BIOGRAPHY

During my childhood in the 1950s, I had a good time playing in nature: a clear stream, a rice paddy, a field and a forest where I was hunting bugs, typically cicadas and butterflies, and small fish and crayfish. These experiences are still influential to my art-making. In my youth, I spent nine years in Tokyo where I attended a boarding high school and studied art at Musashino Art University. Upon graduation, I travelled to Europe for two months; however, I was not getting any inspiration, I was rather overwhelmed by Europe’s “stone culture”, as opposed to Japan’s wood culture. Ten months later, I went to India and this time I was inspired by the ancient culture and gained confidence in becoming an artist. My first job was as a studio art teacher in public high schools for six and a half years. It was a creative experience where I also learned how to speak in front of people. 

In the summer of 1981, I travelled across Canada by train and by bus from Vancouver to Quebec City. From 1982 to 1986, I was involved in the studio art master’s programme at Concordia University in Montreal where I explored freedom of creativity in Printmaking, Painting, Sculpture and Installation. During this time, I also learned how to speak French fluently enough that I could use it in my daily life. 

In the winter of 1995, 96, 97 and 2010, I was invited to instruct studio arts and printmaking in Nunavut communities. Since 1992, I have had 17 artists’ residencies in Mexico, Brazil, India, Thailand, the USA, Eastern Canada, Myanmar and Vietnam.  After 30 years, I am still interested in artist’s residencies.