Daruma

Daruma is a Japanese traditional doll modeled after Bodhidharma, the founder of Buddhism. A symbol of good luck and perseverance, the dolls are usually hollow with a weight at the bottom so that every time the doll is pushed down he always gets back up. To use it, both eyes are blank white and you make a wish and fill in one eye. Once the wish comes true you fill in the other.

---

As an exploration into my childhood, I’m illustrating icons, symbols, and cultural items that speak to what it is like growing up Japanese Asian American.