​​Life is a voyage in which one seeks self realization. 

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Some travel on well-thought-out plans while other follow uncharted paths.  Kumiko first pursued a business career earning an MBA and working in Marketing for multinational corporations.  However she found herself drawn to artistic work, eventually realizing that painting allowed full expression of her creativity and here lay the route to her self realization. 

 

Everything began with one dream where she saw herself wearing shoes, but on the wrong feet.  The strangeness of the dream prompted her search into man's unconscious.  After extensive reading of books by psychologists and psycho-analists, especially of the Jungian school, and meetings with them, Kumiko changed her career path and started taking photographs and painting under the theme of "Dream". 

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Welcome to her colorful world!

 

 

 

Artist's Bio

 

Born in Tokyo.  Graduated from Waseda University majoring in Economics.  Worked for a record company.  Worked as a freelance journalist.  Moved to California.  Obtained MBA from Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey.  Product Manager at Cartier Japan.  Worked as an interpreter/translator between Japanese and English including bilingual voice-over for CNN News etc.  Moved to New York City in 1999.  Being inspired by the magical beauty of Manhattan, she started painting one day.  Admitted by Pratt Institute in 2003 majoring in painting.  In 2005, graduated with Highest Honors.  Returned to Japan in the same year, held 2 one-man-shows in Tokyo.  Moved again to Hong Kong in 2009, she  led busy days painting and taking photographs, participating in group shows, and organizing charity art events for the American Women's Association of Hong Kong until July 2020.  Spent 5 months from August 2020 till January 2021 in Singapore studying Art Therapy at Lasalle College of the Arts for 3 months.  Due to a family issue, she returned to Hong Kong mid January, 2021.  In Singapore she was waiting for  her husband to join her in Singapore.  There was a delay on her husband's move to Singapore due to several reasons including the COVID-19 Pandemic.  Finally moved to Singapore with her husband in late April, 2021.  Several one-man and group shows in New York, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Singapore.  Won several awards on her painting and photographs. 

 

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Exhibitions & Awards

 

May. 29 ~ June 4, '25 My painting which won "Excellence Award" Will be shown in The 18th International Art Awards Exhibition by Japan Institute of International Art NPO at Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum

Apr. 6, '25 Ink Blowing Workshop will be held at Living with Art

Mar. 28, '25 Lofty Won the "Excellence Award" by Japan Institute of International Art NPO❣️NPO法人日本国際藝術研究院による”第18回国際藝術大賞展”の藝術特選賞に選ばれました

Mar. 8 - 31, '25 "Malala - One Child, One Teacher, One Pen, and One Book Can Change the World" was exhibited at Gallery 1819

Jan. 9, '25 Fruits Basket Won Bronze Award at GASCA Louvre Art Competition

Feb. 16, '25 Simplified Kintsugi Workshop at Living With Art a Blast

Feb. 16 ~ Mar. 15, '25 Exhibition, "Kintsugi Bear of Resilience" Held at Living with Art, Midview City

Jan. 22 ~ Feb. 28, '25 Four out of 16 paintings found new homes at My Solo Show in Singapore 2.0 "Sensuous" 

Jan. 8, '25 "Lofty" Won The Honorable Mention Award in "9th Flower Competition" by Teravarna Online Gallery

Jan. 16 ~ 22, '25 Participated in a group exhibition with talented artists from as many as 19 countries in the SAW at Tembusu Gallery

Dec. 21 ~ 30, '24 Took part in a group exhibition, "Year-End Exhibition" by Drawing Etc. 

Dec 1, '24 "Sensuous 3" Collected at "small matter" Exhibition at Maya Gallery

Nov. 12, '24 Talked at "AWA Speaker's Lunch" at American Club Singapore. It was full house!

Nov. 30 ~ Dec.14, '24 took part in a group show by Maya Gallery, "Small Matter 2024."

Oct 24, '24 Held Ink Blowing Workshop

Oct.~Nov. '24 Little Red Dot is shown at Canopy Esplanade in a group exhibition by Art Appreciation Club

Oct. 12, '24 Ribbon Reborn Ribbon White was Shown at Book Bar in the SGM Closing Ceremony

Oct. 8, '24 Gave a lecture on "Kintsugi as a Philosophy" at Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo as an event for the prominent contemporary conceptual artist, Yoshiaki Kaihatsu's solo exhibition

Sept. 24, '24 Kintsugi Bear Stripes 2 Sold

Sep. 16~21, '24 The New Series,Ribbon Reborn Ribbon White will be exhibited at YWCA in Reborn: Motherhood Exhibition as a collaboration between Art Gallery Association & Mama On Palette

Sep. 5, '24 Ink Blowing Workshop as a part of Singapore Gallery Month Events in collaboration with Mama On Palette

Aug. 13, 24 Artist Talk on the theme, "Art as a Therapy and Kintsugi as a Philosophy," 

Aug. 10~14, '24 "Flower of Asia" which won Talent Prize Award by Teravarna Gallery in 2023 Selected to be shown in National Day Art Exhibition by Federation of Art Societies SG at Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre

​​Aug. 1~31, '24 "Little Red Dot" Selected to be shown in "TOGETHER AS ONE UNITED PEOPLE --- Artist Showcase for National Day 2024 Exhibition at Living With Art

 

Jul 22, '24 Artist Talk on "Kintsugi As a Philosophy" at Visual Arts Centre

Jul. 17 ~ 23 Take Part In an Art Exhibition, "Origin of Art" with 3 paintings from "Kintsugi Bear of Resilience" Series at Visual Arts Centre

Jul. 20, '24 "Little Red Dot" Participated in an art exhibition, "Art Unites 2024" by WAA on July the 20th, 2024 at Katong Community Centre

Jul. 7, '23 Won Talent Prize Award in "Flower" Competition by Teravarna online Gallery on July the 7th, 2023

Jul. 7, '24 The very first Therapy Art Workshop of Ink Blowing at Tsuboya Construction Co., Kagawa Pref. Japan

June, '24   Became a member of Japan Institute of International Art NPO

May 29~June 4, '24 Selected to show "Anima Sartre" at International Painting and Caligraphy Awards Exhibition at Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum 1F Citizen's Gallery 4, Tokyo, Japan

Mar.'24 Contributed an article for the March issue, the monthly magazine of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry and my photo was adopted as its front cover

Mar. 16~19 '24 took part in Lions Club Charity Exhibition at Asian Civilisations Museum

Jan. 22~ Mar. 2 '24 First Solo Show in SG at At Twenty as a part of SAW, Singapore Art Week 

Dec. 12~18 '23 "Kintsugi Bear Flying" Shown in Voice of Art 2 Exhibition at Ion Art Gallery

Sep.1, '23  Became a member of Singapore Women Artists Association(WAA)

Mar. 22~Apr. 15 '23 One-man-show, "HK Colours Plus" at PMQ Arts & Crafts Studio, Hong Kong

Mar. 3~8, '23, "Spring in Ukraine" was shown in a juried group show by BeOne Gallery, Voice of Art 1 at Ion Art Gallery

Dec. 1, '22~ Jan. 9, '23, A juried group show, "A Thousand Words" at library@orchard 

October 20, "Reminiscence" won Finalist Award in "4th Colors" by Art Show International Gallery

October 5, "Rapture" won Honourable Mention Award in "5th Portrait" by Art Show International Gallery

August 5, 2022 "Resilience Head" won Finalist Award in "5th Open" by Art Show International Gallery

July 27 - 29, 2022 Resilience Head Reborn

July - August 2022 Participated in "Future" On line Exhibition

January     2020 "Prayer" won the 3rd Prize Open Division in Art Open-Call for Joy of Art : Irene Chou Response Show by Asia Society Hong Kong

May~June 2019 Children of the Mekong's Photo Exhibition for Le French May

January    2019 "A Day in the Life" Won "All Women" 2019 Art Exhibition, Special Recognition Award by LS&T Gallery

December 2018 "Khmer Sunset" won “SeaScapes” 2018 Art Exhibition, Special Recognition Award by the Light Space & Time Online Art Gallery

June         2018 "Symphony of Lights I" won "Landscapes Art Exhibition"Award by Light Space & Time Online Art Gallery in Special Recognition Category

May~June 2018 Children of the Mekong's Photo Exhibition for Le French May

March        2018 AWA Charity Auction, "Art On the Line"

February   2018  "Timeless Square" won City Scapes 2018 Art Exhibition Award in the Special Merit Category

May           2016 Tokyo International Art Fair

March        2016 SICD Day

March        2016 AWA Charity Auction, "Art On the Line"

March        2015 A Charity Auction, "Art On the Line"

December 11-24 2014 "Holiday Show" at Onishi Project, Chelsea, New York

July - August 2014 "Leftside Right -- Shoes on the Wrong Feet --" One Man-Show at Pratt Manhattan CCPS Gallery

January      2014 Fotanian Open Studios

September 2013 A Group Show at AWA HK's Office

March         2013 Life Inspired Exhibition at Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre

January      2013 Fotanian Open Studios

January      2011 Spring Exhibition by Galerie Le Createur at Hong Kong Cultural Centre

September 2008 One-man-show at Cafe Frangipany, Tokyo

January      2008 One-man-show at Katoh Gallery, Tokyo

June           2005 Group Show at Monroe Gallery, New Jersey

April            2005 "Prattatatat!" Pratt Institute Manhattan, New York