NAOKO MORISAWA
WHEN JAPAN MEETS SEATTLE.
Wood is an important component in my art. The life of a tree and the energy in each grain of wood are why I use wood.
My artwork is hand-made of thousands of very small slices of natural and oil-dyed (wood) chips on board. I like to incorporate the patterns in the wood and enhance them with oil-stain. The variety of wood grain is very beautiful and the pattern is never the same. The combinations of natural and oil-stained grains create interesting shadows and impressions. My imagery comes from common items: a cupcake, shoes, a wave, and waterfalls etc.
When seen from a distance, my artwork looks like a painting. The details of the work and mosaic technique slowly emerge when the viewer comes closer. Look closely and see the vibrancy and movements of the wood patterns. By using wood mosaic I can show the life and energy. I can talk about life and the energetic atoms inside the shoes, wave or waterfalls with my tiny wood slices.
I make art that is natural, playful and lifts people’s spirits. But I also want my artwork to be about myself, like a diary. Each piece is created with the care one would use writing a letter to a loved one or friend. Bright, fun, and unusual subjects attract and inspire me to work in new directions. Mysterious creatures/objects such as magic mushroom and jellyfish, gravity, Illusions and Waves are recurring themes in my work. My work is featured in Studio Visit magazine Vol. 19, 20, 28, 30, 34, and 35 issued 2017 February, and upcoming publication 2017 Summer Vol.37/38, and several other international publications printed in Tokyo, London, Dublin, Athens- Greece and NY.
My work has been exhibited in the Pacific Northwest at Seattle Art Museum Gallery, CVG Show, Northwind Art Center Gallery (where I got Best of the Show, Special Award, Merit Award, and People's Choice Award), Nordstrom Corporate Gallery, Edmonds Public Library, Edmonds Art Festival, Lynnwood Convention Center, Lynnwood Public Library, Shoreline City Hall, Axis Hotel, Alexis Pioneer, Twilight Gallery in South Seattle, Tashiro Kaplan Building, Sammamish City Hall, Chase Gallery in Spokane, Whatcom Museum, Wing Luke Museum, White River Valley Museum, Harbor History Museum in Gig Harbor, ArtXchange Gallery, Kate Alkarni Gallery and COCA etc. Outside Washington State, my art has been selected for juried shows more than seventeen different states in the US and I have exhibited internationally at FCA Gallery Vancouver-BC Canada, The Contemporary Museums and Galleries in Ginza, Aoyama, Kobe, Kawasaki, Yokohama and Tokyo Japan, and Dublin Biennial International 2014 Gallery in Ireland, and the National Weather Center Biennial 2017 in USA . I have participated in juried shows in BC, CT, CA, CO, FL, HI, ND, NV, NY, NJ, MA, MO, OK, OR, TX, KY, KS, WA in USA.
I have been awarded Puffin Foundation Artist Grant twice, and selected as a finalist for the 2014 Kalos Foundation Visual Art Prize, and the Art Kudos annual International Juried Competitions. I have received an Honorable Mention Award from London International Creative Competition. Recently my artworks were selected for the City of Seattle Public Gallery Exhibition at Municipal Tower Building, and for the Roma Art International Biennial.
In 2016 my artwork was selected for the permanent collection by City of Seattle and Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) and the work will be exhibited in public buildings owned by SPU and City of Seattle. City of Kent has also collected one of my abstract artworks, thankfully.
CBS Seattle News named Naoko Morisawa Studio as one of Best 5 Seattle local Artists in 2016.
I am currently developing a new body of work using other materials such as paper, cardboard and garden hose etc in addition to wood mosaic art-form. My newest works both wood mosaics and paper mosaics are currently exhibited at Frederick Holmes and Company- Modern and Contemporary Art Gallery in Pioneer Square, Seattle WA.
While most of my work is currently being exhibited on the pacific northwest of the United States, our studio is seeking to expand visibility through an international representative gallery that will bring my works to major art exhibits such as Art Basel and museums worldwide. I would like to exhibit my work in New York City and throughout Europe in major cities in Spain, the United Kingdom, France and Japan.
View the gallery below and Visit the Website: www.naokomorisawa.com
