Tell us a little about yourself. I was born in Tokyo and was raised in Japan, Paris, London and the United States of America. I traveled extensively while I was young. I acknowledge cultural differences between countries and respect them as a historical legacy of humanity, but deep in my heart, I just feel that I am a person, just like anyone else, who just wants to connect with people from soul to soul. I am humbly fascinated with how every human being is born with a talent unique to themselves. The contributions of every one of us have the potential to make this world better. I just happen to be born to become an artist. I feel I am here to share and nurture my gift with others. I’ll rejoice the moment we are able to share in being alive through my works. Today, I live and work in Boston with my partner, Swiss artist Andreas Gmur.
Tell us about your recent artwork. My works reflect my genuine love for life, an appreciation of being alive and my interest in expressing the spiritual journey during the process of creating art. I find it my responsibility as an artist to stay genuine to what it means to create art works and to understand how art can be so important to support and foster the potential human spiritual evolution. To me, art is about exchanging the pure energy of love by staying true to my present self, and by giving the best of my purest present energy. I paint and draw in many different styles and I want to stay that way. I do not want to get imprisoned in my own creation as long as I can stay creative and free and to trust myself. Just like art, music and books have enriched my spiritual growth; I want my work to be a part of encouragement and discovery of beauty and strength for the growth of inner life within all of us.When did you first realize that you wanted to work w/ art? I told people I wanted to be an artist when I was 5.
Can you explain how you decide on the images you use in your work? I do not have any images I work with from the start till the very end. I have no idea what comes up next and that keeps me excited because the sky is my limit when I create art. The imageries will all come out naturally through the dialogue between the blank sheet of paper or canvas I start off and where it takes me is an unknown path, otherwise, why bother doing art? To me, art is about trusting human potential and opening myself to the higher ground that is yet to be awakened so I can be in touch with the universal energy of life. It is a way to be in the state of ultimate nothingness filled with everything about life.
Can you describe the environment and atmosphere you work in for us? Do you generally work alone or with people? Is it quiet or do you play music? I can never work with anybody around me. I can not even work well when I detect my own presence. It is hard to get there every time but when I am able to purely become one with the present moment to the point that I forget my identity and I am no longer bounded by my physical body, I feel as if I become a ball of energy. When I catch that later after I snap out of it, I feel that I was in the ultimate creative environment. Sometimes I play music when I make art but it all depends on my mood. I love music so it is always in me. I use music to get myself into a meditative state or when I try to bring out certain emotions that I need to get in touch with.
What interests do you have other than art? Food, music, singing, travel, books, yoga and nature. I love throwing parties with my own cooking. I have a tremendous joy in making delicious and creative food using ingredients I have never tried before and presenting them in such ways so that the guests enjoy the ambiance of the party. I love music and can not live without it. I play instruments but I am not proficient. If I were musically gifted, I would have loved to be a musician because I feel music is the most powerful form of art to reach the human hearts.
How have you handled the business side of being an artist? People react very well to my work and I am not too worried about my future as long as I keep creating the best works I can in the given moment, but the business side of art is hard especially for someone like me who will not trade the freedom of my creativity with commercial success. I used to think that I want to make a living with my art but learning the downside of it, selling art is secondary to me at this point and I try to bring money for living from other sources to pursue my true calling as an artist without any distraction of financial stress. I do not want to paint just to fill up the gallery walls to have a look of a coherent body of works like a factory without any artistic connection to the work. If it naturally happens, that is fine but I do not want to create art for any other reasons except for expressing my inner voices to connect with other souls. To me, that is real and I want to be true to my art. I see the importance of exposure so people will notice your work and your presence as an artist, so I try to show my works when I think the venue is right for me. I feel that fundamentally, true art and business, they should not interfere each other. Each stands on its own. I am learning to take time to find a gallery or art rep who understands what I am and encourages me to stay true to my path. I know it will happen.
Have you collaborated w/ other artists in the past? Yes, 2 years ago, I was fortunate to be discovered by two talented musicians, Ai Isshiki and Sakiko Mori, who offered to create original music for my paintings and I also painted listening to their music and we put a show together. They performed a live music in front of my paintings and audiences and the energy of the show was beautiful. You can check the reviews at: http://www.meniscusmagazine.com/6_issue_site/6pages/vibes_i6_019.htm
Who and what are your influences? I am just one of the living entities in the universe, so everything around me influences me including physical and non physical matters. My most positive influences are spiritual connection to the energy of life, especially with people who are on the similar energy vibration as me and all the nature.
Looking back, how has your style changed? I don’t know if I can call it a change but I can definitely see the growth.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
I am unable to think about too much of a future given the fact that all I have is now. If I am still alive in 10 years, I will be excited to learn what I am at that moment. I shall see!
Have you had any other careers? How have these influenced your career as an artist? Once I worked for a big firm and I did not have time to make art. It made me realize that if I do not create art, I die. So here I am. I want to dedicate my energy to create art as much as possible.
What are the best and worst parts of your work? Best part is when I look at my work, although it came through me, I feel the art work has a life of its own and some of my own works moves me when I am feeling down and gives me much love. Worst parts? If I do not like my work, I let it sit for a while till the day I feel I know what to do with it, so I need lots of storage!
Have you studied art in school? Besides taking other classes, I took some art classes at Georgetown University in Washington D.C, and I received my second bachelor's in painting in Fine Arts at the Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University and I also attended the School of Museum of Fine Arts as a selected exchange student. After graduating art school, I took continuing education classes at Mass College of Art.
Do you plan each of your pieces in detail beforehand or do they evolve as you create them? They evolve.
People in your field whom you most admire: I admire any human beings who are genuine and passionate towards what they do, so there is no specific single person who I admire.
What has the reaction to your work been? Emotionally charged and positive. Some even cry.
Do you have the memory of a very special moment in you career? Yes, when I realized that my body is just a container for my soul when I am creating art and when people connect with my work and a total stranger came and hugged me and we understood each other’s energy.
Favorite songs/ favorite music: Songs I love are so personal and it does not mean a thing to anyone else so I will not list them here but I love acoustic music, Jazz, Bossanova, 80’s, soundtracks from movies and Classical music.
Favorite painter/ artist: I enjoy looking at Gauguin’s color palette and subject matters, Klimt’s design quality and handling of the paint, Magritte’s psychology behind the work, Francis Bacon’s composition and surface and energy, Picasso’s different stages in life, Sargent’s brush works and Van Gogh’s dedication and it goes on…
Magazines you read regularly: I don’t do anything on a regular basis except for making art…. But I sometimes read spiritual magazines if I feel like it and also look at fashion magazines to look at the photos.
Movies you love so much you've watched them more than twice: Sound of Music, E.T, Something Got To Give, Amelie, Waterloo Bridge, Roman Holidays.
Last concert/performance attended:
Concert: Gomez
Performance: Aoi and Komachi
Favorite authors, fiction: Osamu Dazai (Japanese author).
Favorite authors, nonfiction: There is a book I absolutely keep close to my heart which I would like to share with you. It is called “THE POWER OF NOW” by Eckhart Tolle. I connect very much with the contents of this book and it supports me to be who I really am when I feel lost and the world seems little overwhelming for me to handle.
How have you handled the business side of being an artist? People react very well to my work and I am not too worried about my future as long as I keep creating the best works I can in the given moment, but the business side of art is hard especially for someone like me who will not trade the freedom of my creativity with commercial success. I used to think that I want to make a living with my art but learning the downside of it, selling art is secondary to me at this point and I try to bring money for living from other sources to pursue my true calling as an artist without any distraction of financial stress. I do not want to paint just to fill up the gallery walls to have a look of a coherent body of works like a factory without any artistic connection to the work. If it naturally happens, that is fine but I do not want to create art for any other reasons except for expressing my inner voices to connect with other souls. To me, that is real and I want to be true to my art. I see the importance of exposure so people will notice your work and your presence as an artist, so I try to show my works when I think the venue is right for me. I feel that fundamentally, true art and business, they should not interfere each other. Each stands on its own. I am learning to take time to find a gallery or art rep who understands what I am and encourages me to stay true to my path. I know it will happen.
Have you collaborated w/ other artists in the past? Yes, 2 years ago, I was fortunate to be discovered by two talented musicians, Ai Isshiki and Sakiko Mori, who offered to create original music for my paintings and I also painted listening to their music and we put a show together. They performed a live music in front of my paintings and audiences and the energy of the show was beautiful. You can check the reviews at: http://www.meniscusmagazine.com/6_issue_site/6pages/vibes_i6_019.htm
Who and what are your influences? I am just one of the living entities in the universe, so everything around me influences me including physical and non physical matters. My most positive influences are spiritual connection to the energy of life, especially with people who are on the similar energy vibration as me and all the nature.Looking back, how has your style changed? I don’t know if I can call it a change but I can definitely see the growth.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
I am unable to think about too much of a future given the fact that all I have is now. If I am still alive in 10 years, I will be excited to learn what I am at that moment. I shall see!
Have you had any other careers? How have these influenced your career as an artist? Once I worked for a big firm and I did not have time to make art. It made me realize that if I do not create art, I die. So here I am. I want to dedicate my energy to create art as much as possible.
What are the best and worst parts of your work? Best part is when I look at my work, although it came through me, I feel the art work has a life of its own and some of my own works moves me when I am feeling down and gives me much love. Worst parts? If I do not like my work, I let it sit for a while till the day I feel I know what to do with it, so I need lots of storage!
Have you studied art in school? Besides taking other classes, I took some art classes at Georgetown University in Washington D.C, and I received my second bachelor's in painting in Fine Arts at the Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University and I also attended the School of Museum of Fine Arts as a selected exchange student. After graduating art school, I took continuing education classes at Mass College of Art.
Do you plan each of your pieces in detail beforehand or do they evolve as you create them? They evolve.
People in your field whom you most admire: I admire any human beings who are genuine and passionate towards what they do, so there is no specific single person who I admire.
What has the reaction to your work been? Emotionally charged and positive. Some even cry.
Do you have the memory of a very special moment in you career? Yes, when I realized that my body is just a container for my soul when I am creating art and when people connect with my work and a total stranger came and hugged me and we understood each other’s energy.
Favorite songs/ favorite music: Songs I love are so personal and it does not mean a thing to anyone else so I will not list them here but I love acoustic music, Jazz, Bossanova, 80’s, soundtracks from movies and Classical music.
Favorite painter/ artist: I enjoy looking at Gauguin’s color palette and subject matters, Klimt’s design quality and handling of the paint, Magritte’s psychology behind the work, Francis Bacon’s composition and surface and energy, Picasso’s different stages in life, Sargent’s brush works and Van Gogh’s dedication and it goes on…
Magazines you read regularly: I don’t do anything on a regular basis except for making art…. But I sometimes read spiritual magazines if I feel like it and also look at fashion magazines to look at the photos.
Movies you love so much you've watched them more than twice: Sound of Music, E.T, Something Got To Give, Amelie, Waterloo Bridge, Roman Holidays.
Last concert/performance attended:Concert: Gomez
Performance: Aoi and Komachi
Favorite authors, fiction: Osamu Dazai (Japanese author).
Favorite authors, nonfiction: There is a book I absolutely keep close to my heart which I would like to share with you. It is called “THE POWER OF NOW” by Eckhart Tolle. I connect very much with the contents of this book and it supports me to be who I really am when I feel lost and the world seems little overwhelming for me to handle.
Message from the artist:
Yuko would like to thank you for reading this Q&A, and she would like to wish you a wonderful day!
