Mr. Ki Nimori: Keeping
Japanese Culture at ASIJ
by C. Hara
Few people
in the ASIJ family have the impeccable reputation or status as Mr. Ki Nimori.
As he walks down the hall you may see several students and teachers alike
greet him on his way. His mussed,
graying hair, his abstract paint-stained apron, and the ever-present ink marks
on his arms and hands are unmistakable attributes of this high school art
teacher.
Mr. Nimori
has always possessed a love for colors, textures, and shapes.
His father was an artist so creative expression has always been in his
blood. As a young man, however, Mr.
Nimori initially aspired to study political science and become a diplomat.
Eventually, his inherited artistic genes came out on top.
Mr. Nimori enrolled in an art school and changed the direction of his
entire life. To add to his new
experiences, Mr. Nimori decided to go even further and move to America to study.
He was tired of depending on his parents economically and believed he was
old enough to take care of himself. He
knew that he would have to make over his entire lifestyle in order to fit with
his new purpose and goals.
After five years in the United States, Mr. Nimori won a scholarship for
$500 to continue his studies at a graduate school in Germany.
After a short while there, however, he received a letter from his
parents, urging him to return to Japan to take care of his six brothers and
sisters. In Japan at that time,
explains Mr. Nimori, it was the eldest child’s responsibility to assume the
role
Since ASIJ is known as an international school, it is logical to assume
that much of the curriculum is based upon American standards.
However, as senior Lina Takahashi wrote, “[Mr. Nimori]…has a strong
pride in Japan and through him, I learned to respect the Japanese traditional
art. I believe that he maintained
the Japanese part at ASIJ where everything is based on America.” One example of how Mr. Nimori does this is by
organizing the annual Taiko JUMP trip. Each
year a group of students visit a Japanese school and learn about the music and
art of the Japanese traditional drum. Every
time students go on the trip, with the help of Mr. Nimori, they experience a
part of Japanese history that they may never have known.
“Watching Mr. Nimori give demonstrations in class is enough to strike
awe into a young student. He can
take pieces of metal and fashion a creative paperknife, or quickly make a
beautiful tear drop bed from a stick of glass”.
So says junior Penny Essoyan about a teacher whose vast repetoire
includes teaching such classes as Metalwork and Jewelry, Life Drawing, and
Sculpture. The skill that seems to come effortlessly to him is passed
onto his students. Penny went on to
say, “He seems to have unique and interesting ideas flowing out of his mind
constantly, because whatever he does always seems amazing.
He makes art look easy.” Some
students have grumbled to their friends that Mr. Nimori never seems to be fully
satisfied with their work. Amidst
their frustration, students still realize that as a teacher, Mr. Nimori is among
the best: never settling for average or so-so, always expecting more of the
artist-in-training.
The question to ask this venerable teacher may be what could one do after teaching an assorted group of young teenagers for more than 40 years? Mr. Nimori answers in his calm, strong way that he plans to open his own studio to men and women who, like him, have retired from their original jobs and either want to fulfill their early dreams of an art career or just want to keep their hands busy. To Mr. Nimori’s future students: you haven’t done all that can be done until he says so. Creativity has no boundaries.
taken from: Hanabi
Magazine, Spring 2002
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