Photo By Seaman Yolimar Lara Llabres | YOKOSUKA, Japan (June 9, 2026) - Riley M. holds her award-winning artwork, "Koi" at...... read more read more
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YOKOSUKA, Japan— A local Yokosuka youth has earned national recognition for her artwork depicting the strength of family, heritage, and community.
Riley M. won recognition in the Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s 2025-26 National Arts Contest. This year’s contest, themed "The Power of Us," drew submissions from military youth worldwide.
Riley’s winning piece, titled "Koi," uses traditional Japanese Shodou (calligraphy) to reflect on how her family, friends, and the Yokosuka community have positively impacted her growth. "When thinking about [the theme], I thought about my family and friends, because they've always been there for me, and they're always supporting me," Riley said. "It's thanks to them that I always have the motivation and the power to try new things and keep going and not give up."
To represent that support, Riley painted the Japanese kanji for love.
"With this kanji, which is love, I thought, since they're always here for me and I really love them, I would do this," Riley said. "And I hope that’s shown from it." Riley, who is half-Japanese, chose to work with traditional charcoal ink and washi paper rather than Western art mediums. She began practicing calligraphy during elementary and junior high school.
"It was something that I really enjoyed, because it was calming," Riley said. "It's like an experience that a lot of people don't get to experience unless you go to a Japanese school or take specific lessons to do it."
The physical process of creating the piece brought back fond memories of taking weekly calligraphy lessons with her sister during her fifth- and sixth-grade years. "Walking there from school or from home with my sister and talking and enjoying it was really fun," Riley said. "Since I don't really hang out with my siblings that much, because I'm always doing my own stuff, or she's doing her own stuff, I really treasure the moments I have with her."
Looking to the future, Riley plans to keep art central to her life. Her next goal is to return to painting, a passion she shared with her mother when they lived in Guam.
"Back when I used to live in Guam, my mom and I would go outside into our yard and paint things like the sky or trees, and I really enjoyed that," Riley said. "I do see a big role in it in my future, because it's something that I really enjoy doing and have enjoyed doing since I was young."
Whether capturing the sky of her childhood memories or the traditional ink brushstrokes of Japanese calligraphy, Riley’s artistic journey remains rooted in the connections that shape her. With "Koi" now recognized on a national stage, she has shown the Yokosuka community and the world just how powerful those connections can be.
| Date Taken: | 06.08.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 07.22.2026 02:51 |
| Story ID: | 570372 |
| Location: | YOKOSUKA, KANAGAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 29 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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