I flourish
Risa Akiyama
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Dear Risa,
first we want to congratulate you on your paintings. You are so talented. When did you start drawing? What do you consider your first official piece? I have been painting since elementary school. While, in high school is when I drew the one piece that I consider my first one. It was the portrait of a girl in oil painting. What do you intend to express through your work? How do you get inspired? |
photo: courtesy of the artist |
I want to draw and paint feelings. I want to live my life and express my impressions of it in my paintings. I receive inspiration from both nasty things and good things. No limits. No measures of composure and judgment or anything else. Inspiration cannot be boxed up.
What is drawing/painting for you? Do you ever think of an easier profession that might have been easier?
Painting is my alter ego. I come second.
After graduation, I worked as an art teacher at a junior high school. However, the life of a junior high school art teacher was very cramped. It was an environment that did not allow much room for my art. I had to give up that job to paint and draw. Regardless of how it might sound, I am proud of choosing my passion.
You graduated from the University of Yamanashi with a degree in Art Education. How has your education helped your artistic career?
Yamanashi University is a good university, but not an art school. Still I enjoyed my studies. Professors there gave me good advices based on their experiences. I enjoyed participating in collaborative art projects with other universities, creating art on site specific historic houses and spaces, exhibiting my works in group exhibitions and so on. University of Yamanashi is a teachers college training teachers and professors in all fields of study. I gained a lot from all the exchanges with other future professors and the variety of views I encountered there.
What is drawing/painting for you? Do you ever think of an easier profession that might have been easier?
Painting is my alter ego. I come second.
After graduation, I worked as an art teacher at a junior high school. However, the life of a junior high school art teacher was very cramped. It was an environment that did not allow much room for my art. I had to give up that job to paint and draw. Regardless of how it might sound, I am proud of choosing my passion.
You graduated from the University of Yamanashi with a degree in Art Education. How has your education helped your artistic career?
Yamanashi University is a good university, but not an art school. Still I enjoyed my studies. Professors there gave me good advices based on their experiences. I enjoyed participating in collaborative art projects with other universities, creating art on site specific historic houses and spaces, exhibiting my works in group exhibitions and so on. University of Yamanashi is a teachers college training teachers and professors in all fields of study. I gained a lot from all the exchanges with other future professors and the variety of views I encountered there.
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Although still very young, you have been quite active since 2007 with personal and group exhibitions. Your works are constantly shown in Japan: Tokyo, Yamanashi, and more. How do you feel when you see people commenting on your drawings? Do you want to know what they think about your works?
The opportunities to exhibit my art certainly come as a result of all my network of friends from my university years. A lot of people comment on my works. I pay attention to it all. Many times, I am asked about my technique or meaning of each painting. But, I do not explain my paintings. It’s not spontaneous to me. I think that if I start giving explanation it will be as I were pushing or forcing my opinions onto those of the viewer. I am reluctant to press on my feelings about any art work. Impressions differ and each of us sees something in a painting. This is the beauty of art.
But I am very pleased to get any comments about my work. The viewers’ comments and feelings towards my works are very helpful. They broaden my horizon.
The titles of your drawings are truly interesting: I flourish, Dream seen with you, Revenge of Hemoglobin, Knockdown… Do you start with an idea first, draw it and then title it, or does the title come right after you got your inspiration in tact?
It has been difficult to come up with titles in English. The Japanese title is all “HIRAGANA”.
When the title is in English, I worry that it might give a different image of what my painting is. The Japanese title is a play on words. Title and the picture progress simultaneously. The painting (drawing) will spread with the image of the title. Its title will extend on the image as well. From 2014, I have been writing a poem along with each painting.
Do you prefer black and white better or do you feel comfortable with colors as well?
I was working on abstract oil paintings up until 2005. Painting was like creating an aura. It changed to black and white in 2007. I was feeling exhausted, slumped. It was not fun working on oil paintings any more.
I turned to pen painting. As a high school student, I remember having a graffiti notebook. I loved to draw graffiti. Pen painting is like an extension of graffiti. Painting is lots of fun right now.
Black and white is what I like, but, occasionally, there are times when I miss colors. I have also switched from white to a beige base in 2012. Subjects also have changed from male to female….
Where can people find your drawings?
I have no personal website. My works are mainly seen in Japan. I am glad; it is like a blessing to have this opportunity to reach out to the world through HocTok.
What is your message to young artists who might be talented, but face difficulties on exhibiting their talent or for old artists who might be more supportive towards their “students”?
My only merit is knowing how to draw. I believe there is value in it.
Keep on doing what you want to do. It’s never easy to be so happy. Sometimes painting is painful. There is not enough material, not enough money, stumping on thoughts, feelings… Still I think it makes sense to keep going without giving up.
Even without the certainty of quick or immediate results, look for positivity.
Encouragement of those close to me helps me to keep working hard every day.
Young artists need opportunities to gain experience. Observing life and creating to share with the world is amazing.
Please support young artists who work toward their dreams.