Artist Statement

As a second-generation Japanese American, my work is rooted in finding ways to bridge the gaps between my cultures, countries, and languages—and creating a place of belonging in the process.

After nearly 20 years of creating art only when I had the time, I rediscovered my love for acrylics and threw myself back into abstract painting with full force. This came about during a time when global turmoil and uncertainty caused me to question a lot of things — my identity, where I fit in the world, and if the place I called home was still, in fact, my home.

Since then, painting has become a necessary tool to explore the complexity of identity and inhabiting the space in between.

Straddling the line between my Japanese roots and American upbringing, my work fluctuates between subdued colors and minimalist compositions and bright palettes and bold marks. My overarching visual language, however, is inherently influenced by my family's heritage and are a natural result of the experiences, traditions, and environments ingrained in me.

My mixed-media approach begins with acrylic paint on heavyweight paper or canvas, often paired with a technique loosely inspired by monotype printing to create additional textures and patterns. I then incorporate specialty papers (primarily washi) and elements of gold for further dimension, layers, and contrast. 

Grounded in the intricacies of simply being, each piece is a complex embrace of uncertainty, a search for belonging, a sense of play, and moments of resolution.