54: How to burn a painting and write an artist statement in Iceland with Michele Kishita
08/27/20 • 94 min
Michele Kishita is a Philadelphia-based artist who uses colors found in
nature that are not typically associated with “natural” colors and focuses
on landscape as her primary subject. Her paintings are strongly influenced
by the graphic stylizations and compressed spaces of Japanese ukiyo-e.
Kishita’s paintings are in a number of private/corporate collections,
including Toyota, Capital One, and Kaiser Permanente, and her work is
featured in Create Magazine, on the Poetry Foundation blog, and Studio
Break podcast, as well as in several literary journals. She exhibited at the
Sharjah Art Museum in the United Arab Emirates and the Museum of
Non-Conformist Art in St. Petersburg, Russia. Kishita received both her
BFA and MFA in painting from the University of the Arts.
Was so great chatting with Michele Kishita, artist, writer and teacher about living in Japan and how that time has influenced her art, how her view of artist residencies has shifted and some of her resident highlights. She also discusses her experiences working with gallerist Bridgette Mayer and synchronicities that occurred that made it feel like the right choice to work with an art coach. She teaches writing and gives some great tips for cleaning up your artist statement and she has some great book recommendations and unconventional tips for gowing tomatoes.
About her recent body of work: Absent Futures
Absent Futures is a new body of work on shou sugi-ban (burnt timber)
panels that addresses the current state of deforestation and the
opposing concepts of resilience and devastation. While our forests and
natural spaces continue receding due to industry and suburban sprawl,
the more catastrophic losses are occurring in the rainforest where
swaths the size of forty football fields disappear each minute.
Suggestions of landscape painted onto the burnt surfaces depict a
memory of what was while at the same time highlighting what remains
and can still be salvaged. It is a reminder of the persistence and
vitality of nature and our role in choosing its success or failure, which
ultimately determines our own.
Her work in general:
“My current work investigates the dialogue between the wooden surfaces on which I paint and the trees from which those panels were built. I highlight the interconnectedness of humans and nature, while addressing life’s impermanence and transience. Industry's straight lines and angles try to control nature, transforming a tree’s rounded mass into flat rectangular sheets; yet, the wood grain’s undulations, marking the tree’s growth and annual water intake, emerge despite its new, boxy confines. A tree's experiences are indelibly written on its interior and at the same time are a historical account of the landscape itself. In my paintings, I strive to conjure the landscape that no longer exists but is inherently contained in each panel while expressing the visual contrast and harmony where human-made structures and nature intersect.” from www.michelekishita.com
I also want to speak the name of Jacob Blake and send prayers to his family and loved ones. Yes we still need to disarm the police and restructure the law enforcement and justice system in this country. Oh and the medical and education systems could use an overhaul too. We have work to do. Please register to vote and please do whatever is in your power to vote.
So excited to share with you the conversation I had with Michele Kishita
Links:
https://www.instagram.com/michelekishita/
Thymelights:
NES Artist Residency, Skagaströnd, Iceland
SPAR, St. Petersburg, Russia
virtual residency at SPAR right now
https://virtualresidency.p-10.ru/author/michele-kishita/
Pasha Meskhiev aka Norkus - @norkusupdates
: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HO-0eJH9DMM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfhQJVegyGY
Sueyeun Juliette Lee -
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/sueyeun-juliette-lee
Links mentioned:
The Hidden Life of Trees
https://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Life-Trees-Communicate_Discoveries-Secret<...
Michele Kishita is a Philadelphia-based artist who uses colors found in
nature that are not typically associated with “natural” colors and focuses
on landscape as her primary subject. Her paintings are strongly influenced
by the graphic stylizations and compressed spaces of Japanese ukiyo-e.
Kishita’s paintings are in a number of private/corporate collections,
including Toyota, Capital One, and Kaiser Permanente, and her work is
featured in Create Magazine, on the Poetry Foundation blog, and Studio
Break podcast, as well as in several literary journals. She exhibited at the
Sharjah Art Museum in the United Arab Emirates and the Museum of
Non-Conformist Art in St. Petersburg, Russia. Kishita received both her
BFA and MFA in painting from the University of the Arts.
Was so great chatting with Michele Kishita, artist, writer and teacher about living in Japan and how that time has influenced her art, how her view of artist residencies has shifted and some of her resident highlights. She also discusses her experiences working with gallerist Bridgette Mayer and synchronicities that occurred that made it feel like the right choice to work with an art coach. She teaches writing and gives some great tips for cleaning up your artist statement and she has some great book recommendations and unconventional tips for gowing tomatoes.
About her recent body of work: Absent Futures
Absent Futures is a new body of work on shou sugi-ban (burnt timber)
panels that addresses the current state of deforestation and the
opposing concepts of resilience and devastation. While our forests and
natural spaces continue receding due to industry and suburban sprawl,
the more catastrophic losses are occurring in the rainforest where
swaths the size of forty football fields disappear each minute.
Suggestions of landscape painted onto the burnt surfaces depict a
memory of what was while at the same time highlighting what remains
and can still be salvaged. It is a reminder of the persistence and
vitality of nature and our role in choosing its success or failure, which
ultimately determines our own.
Her work in general:
“My current work investigates the dialogue between the wooden surfaces on which I paint and the trees from which those panels were built. I highlight the interconnectedness of humans and nature, while addressing life’s impermanence and transience. Industry's straight lines and angles try to control nature, transforming a tree’s rounded mass into flat rectangular sheets; yet, the wood grain’s undulations, marking the tree’s growth and annual water intake, emerge despite its new, boxy confines. A tree's experiences are indelibly written on its interior and at the same time are a historical account of the landscape itself. In my paintings, I strive to conjure the landscape that no longer exists but is inherently contained in each panel while expressing the visual contrast and harmony where human-made structures and nature intersect.” from www.michelekishita.com
I also want to speak the name of Jacob Blake and send prayers to his family and loved ones. Yes we still need to disarm the police and restructure the law enforcement and justice system in this country. Oh and the medical and education systems could use an overhaul too. We have work to do. Please register to vote and please do whatever is in your power to vote.
So excited to share with you the conversation I had with Michele Kishita
Links:
https://www.instagram.com/michelekishita/
Thymelights:
NES Artist Residency, Skagaströnd, Iceland
SPAR, St. Petersburg, Russia
virtual residency at SPAR right now
https://virtualresidency.p-10.ru/author/michele-kishita/
Pasha Meskhiev aka Norkus - @norkusupdates
: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HO-0eJH9DMM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfhQJVegyGY
Sueyeun Juliette Lee -
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/sueyeun-juliette-lee
Links mentioned:
The Hidden Life of Trees
https://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Life-Trees-Communicate_Discoveries-Secret<...
Previous Episode
53: Hold Space for All That Is and Adore Black Women with Gigi Bisong
Gigi Bisong is a speaker, author, publisher, and life coach. her passion is helping you connect to your truth center. She does this by helping you learn to be ok with your most insecure parts, knowing those parts are far from your entire truth. She holds space for you so you can shine and your divine self can come through fully. Gigi develops meaningful, innovative programs to align others to their unique genius so they can bring their gifts into this world and truly embody their calling.Don't miss out on the FREE wisdom and guidance of black women to learn more about deeply caring for our emotions, collectively healing, and HONORING our Blackness in a world that still has injustice and racism.
Her summit brings together the wisdom of over 20 educators. In the meantime I think you will get so much out of hearing how Gigi came to understand her truth and felt the power of others stories moving through her. She is such a powerful speaker and connector of other people and I also love what she has to say about couples therapy. Does it work and why or why not?
Ooh and in the spirit of connecting more with others I am hosting a giveaway. Never done this before but offering a piece of pottery to a special someone! It’s a cup I made in 2020 and perfect for a little sip of water, tea coffee or wine.
Super simple to enter Just
1.go follow@ thymeinthestudiopodcast on instagram
2. Tag 3 friends on a post
3. Go to thymeinthestudio.com and sign up for my newsletter
And for a bonus entry share your favorite episode to your instagram stories and be sure to tag me so I can shout you out!
So excited to share with you the conversation I had with Gigi Bisong..
Links:
https://www.instagram.com/gigi_bisong/
https://adoredontignoreblackwomen.com/
https://video.tpt.org/video/gigi-bisong-zead6l/
Thymelights:
https://instagram.com/sunkissedhealth?igshid=10mp0f79eeyo
https://instagram.com/bwspeak?igshid=g0fv5y4qiloc
https://instagram.com/fazayahrose?igshid=aadgmxz4sieo
https://www.instagram.com/crafting_the_future/
Thyme in the Studio links:
https://www.patreon.com/thymeinthestudio
https://www.instagram.com/thymeinthestudiopodcast/
https://www.instagram.com/aida.zea.arts/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/403582056803336/
https://www.aidazea.com
Contact me: [email protected]
Music by komiku
Next Episode
55 | Make a Splash! Want more breast milk or wanna feel extra nourished?
I see some of the struggles that folks face as new parents and specifically noticing what new mamas are dealing with. Today’s episode is focused on breast milk and postpartum nutrition which could also be applicable to any human who wants to feel more nourished and vibrant. New mamas need extra nutrient density. The experience of growing and giving birth to a babe is a stressor on the body and a mom may be depleted. I’m going to talk about some of the top 15 foods, 15 herbs, and top 10 supplements a person could take to boost vitality and may help with milk production.
Disclosure-I’m not a doctor- do your own research and consult a licensed professional with the knowledge that you get to be the ultimate authority of your own body. Do what feels right for you. I’m not here to diagnose or prescribe. I am here to educate and entertain.
Oh another disclaimer. This episode might make you hungry.
Writing these show notes had me running to the kitchen for more snacks. So just as you don’t want to go to the grocery store hungry, you may not want to listen to this episode hungry.
Grab your trail mix and lets hop to it.
Breastfeeding info handout and Hot Mama Muffin recipe available a
https://www.patreon.com/thymeinthestudio
Links mentioned:
https://www.innatetraditions.com/your-free-gift-reproductive-mental-health/
https://www.divinebirthwisdom.com/
https://www.medicinemaiden.com/online-store
https://www.divinebirthwisdom.com/
Thyme in the Studio links:
https://www.patreon.com/thymeinthestudio
https://www.instagram.com/thymeinthestudiopodcast/
https://www.instagram.com/aida.zea.arts/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/403582056803336/
www.thymeinthestudio.com
https://www.aidazea.com
Contact me: [email protected]
Music by komiku
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