Masami Shitara

Growing up in Yamagata, Masami was surrounded by trees, which deeply influenced her paintings. Please enjoy reading this interview by the FFD editorial team! Interview with Nihonga artist Masami Shitara (part 1) I started drawing thanks to a set of crayons and a sketchbook given to me by my grandfather Thank you for taking the time for this interview today. What got you into drawing when you were little? My grandfather gave me a set of crayons and a sketchbook for my birthday, and that was how I fell in love with drawing. What a lovely gift. What kind of drawings did you do at that early age? I used … Read more

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

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