Sadako's Wish

Artist: Karin Taylor

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Card: US$4.70
Print: from US$23.51

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Sadako's Wish

Sales of this Design? – 1 sale so far :)

‘Asia Series’ card by Karin Taylor

This piece is imbued with a lot of heartfelt meaning.
Here is a painting I did in response to the story of Sadako.

One day my daughter Sarah bought home a little sheet of paper with the story of Sadako on it and I was deeply moved by the tragic story of her life. You can read all about Sadako by googling her name or the story about the Thousand Paper Cranes.

Just briefly though, Sadako was just a little baby when the atom bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, and by the age of 11 years she had lost her fight for life due to leukaemia, as a result of the radiation from the bomb.

Sadako tried hard to be cheerful and dreamed of living a long life. A little friend of hers suggested that she make 1000 paper cranes, because as legend had it, doing this could make your dreams come true.

Unfortunately, Sadako died, she was only able to make 600 cranes (please see Mui-Ling Teh’s comment below for more information), but her courageous effort and fighting spirit lives on in the hearts of everyone everywhere who hears her story of hope, faith and determination.
www.sadako.org/sadakostory.htm

This picture is all about Sadako being taken up into heaven at the moment of her passing from this life to the next. There are a few symbols in this painting that represent different things. The camouflage on her dress represents wartime. The wings indicate Sadako has a heavenly body now, and you can see Sadako is actually affixing them to herself as she accepts her fate. The magic carpet is taking her up to heaven. The little doll is her companion in this life and the next, similar idea to the ancient egyptians who placed belongings of the deceased with them inside the pyramids for comfort in the next life, the circles in the background represent glowing light emanating from the black stars in the sky, guiding her way to her new destination. There is an air of both sadness and triumph…leaving this world is sad, but entering the next healed and whole is triumphant.

This painting won a prize at an exhibition in Tweed Heads last year.

Sadako's Wish belongs to the following groups:

Back In Black, Japanfluence, Mixed Media and Yellow Fever

skunk, 9 months ago

I had never heard of Sadako, Thank you for the insight and the link. You have made an excellent piece out of her memory.
Karin Taylor, 9 months ago

Thanks Tracy
frozenfa, 9 months ago

that’s a very moving story.. thank you for sharing it and this piece of art with us.. they’re beautiful..
most people tend to remember sadako as the scary girl in the movie, The Ring.. this is so much better a story to remember the name sadako by… =)
Karin Taylor in reply to frozenfa’s comment, 9 months ago

oh wow, i don’t know anything about the other Sadako. I met a japanese lady once tho, and she herself had never heard about Sadako and yet she grew up in Japan
lightleake, 9 months ago

Lovely
Karin Taylor, 9 months ago

Hi lightleake, thank you for taking the time to comment on ‘Sadako’s Wish’, much appreciated. :D
Karin Taylor, 9 months ago

Hi lightleake, thank you for taking the time to comment on ‘Sadako’s Wish’, much appreciated. :D
purelydecorative, 9 months ago

Wow- this is so lovely, and even though I know this story (I’ve been to Hiroshima and there were thousands and thousands of paper cranes in the square there), I was really impressed and moved by your interpretation, and your description of the symbols in this piece. Beautiful.
Karin Taylor in reply to purelydecorative’s comment, 9 months ago

thank you so much purelydecorative, it’s so nice to hear from someone that has heard the story and appreciates the depth of feeling :D
greenfrog153, 8 months ago

Beautiful portrait Karin.
Karin Taylor in reply to greenfrog153’s comment, 8 months ago

there you are again greenfroggy….hehe….it’s nice to see you popping up here and there…....and everywhere…..thank you so very much!
greenfrog153, 8 months ago

You’re welcome Karin.
cdwork, 8 months ago

Superb work and story
Karin Taylor in reply to cdwork’s comment, 8 months ago

thank you so much, it is a very special story isn’t it :)
Vonney, 7 months ago

Yes, I’ve heard that story and have somewhere in
storage music composed about the life of Sadako.
I fail to recall who did it, but I remember picking it
up at the store and reading about the young Japanese
girl. Very moving story and lovely artwork by you.
Karin Taylor in reply to Vonney’s comment, 7 months ago

thank you vonney, it was a direct response to that story. i’m glad it brings back the memories….i’m sure we all learn something very special from listening to Sadako’s story :)
Mui-Ling Teh, 7 months ago

This is beautiful Karin! Not only does it pertain to the story pof Sadako, but also about accepting fate, and moving on after death. Actually Sadako did not complete the 1000. She made over 600, then her hands were not able to fold anymore. After she passed away her classmates completed the rest of the 1000 cranes for her and she was buried with them.
Karin Taylor in reply to Mui-Ling Teh’s comment, 7 months ago

oh thank you so much Mui-Ling for taking the time to look and comment
i will correct that part also that is wrong :)
thickblackoutline, 5 months ago

hey how come i haven’t seen this one?? she’s beautiful! i love all the little details, and the hair is very cool, very inspiring hair! :)
Karin Taylor in reply to thickblackoutline’s comment, 5 months ago

thanks J, so glad you like her…she’s a really dear one :D
this was one of the paintings I put on rb at the beginning
a lot of my rb friends haven’t seen all the asia ones
I’m glad you’ve seen her now tho xo