q) Please introduce yourself.
a)I'm Takashi Iwasaki. I hope you will find my answers to the following questions somewhat interesting.
q) Where do you live and work?
a)I mostly live and work in
q) How would you describe your work to someone who has never seen it?
a)I'd say it's symbolic abstract with lots of colors.
q) How did you start in the arts? How/when did you realize you were an artist?
a)Creating something with my hands has always been my interest and joy since I was very little, but I started thinking seriously about making my living as an artist in the final year in art school, which was about four years ago (2005).
q) What are your favorite art materials and why?
a)Acrylic paints, collage, embroidery, and natural wood. Those are the materials/methods I've been enjoying working with lately. I have nothing against digital media, but I tend to prefer working with materials that I can touch directly with my hands – more “traditional” materials. I like the physicality of those materials and the fact that I can touch and feel them.
q) What/who influences you most?
a)As the theme of my art making has been creating a visual diary – instead of writing a diary, I document events and my thoughts through a visual format – everything I encounter with in my daily life can be my influences. I'm often fascinated by objects that appear to be strange to me, and the shapes of those objects often appear in my work.
q) Describe a typical day of art making for you.
a)I love waking up early in the morning, but that seldom happens. I often stay up until very late and work at night when everyone is asleep and the air is very quiet, sometimes until the break of dawn. Then I go to bed and wake up at around noon. When I'm working, I often have my radio on tuned into a channel called CBC Radio 2, my favorite radio station.
q) Do you have goals, specific things you want to achieve with your art or in your career as an artist?
a)I have goals and things I want to achieve as an artist, but I'll keep them as secrets, he he he.
q) What contemporary artists or developments in art interest you?
a)Anyone who is doing the best they can interests me.
q) How long does it typically take you to finish a piece?
a) Varies from a couple hours for a collage to 30 to 40 hours for a painting or embroidery.
q) Do you enjoy selling your pieces, or are you emotionally attached to them?
a)Have to make some money to live, so the selling part is necessary. It's also one way to know that my work is appreciated, so I feel good about it when someone decides to purchase my work. I have some emotional attachment to my work, but I don't regret or be sad when my work goes. I will keep creating as long as I live, and I can't keep all that I make.
q) Is music important to you? If so, what are some things you're listening to now?
a)Yes. I've been listening to classical, jazz, and electronic music lately.
q) Books?
a)Don't have a habit of reading books. I often read news and articles of my interest online.
q) What theories or beliefs do you have regarding creativity or the creative process?
a)t (verb). I do things when my ideas are achievable and seem like worth acting upon. I could keep pondering on one thing forever without actually making it come true, but I find it unhealthy.
q) What do you do (or what do you enjoy doing) when you're not creating?
a)I love eating and grocery shopping, which lead to my joy of cooking. I enjoy keeping my surrounding tidy and clean. Swimming and cycling.
q) Do you have any projects or shows coming up that you are particularly excited about?
a)I'm working on some collaborative book projects. They're organized by publishers and other artists are involved, so I'm looking forward to how they turn out.
q) Do you follow contemporary art scenes? If so, how? What websites, magazines, galleries do you prefer?
a)Yes. Mostly through random online sources to begin with. I often search online when I want to find information about art events or artists. There are numerous/endless link after link after link on the web, so once I find something I'm looking for, it's not hard to find relevant information as well. Following those links often leads me to discoveries of new things. I visit physical galleries when I get a chance, too, as seeing work online and in real life are different experiences.
q) Any advice for aspiring artists?
a) honest to yourself and do what you enjoy the most! That's what I do.
q) Where can we see more of your work online?
a) website: http://takashiiwasaki.info/
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