Naoko Morisawa

Morisawa was born in Tokyo, Japan, and studied art at Tama Art University in Japan. She had worked for commercial package design projects such Godiva Chocolate and Twining Tea etc. She had taught art classes in Tokyo, Yokohama for more than 10 years, including Canadian Embassy.
Morisawa currently works in Seattle and has exhibited her work across the U.S. in more than 33 states, in Japanese museums, and the Dublin Biennale Ireland, National Weather Center Biennale Norman OK, Coos Art Museum exhibition in Oregon, Crow Asian Museum exhibition in Dallas,Texas, Bellingham National 2019 at Whatcom Museum, Tokyo Art Olympia Biennale 2019 at Metropolitan Art Museum in Tokyo, Japan, Contemporary Art Festival 2020 at Brukenthal National Museum in Romania and upcoming Bellevue Art Museum online exhibition in 2021 (currently working on new diptych- mosaic collage of 40×60 inch). Corporate presentations include Amazon-South Lake Union, GE-HQ in CT, and Nordstrom's nationwide advertisement for Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month Celebration and presentation in OR and WA. She’s also been commissioned for public art projects for the cities of Seattle, Lynnwood, Shoreline, Edmonds, and Kent in WA State.
Her current focus includes mosaic collage painting. Her artworks have been collected by Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in 2020, City of Seattle in 2018 and neighbor cities such Kent and Shoreline in 2017, 2019.

Target

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: shoes, a wave, waterfalls and landscape 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.

I am currently developing a new body of work using other materials such as paper, cardboard and garden hose etc in addition to wood mosaic art-form.

To view more of Naoko Morisawa’s work please visit their website.