Bio
Isabelle is a second generation Japanese Australian, born in Castlemaine, Australia in 1956. Her Japanese born mother had a huge influence on her early interest in Japanese culture and art. After completing her formal art education and pursuing her decades long art career in Australia, Isabelle felt the pull of her Japanese heritage and relocated to Japan to study Japanese calligraphy and Sumi-e painting. This has now developed into a unique fusion of both Australian and Japanese cultures and she now shares her time in both countries to create her art.
Isabelle’s work is characterized by the fusion of her Australian and Japanese heritage and draws inspiration from all facets of human existence. Throughout her career, Isabelle has exhibited her work in various galleries, including The National Art Centre, Tokyo, Japan, Living Art Space, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia, SOL Gallery, Melbourne, Australia and Janus Creations, Tokyo, Japan. In addition, she performed live painting shows in Australia, including at the Living Art Space, Bendigo, Australia and in Tokyo, Japan.
Isabelle seeks to honour both her Australian and Japanese heritage and describes her art making as an organic cross pollination of both cultures, art styles, techniques and processes. Exploring all facets of the human psyche has been a dominant fascination and she often uses mythology and folk stories as a vehicle to express the complexities of the human experience.
Currently, Isabelle is in Japan working on an exhibition and live painting to be held in a Tokyo gallery on the theme of girls, goddesses and women, but she will be returning to Australia in December. This new body of artwork is testament to a new level of creativity as Isabelle continues to push the boundaries of contemporary art by a fusion of Australia and Japanese art styles, techniques and processes.
イザベルは、1956年にオーストラリアのキャッスルメインで生まれた日系2世のオーストラリア人です。日本生まれの母親は、彼女が日本の文化や芸術に早くから興味を持ったことに大きな影響を与えました。正式な美術教育を修了し、オーストラリアで数十年にわたる芸術家としてのキャリアを積んだ後、イザベルは日本の伝統に惹かれ、日本に移住して書道と墨絵を学びました。これが今ではオーストラリアと日本の文化のユニークな融合へと発展し、彼女は現在、両国で時間を共有しながら芸術を創作しています。
イザベルの作品は、オーストラリアと日本の伝統の融合が特徴で、人間の存在のあらゆる側面からインスピレーションを得ています。イザベルは、これまでのキャリアを通じて、東京の国立新美術館、オーストラリアのビクトリア州ベンディゴのリビングアートスペース、オーストラリアのメルボルンのSOLギャラリー、東京のJanus Creationsなど、さまざまなギャラリーで作品を展示してきました。さらに、オーストラリアのベンディゴのリビングアートスペースや東京など、オーストラリアでライブペインティングショーを開催しました。
イザベルはオーストラリアと日本の両方の伝統を尊重し、自身の芸術制作を両文化、芸術スタイル、技法、プロセスの有機的な融合と表現しています。人間の精神のあらゆる側面を探求することが彼女の最大の関心事であり、神話や民話を人間の経験の複雑さを表現する手段としてよく利用しています。
現在、イザベルは日本に滞在し、少女、女神、女性をテーマにした東京のギャラリーで開催される展覧会とライブペインティングに取り組んでいますが、12月にオーストラリアに戻る予定です。この新しい作品群は、オーストラリアと日本の芸術スタイル、技法、プロセスの融合によって現代アートの限界を押し広げ続けるイザベルの創造性の新たなレベルを証明するものです。
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Exhibitions, Performances, Events
EDUCATION
2024 International Sumie- Association https://www.sumi-e.or.jp
2021 Sumi-e painting -Sogen Hirano https://sogen-arc.com/sogenarc/
2020 Sumi-e painting -Hidekichi Shigemoto http://www.hidekichi.com/profile_eng.html
2020 Sumi-e Painting workshop at Ozu Washi. https://www.ozuwashi.net/en/
2019 Student of Kaho Kato, Master of Kikko-kai, Tokyo, Japan http://www.kikko-kai.com/
2018-2020 Hisui Tokyo -Shodo, Kaisho http://en.hisui-tokyo.com/
2017-May 2018 Student of Kenryo Hara, Master of Bokokku, Tokyo, Japan https://bok-koku.com/
2014 Factory Paper-making Workshop, Shikoku, japanhttps://awagami.jp/
2010 Graduate Diploma of Education; Art Methods La Trobe University Bendigo
2009 Travelled to Japan, UK, France and Italy (cultural and art research)
2001Graduate Diploma of Arts (Politics) La Trobe University Bendigo
1995 Bachelor of Arts (Fine Art) La Trobe University, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2024 Girls, Goddesses and Greatness, Janus Creations Gallery Cafe. Mitaka, Tokyo
2024 Curated White Spaces, Living Art Space, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia
2023 It's Too Black and White. Lot 19 Gallery, Castlemaine, Australia
2022 My Ikigai, Dudley House, Bendigo, Australia
2021 Neo Kodaimoji Exhibition , Janus Creations Gallery Cafe. Mitaka, Tokyo
2018 Kodai MOJO Exhibition; Soraaruki Café, Kitakyushu, Kyushu, Japan
2017 Mysteries of Cats; Soraaruki Cafe, Kitakyushu, Kyushu, Japan
2016 Poor Little Thing, Kyabram, Victoria, Australia
2015 MEAC Mooroopna, Victoria, Australia
2014 Alton Gallery, Echuca, Victoria, Australia
2013 River Gallery Inn, Echuca, Victoria, Australia
2012 Brunswick Street Gallery, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia
2012 Blue Dog Gallery, Beaumaris, Victoria, Australia
2011 Togs Place, Castlemaine, Victoria, Australia
1997 Convent Gallery Daylesford, Victoria, Australia
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024 International Sumi-e Association, Tokyo The National Art Centre, Tokyo, Japan.
2024 - SOL Gallery. “3550 Bendigo Collective”
2024 - Custom House Gallery, Echuca. “Bendigo Collective”
2021 - Janus Creations Gallery Group Exhibition, Mitaka, Tokyo, Japan
1980-2019 Extensive group exhibition in Australia and internationally in Japan, Italy & Spain.
LIVE PAINTING PERFORMANCES
2024 Community Dragon. Zinda Multicultural Festival. Castlemaine, Victoria, Australia
2024 Year of the Dragon. Living Art Space, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia
2023 Toyotama Hime, The Princess of the Ocean. Lot 19 Gallery, Castlemaine, Australia
2022 Toyotama Hime, The Princess of the Ocean. Dudley House, Australia
2022 Talk to Me. A suicide prevention fundraising event in conjunction with TELL, Japan
2021 The Christmas Dragon - Studio M Live stream - Okubo, Tokyo, Japan
2021 Kinnara, the God to the Musicians - Studio M Live stream - Okubo, Tokyo, Japan
2021 Toyotama Hime Story , Janus Creations Gallery Cafe. Mitaka, Tokyo
2018 Solo performance - Soraaruki Café, Kitakyushu, Kyushu, Japan
2018 March Bokkoku Exhibition and Group Performance. Hongakuji Temple, Taito,
Tokyo, Japan
2017 October Bokkoku Exhibition and Group Performance. Hongaku-ji Temple,
Taito, Tokyo, Japan.
2017 March Bokkoku Exhibition and Group Performance. Hongakuji Temple, Taito,
Tokyo, Japan
1980-current; Participated in numerous international group exhibition in Japan, Italy, Spain and Australia
PUBLICATIONS
Splinters Contemporary Artists; 20 Years of Creating
Beyond Calligraphy https://beyond-calligraphy.com/?fwp_author=37
AWARDS, COMPETITIONS, PRIZES AND ACQUISITIONS
2020 Fuji Brewing Company Sake Label competition – Finalist
2011 Finalist; Silk Cut Awards
1997 Bendigo Festival Acquisition Award
1981 Dandenong Youth Portrait Awards
COMMISSIONS, GRANTS AND RESIDENCIES.
2020 Javier Asenjo – The Zen Monk at from Tenryu Temple
2019 Norm Fieldew – Shodo commission
2018 Norm Fieldew – Shodo commission
2017 Artist in Residence, Studio Kura, Itoshima, Kyushu, Japan.
2016 Artist in Residence, Studio Kura, Itoshima, Kyushu, Japan
2016 Life Drawing Workshop. Regional Arts Victoria Grant. Shepparton, Australia
1998-2000 Artist in Residence, Greater City of Bendigo,Bendigo
1997 Artist in Residence, Girton Grammar, Big Hill Primary School, Greater BendigoCity Council.
COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTIONS and ACTIVITIES
2022 Fundraising for suicide prevention, TELL, Japan.
2018-19 National President for Japan, World Art Games
2015 – 2019 Splinter Contemporary Art Group, Victoria, Australia
2013 -2014 Echuca Moama Artist Inc. Victoria, Australia
2013 -2014 Tuesday Junction Art Group, Victoria, Australia
2010 - 2013 Co-facilitate Life Drawing classes, (now Bendigo Artist Inc) Bendigo, Victoria,Australia
1997 – 2000 Central Arts Collective Inc. Bendigo, Victoria, Australia
1997- 2000 Japanese Group, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia
1997-1998 Chairperson, Steering committee, Multicultural group, Bendigo, Australia
