehow she ended up studying English Literature in college. Nagasaki Prefecture’s Emukae Town (pop. 6,700,) warmly embraced Zandra as an ALT who loved drawing on the board and attending the local pottery class (’05-’09). Currently working on: freelance gigs/portraits for hire.
Manya Tessler (Wakayama-ken, 1998-2000) – Brooklyn, NY
Jewelry – www.MANYAandROUMEN.com- Children’s book illustrations – Yuki’s Ride Home (See interview with her from JETAA NY Newsletter at https://jetwit.com/wordpress/library/profiles/tessler-manya.)
- Read the “engaging” story of how she and her husband met and began designing jewelry together.
Manya’s children’s book “Yuki’s Ride Home” was published by Bloomsbury in 2008. (Read more) She received an Honorable mention in Category 1 of the Women’s Jewelry Association 2009 DIVA Design Competition. (Read more) She and her husband, Rouman, received the Mort Abelson New Designer of the Year Award at the JA NY Summer Show. (Read more) And the independent film “Adam” being shown at the 2009 Sundance Festival features several of Manya’s illustrations. (Read more)
Lee-Sean Huang (Oita-ken, 2003-06) – New York, NY
Lee-Sean Huang is New York-base multimedia artist who explores the creative and social possibilities found in the junction of technology, design and art. Recent works include:
- A computer-generated portrait of Mao constructed from the text of the Little Red Book
- An interactive music installation consisting of headphones that create a unique listening experience based on the wearer’s movements
- And a Japan-inspired animation and performance piece based on a poem by Catullus
Lee-Sean is a co-founder of Hepnova Multimedia, an interdisciplinary design collective and genre-defying band, and is currently a masters student at ITP, the Interactive Telecommunications Program at NYU Tisch School of the Arts. Catch up with Lee-Sean at leesean.net. (JetWit Editor’s Note: Lee-Sean is also the JETAA NY webmaster, helped me get the JetWit site set up and is the one I call whenever there’s a “JetWit emergency.”)
This past Thursday evening, Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, gave a talk for the students in the Keio Academy of New York Japanese-English Bilingual Summer Program in Purchase, NY in connection with a two-week Digital Media Creation program.
Additional speakers in the program include Michael Arias, director of “ANIMATRIX” and “Tekkonkinkreet,” Shoji Kawamuri, animation director and mechanical designer and Yuji Nunokawa, CEO of animation producer Pierrot Co., Ltd.
BAPCPA Man #1 – Automatic Stay
Blogs, Cartoon/Illustration, Humor, Writers 
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BAPCPA Man and Bankruptcy Bill are cartoons created by Steven Horowitz (Aichi-ken, 1992-94) and Gideon Kendall. For more cartoons, original bankruptcy haiku and even a bankruptcy country song, go to bankruptcybill.us.
Job: Japan-Korea Project Manager for American Orthodontics (Sheboygan, WI)
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Passed on from the Japan Information Center:
I am the Asia-Pacific Regional Manager at American Orthodontics in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Our company is in search of a candidate to fill the job position of Japan-Korea Project Manager.
This position will be in charge of direct and indirect sales channels in both Japan and South Korea, and eventually help American Orthodontics build its own direct business in either Japan or South Korea. We will provide complete product training by having this candidate work in our headquarters for a period of one or two years. Also as part of the training, this candidate will make two or three trips to these two countries every year, so that he/she will learn more about the orthodontic market and distribution channels in these two countries. He/she will eventually transit to a long-term managing position for our business in these two countries.
In this position, we are looking for a candidate with truly tri-lingual fluency in English, Japanese, and Korean languages with a good sense of business. He/she is willing to travel as job required. Read More
JapanInfo Newsletter – July 2009
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The July 2009 edition of JapanInfo is now available online. JapanInfo is published by the Consulate General of Japan in New York/Japan Information Center and is a great source of info for Japan-related things going on in New York and the surrounding area.
Highlights include:
- Professor Setsuko M. Nishi of CUNY Honored by the Government of Japan
- The Young People’s Chorus of New York City Departs for Japan Tour
- From the Ambassador’s Desk
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Buriki: Japanese Tin-Toys July 9 to August 16, 2009 – Japan Society
- Yuto Miyazawa 9 year old Guitarist – Highline Ballroom- 8/2
- And plenty of things to do and see on the Events Calendar.
Jobs: International Education Programs (Chronicle of Higher Ed)
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Via the Chronicle of Higher Education’s international education programs job listing:
Associate Professor or Assistant Professor, Economics
Faculty of Liberal Arts, Saitama University
Posted: 07/30/2009
Assistant, Associate, or full Professor, International Relations
School of International Liberal Studies, Waseda University
Posted: 07/30/2009
Assistant, Associate, or full Professor, Modern/contemporary European or American History
Waseda University
Posted: 07/30/2009 Read More
Job: Translator/interpreter for Saitama Prefecture International Division (Japan)
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This job listing is courtesy of Denise Schlickbernd, a JET currently working as a CIR in the Saitama Prefecture International Division.
The Saitama Prefecture International Division currently has a job opening for a translator/interpreter and is hoping to find a native English speaker to fill it. The details are as follows:
The Saitama Prefecture International Division in Saitama City is currently searching for a part-time English-to-Japanese translator and interpreter.
Responsibilities include:
· Editing and translation of English publications
· Creation and editing of English web pages
· Assist with projects to support foreign residents
· Native English checks of translated materials
Request from Japan America Society of Washington
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Via JETAA Pacific Northwest. Mark Smith, the Executive Director of the Japan America Society of the State of Washington, is seeking feedback from JET alums and Friends of JET who, when they were younger, may have participated in the organization’s education programs in schools throughout the state of Washington. Please contact Mark directly to offer feedback.
Dear JET Alumni and current JET Program Participants:
My name is Mark Smith and I am Executive Director of the Japan America Society of the State of Washington. As some of you may already know, one of our core programs here at the Society is our Japan in the Schools program. This is an educational program driven by volunteers who visit elementary schools and high schools.
In the elementary classroom, a day in the life of Kentaro is brought to life through a large format photo presentation that engages the students in exploring similarities and differences between American and Japanese children’s lives. Students are also taught some Japanese words and they have trying to pick up mini erasers (which they get to keep) with chopsticks. Read More
Event: Atlanta-JapanFest 2009 – Sept 19-20
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Via JETAA Southeast’s South Carolina Subchapter rep Daniel Stone (Saitama-ken, 2004-07):
Dear JETs and Friends of JET,
Please help us spread the word about JapanFest 2009 by forwarding this information to your friends. Let’s work together to make this year’s JapanFest the most successful ever!
Atlanta- JapanFest 2009 September 19-20
Job: Assistant News Producer – Tokyo Broadcasting System International (D.C.)
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UPDATE 9/10/09: This position has been filled. Please do not send resumes.
Assistant News Producer
Location: Washington, DC
Start Date: September 2009
Payment: Full Paid
Company: Tokyo Broadcasting System International
The Washington, D.C. Bureau of Tokyo Broadcasting System International (TBS) is seeking a professional individual to fill an Assistant News Producer position. Read More
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Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, hosted a talk with Hayao Miyazaki (director of Spirited Away among other animated films) on July 25 in Berekely, CA. Miyazaki made a rare U.S. appearance to receive the second annual Berkeley Japan Prize for lifetime achievement, presented by the Center for Japanese Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. (See a Japan Times article on the event here.)
This was familiar territory for Roland, who hosted a talk with novelist Haruki Murakami in October 2008 when Murakami was presented with the first Berekely Japan award.
CLAIR-NY’s Hanzawa-san on his life in NYC
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For those who don’t know him, Taichi Hanzawa (Miyagi-ken) works for CLAIR-NY (also known as the Japan Local Government Center or JLGC) and this past year served as the JETAA USA Liaison. That’s the position responsible for coordinating with all 19 JETAA USA chapters to help them with their funding. Takusan shigoto yo. Cantan de ha arimasen. Yet Hanzawa-san has worked very hard and served admirably.
Recently, he wrote a short article for the Miyagi Ken Prefectural Newsletter where he reflected on his life in New York. By way of context, Hanzawa-san and most of his colleagues at CLAIR-NY are part of a sort of inverse version of the JET Program. They are all local government workers in their city or prefectural governments. And they’ve all been selected to be part of a three-year program that starts with one year of training in Tokyo followed by a two-year assignment in a CLAIR office in the U.S., UK, Australia or elsewhere.
Below is the article by Hanzawa-san (along with a picture of him at a recent JETAA NY executive meeting held at the JLGC). If anyone would like to post an English summary in the comments section (assuming you can make out the print below), that would be more than welcome. (If you’d like a PDF version, e-mail jetwit [at] jetwit [dot] com.)
Jobs: Teacher in Iwate
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via Iwateminions Yahoo group:
A language school in hanamaki is looking for a new instructor from the end of September. More details about the school are available at www.speakupjapan.com. The school is willing to sponsor a visa, and pay is 250,000 yen/month. Interested parties should contact Phil Williams by phone at 0198-22-7766 or via email at phil_speakup@yahoo.com.
Job: Business Development Specialist for Hyogo Business and Cultural Center (Seattle)
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Via JETAA Pacific Northwest:
The Hyogo Business & Cultural Center (Hyogo Prefectural Representative Office) is currently hiring a position for Business Development Specialist. For more details, please visit www.hyogobcc. org
How to apply:
Submit resume & cover letter by Monday, August 10th 2009 via e-mail to jobs@hyogobcc. org or fax at 206-728-1452. Only candidates who are chosen for an interview will be contacted. NO PHONE INQUIRIES PLEASE!
Position: Business Development Specialist – Full-time position
Location: Downtown Seattle
Salary: $28,000+ DOE
Application Deadline: Monday, August 10th 2009
The Hyogo Business & Cultural Center is looking for a dynamic and organized TEAM player who is highly motivated and takes initiative. The ideal candidate should feel comfortable working in a multicultural office setting.
Just stumbled into “I Survived a Japanese Gameshow” again, halfway into the program. One team is learning how to be samurai and participating in a samurai parade. The other group learned how to cut down bamboo and then take the bamboo and carve it into chopsticks.
Two things occurred to me as I watch this:
- This might be the best tourism promotion for Japan they could possibly hope for. It gives people a real sense of Japan and a connection to it.
- What the hell do samurai parades and chopstick making have to do with the gameshow?
Thus far, the show seems to be a greater enigma than Japan ever was.
