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Artist’s Statement |
Being part of Japanese and American cultures, I often fall into the role of translator. Observing and interpreting is second nature to me, having had to explain foreign things all my life to parents and friends. To transform the unintelligible, one must tell a story mixed with the literal and allegorical so that the other person can see.
As a mixed media artist, I select from an arsenal of materials and tools to tell the story. Works range in size from 2.25"x2.25" to 30"x40" and the substrate includes canvas, books, paper and wood. Found objects, particularly those that are hidden, secret and shameful appeal to me. Such things long to become something other, to be discovered and changed. Reinterpreting the original intention of discarded pieces is as rewarding as writing a perfectly crafted short story.
Interactive and conceptual processes are incorporated into my work. The book form invites mystery when closed, intimacy and revelation when opened. The postcard offers a concise visual and verbal message that allows interaction between the sender and recipient. The blog documents the moment and retains the history of the journey from idea to experimentation to the hard work of finishing a piece. Writing about my process is integral to my art.
Social issues are important elements in my work. Having straddled two cultures, I know what it feels to not belong. Those who are shunned by society bad girls, enemy combatants, illegal aliens compel me to seek their humanity and speak in their defense. How does one create dialog around inflammatory issues such as immigration reform, terrorism, censorship and globalization? As a translator, I strive to create works that compel the viewer to see these issues in shades of gray rather than black and white.
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Bio |
| I was born in Tokyo and reside in San Francisco. With BA and MA degrees from Mills College and Columbia University, my background is in human resources. A full-time artist for eight years, I work out of Arc Studios & Gallery at 1246 Folsom St, San Francisco 94103. As an active member of Women's Caucus for Art, I chair the national International Committee and the local chapter's Membership Committee. I am a member of the Pacific Center for the Book Arts and participate in ArtSpan Open Studios.
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Current and Upcoming Exhibits:
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August 6 - 27, 2009, SomArts Gallery (San Francisco, CA), Control. |
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June 13 - July 5, 2009, Gualala Arts Center Burnet Gallery, (Gualala, CA). Polyglot . |
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Exhibits: |
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February 22 - April 5, 2009: Marjorie and Herman Platt Gallery/Borstein Gallery (15600 Mulholland Drive, Bel Air, CA 90077), Like Water on Rock . This exhibition will travel to several Southern California locations. |
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February 20 - March 7, 2009: Korean Cultural Center Los Angeles Art Gallery (5505 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036), Women Artists on Immigration: Crossing Borders, Confronting Barriers, Bridging Identities. |
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December 12, 2008 - June 12, 2009: SF Convention and Visitor's Bureau (San Francisco, CA), San Francisco Series. |
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September, 2008, African American Museum and Library (Oakland, CA), Banned and Recovered: Artists Respond to Censorship. |
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July, 2008, San Francisco Library (San Francisco, CA), Bookworks 2008. |
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July, 2008, Gallery 94124 (San Francisco, CA), Altered Barbie 2008. |
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February 2008: Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts (San Francisco, CA), Women on War. Co-managed exhibition with Mission Cultural Center. |
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February, 2008, Arlington Museum (Arlington, TX), Women's Caucus for Art National Juried Exhibition. |
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February, 2008: Jannette Kennedy Gallery at Southside on Lamar(Dallas, Texas), Sustaining Our Environment postcard show. Managed exhibition, created blog. |
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October, 2007: Cal State East Bay (Hayward, CA), Cutting Edge Books. Managed exhibition, created catalog. |
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August 2007: AgeSong Gallery (San Francisco, CA), Altered Barbie. |
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May, 2007: Claudia Chapline Gallery (Stinson Beach, CA), Strong Waves. Managed exhibition, created catalog. |
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April 2007: Mumm Gallery (Napa, CA), Mustard Festival Photography Show. |
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April 2007: California Institute of Integral Studies (San Francisco, CA), Effects of War: Altered Lives, Altered Books. Juried, managed exhibition, created catalog. |
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April 2007: Frank Bette Center for the Arts (Alameda, CA), Alameda on Camera Grid Project. |
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April 2007: Phil's Coffee (San Francisco, CA), Hills and Wires. |
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March 2007: Starbucks (San Francisco, CA), Hills and Wires. |
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September 2006: Club One (San Francisco, CA), Cityscapes. |
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August 2006: Louie-Meager Art Gallery (Fremont, CA), Violence Against Women, Women Against Violence. |
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July 2006: The Market Street Gallery (San Francisco, CA), Altered Barbie. |
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May 2006: AAI Design (San Ramon, CA), Cityscapes. |
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April 2006: Mumm Winery (Napa, CA), Napa Mustard Festival Photography Show. Honorable Mention Award, Innovative Category. |
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March 2006: Alameda Art Gallery (Alameda, CA), Works by Members of the Northern California Women's Caucus for Art. |
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January, 2006: San Francisco Library (San Francisco, CA), Pacific Center for the Book Arts Triennial Members' Exhibition, BOOKWORKS. |
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December 2005: Yo's Sushi Club (San Francisco, CA), Selected Works. |
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November, 2005: Somarts Gallery (San Francisco, CA), Women's Caucus for Art Members Show. |
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November, 2005: Jerusalem Fund (Washington, DC), The Spirit of Palestine. |
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October, 2005: Curt Teich Postcard Archives (Wauconda, IL), Postcard Competition Winner. |
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June 2005: Manifest Gallery (Cincinnati, OH), Magnitude Seven. |
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May, 2005: Vines Cafe & Gallery (Alameda, CA), Selected Works. |
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February- November, 2005: Alameda Art Center (Alameda, CA), Impressions: Matrix and Image; Light and Dark; Contemporary Abstracts; Cornucopia. |
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