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Interview

Yumiko Kayukawa p1

READERSVOICE.COM aims to collect a few interesting reading tips. This issue features artist Yumiko Kayukawa.

The need to protect animals and to be in harmony with nature is a strong theme of Yumiko Kayukawa’s paintings. But there is a fun element to her vibrant and colorful paintings, too. A recent picture features a woman playing electric guitar in an outdoor concert for some snow creatures. 

Yumiko Kayukawa’s art work appears often in exhibitions and shows at galleries around the US. In 2020 her work appeared in virtual exhibitions due to COVID, like an exhibition for Spoke Art, in San Francisco. See yumikokayukawa.com which features many of her paintings.

READERSVOICE.COM: Does Seattle remind you of Sapporo or Naie in Hokkaido, with the cold climate and maybe in other ways?

YUMIKO KAYUKAWA: Yes sometimes, especially when it snows. Seattle dosen’t have much snow like Hokkaido, but when I walk and feel snow on my boots reminds me the Winter life in my home. Also suburbs in Washington state look a lot like Naie. I enjoy seeing nature and farming areas just like where I grew up.

RV: You have appeared in a lot of group shows, like the Post It Show 15 in Los Angeles. And the Salut 4 Coaster Art Exhibition in Portland, Oregon. And your painting Bride of Wilderness was in a Hashimoto Contemporary Group Exhibition in Miami. What is it you like about group shows and how much time do you have to prepare for them?

YK: Group shows are more of a challenge to me. Because many times there is a theme and that feels similar to doing commission work. But this challenge creates new ideas for me and it’s fun. Also it’s exciting to see the variety of other artists’ works with the same theme.

RV: I like your black and white drawings and paintings like the one you did for the Japanese Wolf book signing. Will you be doing more ink drawings or paintings?

YK: I think so. The last few years I had more opportunities for black and white theme shows as well as working on Sumi prints.

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