For four months.

To learn about woodblock printing.

It’s part of an internship that will allow her to study the art form and to assist with a woodblock print exchange between Maine and Japanese artists.

For the Lewiston artist who’s been fascinated by Japan since she was a middle-schooler watching kabuki theater videos with her best friend, the trip is a dream come true.

Name: Briar Pelletier

Age: 26

Married/relationship/single: In a relationship. He will be making a trek to Japan as well. (For a few weeks.)

Town: Lewiston native, temporary Orono resident

School: University of Maine

Major: Art history

What is it about art history that intrigued you? Art history is a marriage of the two things I enjoy most: art and writing. I was skeptical at first about majoring in my passion, even fought against it for a while. However, I started working at an art museum and realized that I really wanted to be a part of a cultural institution. Art history has opened more doors for me than I could have anticipated: I am assisting in an international art exchange and being sent across the globe, am writing for an arts catalogue, and even got an interview at Museum of Fine Arts Boston!

Tell me about your study abroad trip: I will be spending four months in Aomori, Japan. Aomori is the northern-most prefecture on the main island, with a climate much like Maine. I will live in a castle town and will arrive when the cherry blossoms are blooming. Does this sound like a dream? (It does to me!)

What will you be doing in Japan? I will be studying at Hirosaki University in Aomori, as well as working with Friends of Aomori while abroad. Friends of Aomori is a nonprofit cultural organization based out of Portland that aims to cultivate the sister-state relationship between Maine and Aomori through a variety of cultural exchanges. . . . I will be assisting with the woodblock exchange as well as educational outreach, strengthening ties Maine has with Hirosaki University and the artist community abroad. Upon my return, I will do the same for Maine schools.

What is woodblock printing? Woodblock printing is a method of printing where an image is carved into a block and used as a printing block. The type of woodblock printing I will be focusing on is called moku-hanga. Traditionally, the image would begin on paper. The paper would be affixed face-down onto the block. Using a blade and the image as a guide, the outlines are carved into the block. Sections to be unused on the block are also carved out. Once done, the carved image is painted with brushes and a sheet of rice paper is placed onto the block. Using a baren — a small wooden disk (or a wooden spoon!) — to rub the paper against the block, the paint is transferred to the paper and a print is made!

Why is a woodblock print exchange important? The print exchange displays one purpose art objects have in our global world: art objects being used as objects of ambassadorship. The Maine-Aomori Print Society (MAPS) is headed by Jeff Badger, art co-chair for Southern Maine Community College. Ten Maine artists and 10 Aomori artists participated, making prints specifically for the exchange. These prints were displayed in Aomori and will be exhibited here in Maine at SPACE Gallery in Portland in March. In the case of MAPS, prints have the ability to communicate and strengthen a cross-cultural bond, educate others about said relationship and expose global commentary through the exchange of art objects.

How did you get interested in Japan? I’ve had an interest in Japan since I was a child. My interest strengthened in middle school; one of my best friends and I would watch videos of noh and kabuki theater after school and we loved learning about kimono and theater arts.

Most exciting part about spending four months in Japan? Immersing myself into another culture, for sure.

Scariest part? Being away from my friends, family and my partner for so long. Being on a plane for the first time. Being in a foreign country. A lot of it is scary, but exciting in a way!

Who’s one artist (alive or in history) you’d go all fangirl meeting? Kanae Yamamoto, the “father” of the creative print moment in modern Japanese printmaking. He was an interesting artist who fused Japanese and Western aesthetics into his work and sparked a new movement in printmaking during the early 20th century.

Do you speak Japanese? Just the basics, although I bet my Japanese language skills will grow significantly after spending four months there!

What’s the one word or phrase you want to make sure you have down before you land in Japan? Yoroshiku onegaishimasu. It doesn’t have a direct translation in English, but it loosely means “Nice to meet you / Please know me / Please take care of me.”