By email this morning I received word from the Tolman Collection gallery in Tokyo that the Abstract Expressionist, Toko Shinoda, (an amazing sorceress with sumi-e and huge influence on me) has departed the earthly realm.   Joy 1991 One would be expecting news such as this at some time, given that Toko Shinoda was 107 years old (she would have turned 108 on March 28th) --but still there is a certain sadness for, like Norman Tolman wrote, "I almost thought that she would always be with us" . New Dimension 1983 No doubt, throughout the coming days and weeks tributes and remembrances will coming in from all over the world.  Mine will be a re-visitation of an article I wrote that first appeared in my Journal of Ravenseyrie and I will repost here in the Ravenseyrie Studio & Art Gallery blog. I have numerous exhibition catalogues of Toko Shinoda's works that I purchased through the Tolman Collection and have held them close to me as treasures over the years - looking...