When your passion for illustration is born?
I have always loved drawing, as a small child I would spend hours drawing things. I always liked to have a drawing pad with me to draw the things around me and things from my imagination.
Where do you take inspirations for your creations?
Inspiration comes from many places, I am often inspired by memories and places of my past as well new places I’m visiting. I love to document what I see on my travel journeys. I also find inspiration from books, movies and visiting places like museums and art galleries. Recently I was invited to a wedding in the South of France, so I tacked on a few days afterwards to check out Cassis on the coast. I took my sketchbook and did a bunch of sketches and took lots of photos, for inspiration for paintings I plan to work on now that I’m back in the studio. It’s was great to be able to walk around, really feel the vibe of a place and then interpret it into some new paintings.
What is the most important thing in your daily life routine to be in connection with your creativity?
I like to try and get outside as much as I can. I think being in touch with nature is a wonderful thing for everyone, if you can achieve it. Even taking a 10 minute walk through the park will work wonders for me.
Three words to describe yourself.
Shy, curious, easy to laugh.
Which is the meaning of Ohkii?
“Oki” is the Japanese term for “open sea” which I thought was a lovely metaphor for me as I wanted ohkii studio to be a place in which I was unconstrained from any briefs and I could have the freedom and space to create whatever I liked.
What is the role, in your opinion, of the artists in telling the cultures, the countries, the freedom to be oneself?
I think as artists and creators, there’s a responsibility to speak your truth and show the world your unique perspective. In a way, it allows for us to share information and experiences, so we can learn and try to understand the experiences of others. I think this is why sometimes art can have a transcendent quality, how it can really move others as when you reveal the most human parts of yourself, you can sometimes make a human connection to others.
Which are your dreams for the future?
More personal painting projects and expanding ohkii studio product range hopefully!
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