Clifton Karhu information

Clifton Karhu (November 23, 1927 – March 24, 2007) was an American artist of Finnish heritage^[1] who settled in Japan after serving there in the U.S. military during World War II and returning as a missionary. He became locally and internationally renowned for his woodblock prints, inspired by ukiyo-e, which he began making in the early 1960s and produced until his death. Karhu became known for using traditional Japanese printmaking methods to create contemporary bold and colorful landscapes of Kyoto and Kanazawa.^[2] Karhu became the first foreign member of the Japan Print Association.^[2] Japanese media began to describe him as being "more Japanese than a Japanese," because of his adherence to traditional methods of print production.^[3]

Karhu sold works to individual collectors as well as to Japanese companies for advertising purposes. His commercial work appeared in public spaces, such as subway stations,^[4] and in private institutions, such as restaurants^[5] and geisha houses.^[4] By the end of his career, Karhu had become a celebrity in the Japanese art scene.^[4]