Tomihiro hoshino biography of michael

Immerse yourself in the world of the tranquil and powerful artworks of Tomihiro Hoshino.

Situated on the shore of Lake Kusaki, Tomihiro Museum displays the works of Tomihiro Hoshino, an artist born in Azuma-cho, Midori City.

Prior to that fateful day, his hobbies had included gymnastics and mountain climbing, but little did he know that not only would his hobbies change, but he would become a worldwide hero in the process.

At age 24, while teaching a junior high gymnasts club how to perform a routine vaulting exercise, Tomihiro injured his neck so severely that he became paralyzed from the neck down.

Yet with the help of his mother, they realized that he could sign it along with all his fellow patients, but in his own manner -- holding the paintbrush in his mouth! He says that, paraphrased, it read: "It is ironic that it was only after I had an accident that prevented me from being able to walk through nature that I could fully appreciate its beauty.”

By 1979, Tomihiro had created enough paintings to present a showcase of his work at a gallery.

He would lie on his side holding the paintbrush in his mouth while his mother would hold the sketchbook inches from his face and mix the paints for him as he instructed. Ironically, were it not for his tragedy and, thus, his life course being rerouted, neither he, nor the world, would likely have come to know his extraordinary talent and his beautiful mind.

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As the recent report of Tomihiro Hoshino’s death lingered in my mind, I revisited his poetry, especially poignant when read on Mother’s Day.

“If God would grant me the use of my arms just once, I would use them to pat my mother on the shoulder.

To Tomihiro, painting became a way of expressing his gratitude for his revelation. Translators were highly impressed by his remarkable abilities and his beautiful words.

Complications from his condition, along with severe respiratory problems, both of which almost took his life on several occasions, made his hospital stay seemingly endless, totaling 9 years. He said that when he couldn’t sleep at night, he found peace in thinking that he and the flowers were in complete isolation in the Universe together. He brought with him an electric wheelchair which he could operate with his chin.

He was married in 1981 to a woman by the name of Masako with whom he remains married to this day.

As I watched the swaying seeds of shepherds’ purses, I felt as if that day might truly come.”

Hoshino was a 24-year-old physical education teacher when he suffered a severe injury that left him paralyzed from the neck down.

Drowning in the depths of despair, he even unleashed his anger on his mother, who stayed by his side constantly to take care of him.

He recalls that when he first completed his work, it was not so much a painting that emerged but hope.

Many people have been encouraged by his works because they embody the infinite strength and kindness of the human spirit.

He cherished small lives and expressed gratitude for the unseen. At the same time, several books compiling his artwork, essays, and poetry were published, including "From the Depths of Love," "Journey of the Wind," and "Silvery Trace." "Here So Close But I Didn't Know," and "Journey of the Wind" were published as English editions in 1988 for cultures worldwide to enjoy.

His books speak of his handicap, his time in the hospital and illness, and his discoveries in life.

On May 12th 1991, the Tomihiro Hoshino Museum was opened, and exhibitions have since toured worldwide. He painted watercolors of flowers and grasses that also featured poems about familiar subjects and his way of life for about 50 years, leaving behind more than 500 works.

Exhibitions on his works were held throughout Japan, and in 1991, the Tomihiro Art Museum opened in his hometown.

Tomihiro Hoshino was a promising young gymnastics coach in Japan when a tragic accident changed his life forever.

By 2000, visitors to Tomihiro Museum exceeded 3.5 million.

Tomihiro has also been the subject of Japanese films and some of his poetry has even been set to music and performed by choirs.

He has grown accustomed to his life as a disabled person and now says it is not as painful as people think it is. His beautiful words filled with courage and a deep passion for life, inspire people in Japan and around the world.

Admitted into Gunma University Hospital in 1970 where, ironically, he had graduated with a degree in physical education only a few months prior, Hoshino said that, initially, he found it so difficult, both physically and emotionally, that he felt at times he had lost the meaning to live. There he successfully sold all the paintings he had created in the previous five years in the hospital.

The power of faith, which he received through baptism during his hospitalization, must have also played a role.

Hoshino passed away at the age of 78. The building features a unique design, which is inspired by soap bubbles, and is registered as a roadside station.