Friendship + Cooperation
Sharing My Father’s Message
Friendship +
Cooperation
My father taught me karate wasn't just about self-defense or skill; it was a way of living with friendship, cooperation, and continuous learning at its core. He believed that karate brought people together, building bonds and a shared journey. In my art, I strive to carry forward those values he lived by every day. Each piece I create reflects the spirit of togetherness and the openness he embodies. Through my artwork, I want to honor his vision of bringing people closer, creating a space where we can all learn from one another and grow. My art is my way of saying thank you to him for showing me that life is about being together, lifting each other up, and finding beauty in our shared path.
Each piece is a tribute to my father’s spirit and the values he held- friendship, cooperation, and a lifelong commitment to learning. My father believed that true strength comes from bringing people together, from learning alongside one another, and from the respect we show in those connections.
By placing his quotes on the back of the art panels, I hope to honor his legacy. These words are not just reminders of his philosophy; they are a conversation I hope people feel when they see my work. It is a way to keep his wisdom alive, to share his presence in a way that reaches beyond karate. Through art, I want to create a space where people can reflect, connect, and feel a sense of togetherness as he taught so many.
The repeating patterns on the panels reflect the enduring principles my father embodied. At first glance, they appear simple, but closer examination reveals subtle variations, mirroring the hidden complexities of his teachings and life itself.
Sensei Seikichi Iha
Hanshi, 10th Dan
Sensei Iha was the senior most practitioner of Okinawa Shorin-ryu residing in the United States and is ranked a Hanshi 10th Dan by the Okinawa Shorin-ryu Karate-do Association of Naha, Okinawa. A teacher of teachers, Sensei Seikichi Iha began his karate training in Okinawa more than 60 years ago, studying under the renowned masters, Sensei Shinpan Gusukuma, and Sensei Katsuya Miyahira.
Before coming to Michigan, Iha Sensei trained students in Okinawa, Japan, the Philippines, Guam, and Los Angeles, California. His Lansing dojo opened in 1975 and is now the headquarters for more than 30 North American schools and was visited by karate practitioners from around the globe.
Iha Sensei continues to be respected and remembered worldwide for his tremendous practical knowledge of karate technique as well as for his warm, engaging and expert teaching style. As he explained it, for Iha Sensei, teaching karate-do is much more than teaching self-defense. It is a way to learn about people through mutual cooperation and a way to form lifelong friendships. Iha Sensei believes that encouraging the development of cooperation, respect, friendship and healthy living through karate is of great importance. This philosophy is at the core of his instruction and daily interactions with his students.
Iha Sensei hoped that with the help of their training in karate-do, his students can learn to cope with any situation, be persistent, face problems with courage, take care of themselves, to realize their optimum potential and to feel good about themselves. He frequently told his students that "Friendship and cooperation are the most important part of karate."