A Quiet Observer of Coastal California The life and artistry of Arthur Okamura (1932-2009) serve as a profound testament to the power of observation and the resilience of the human spirit. Born in Long Beach, California, to parents of Japanese descent, Okamura’s early childhood was shadowed by the historical turbulence of World and II. Under the weight of Executive Order 9066, his family was forcibly relocated to the Granada War Relocation Center in Colorado. This period of displacement and confinement did not stifle his creative impulse; rather, it seemed to instill a deep-seated sensitivit…