Naoko Morisawa

Naoko Morisawa
Seattle, Washington, USA

STATEMENT

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, 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 my work with my tiny wood slices.

BIO

Born in Tokyo, I have been a mosaic artist for decades, currently working in the Greater Seattle area and beyond. I moved from Japan to the Pacific Northwest in the U.S. in 2004. I have exhibited my work across the U.S. in more than 30 states, and in international museums including the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum in 2019, the Bellingham National 2019 at Whatcom Museum, the 2014 Dublin Biennale in Ireland, the 2017 National Weather Center Biennale in Norman, Oklahoma, The Currents 2020 National Craft Exhibition in Everett, Washington, the 2021 Artworks Northwest Biennial in Roseburg, Oregon, and the 2021 Brand 49 Annual National Juried Exhibition of Works on Paper National in Los Angeles, California.

Corporate exhibitions include Amazon, GE,  Nordstrom, and Facebook Open Arts Project.

My artworks have been collected into the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport; the City of Portland, Oregon; and the Cities of Seattle, Kent, and Shoreline, Washington.

ARTIST CONTACT

[click to email]
www.naokomorisawa.com

IMAGES