FFD editorial team

The Cedar tree is like a grandfather to me, it’s why I paint trees – Interview with Nihonga artist Masami Shitara (part 2)

by

Interview with Nihonga artist, Masami Shitara. Please enjoy reading part 2 of this interview by the FFD editorial team! Interview with Nihonga artist Masami Shitara (part 2) Setback at the first solo exhibition What were you working on after moving to Tokyo? I immediately started working at an art supply store inside an art college prep school in Ikebukuro. The people working there were all aspiring artists, and more or less in the same boat as me. It was easy to make friends there, and I really enjoyed discussing art and painting with my colleagues. Soon after turning 24, I started bringing my portfolio to art galleries. Once I found … Read more

The boy who preferred to draw than to speak went on to become a popular artist – Special feature: Artist interview with Yuki Saito (part 2)

by

Interview with artist Yuki Saito. Please enjoy reading the second half of this interview by the FFD editorial team! Interview with artist Yuki Saito. The boy who preferred to draw than to speak went on to become a popular artist (part 2) Saito’s drawings are extraordinary, but his oil paintings are devastating I passed the first part of the examination for Geidai (Tokyo University of the Arts. Founded in 1887, it’s Japan’s only national comprehensive university of the arts, and the best fine arts university in Japan), which was the drawing part. But I failed the second part, which was the oil painting section. The same thing happened when I took … Read more

“At first, my art was solely for the hospital patients.” – Interview with artist, Yuki Shogaki, on drawing animal songs

by

Interview with artist, Yuki Shogaki, on drawing animal songs.Please enjoy reading this interview by Imoko Ichinose. Interview with ar,st Yuki Shogaki, on drawing animal songs Immersed in sports until getting dark tan lines and playing in a band during the school years Thank you for taking the time for this interview today. You’re an artist known for drawing animal songs. Have you always been interested in animals, art and music from an early age? I grew up as the middle child of three siblings, in Minoo city, Osaka. As a child, I was always chasing and joining my older brother in the mountains to play. Perhaps that’s why I’m drawn … Read more

Creating in the process of living and decaying – Special feature: Artist interview with Yui Koyanagi (part 2)

by

Interview with popular copperplate engraver, Yui Koyanagi. Please enjoy reading the second half of this interview by the FFD editorial team! Interview with artist Yui Koyanagi (part 2) The flightless butterfly flies One recurring theme we see in your art is the “six-winged butterfly”. Whenever I see it, I wonder where the inspiration came from.  I created that out of my desire to describe what I was going through. I was frustrated not being able to become the woman, the person, and the artist I’d longed to be. The six-winged butterfly was born out of that internal conflict. The butterfly has such beautiful wings, but having too many wings can … Read more

The Cedar tree is like a grandfather to me, it’s why I paint trees – Interview with Nihonga artist Masami Shitara (part 3)

by

Interview with Nihonga artist, Masami Shitara. Please enjoy reading part 3 of this interview by the FFD editorial team! Interview with Nihonga artist Masami Shitara (part 3) Working at the bottom of the ladder What kind of jobs did you have after you finished the charity exhibition? Once my three-year contract at the art supply store ended, I had to look for another job. I realized that as long as I could paint on my own time, I didn’t need to be too picky about my day job. I looked for a job with a lot of time off and good pay, and decided to work at the local dentist’s … Read more