Shozo Sato

My name is Cynthia Murphy, formerly Cynthia Lamson. I worker with Shozo in Champaign-Urbana, IL to bring his book which he had sold to Japan in language appropriate for sale in the US in the early 60´s. My marriage had ended and he proposed to me. We later decided that the work we wanted to do individually was not possible if we married. He remained a very dear friend. I am very sad to know he is gone. He was a very dear friend.

My son was a student of Shozo´s 1980-1984- Kabuki- performing In Chicago and Jerusalem- after Michael´s death in 1989 Shozo graciously created beautiful memorial painting of Iris- now in lower level of Krannert-I last visited in 2018-wonderful memorial

Sato-sensei was a close friend of our family from the time he arrived in the U.S. in the mid-1960s. His sponsor in Japan after the war was Lt. Col. Walter Branford who had been one of my father's boyhood friends and the two families had stayed in contact. Having met Sho, as we came to call him, in Rehoboth Beach at the Branford home, he and I became good friends that summer and he agreed to visit with us in our home in Maryland for a week. Even though I was working eight hours Monday through...

I'm very sorry to hear of Shozo Sato's passing. His contributions to the understanding and enjoyment of Japanese culture in the west are so appreciated by so many. As a teacher of sumi-e and long-time practitioner of shodo, although I never had the pleasure of meeting him, I have his books in my library to remind me of his wonderful work. His was a fruitful and inspiring life. My sincere sympathies to his family and close friends.

I was deeply saddened to hear of Shozo's passing. He was a wonderful, nurturing friend. We had many special times together when he visited Chicago and I had the privilege of travelling with him and visiting him and Alice several times.

Nearly 40 years ago he did a poster for our local nurse's association fund raiser, I have one of the prints from that work. When he had his most recent exhibit at Krannert Art Museum I introduced myself to him and told him I had a print of the work, he quickly responded, "Oh, you mean the one with the hands." That little encounter was so special which I value to this day. Such a memory and what a lovely talented man.

I knew the legend long before I knew the man. He did not disappoint.