Artist

The Return Home:

For 22 years, I thrived in the art gallery world as director, curator, gallery owner, and artist. However, with some business challenges during the pandemic and the need to care for my elderly grandmother after my uncle’s passing, my wife and I made the life-altering decision to relocate to my tranquil hometown.

We dedicated ourselves to her well-being, deepening our connection as she shared priceless stories of the past. Our children formed joyful bonds with her, their laughter filling the home and weaving new memories into the fabric of our family. At the same time, my wife and I delved into the study of permaculture and herbalism, breathing life back into our long-neglected family land. A formidable endeavour that will be a testament to renewal and resilience.

This journey has been one of rediscovery, and has urged us to slow down and focus on relationships, community, and nature, revealing a deeper significance beyond the fast paced city and modern distractions. It has reminded me of the joy in getting my hands dirty in the very soil where my roots began, and as always I continue one of my truest passion, the act of creating.

Life often calls for risks and change, guided by the heart. I believe that work should be a fulfilling labor of love. This experience has reaffirmed that true happiness lies in loving what you do and cherishing time with those closest to you. 

The Work:

The Missing Link: A Confluence of Memory, Heritage, and the Pacific Ocean

In 2024, I embarked on a transformative artistic odyssey that delved deeply into the essence of my Japanese Canadian heritage, honouring the enduring spirit of my ancestors. Returning to my hometown of Ucluelet, British Columbia—a place where the land meets the sea in an ethereal confluence—I was guided by the dual currents of personal loss and ancestral memory. I found myself profoundly reconnected with the elemental forces that shaped my upbringing. This return was not merely a homecoming but a reflective journey, exploring themes of family, identity, and belonging, while reigniting my bond with heritage and home.

A cornerstone of this journey was my prior exhibition, Kuroshio, held in Vancouver. Named after my late father’s fishing vessel, the series resonated deeply, evoking themes of legacy and connection. Inspired by the Kuroshio Current—a warm oceanic stream that flows from Japan to the west coast of North America—the works presented abstract ocean-scapes named after the fishing boats of my youth. Kuroshio became a tribute to the formative years I spent on the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean, an elemental force that has profoundly shaped my life and artistic vision. Drawing on the deep blue waters of the North Pacific, the series mirrored the essence of my Japanese Canadian identity and laid the groundwork for my most ambitious project to date: The Missing Link - based on the journey of my Grandfather’s fishing vessel.

This new body of work explores the ocean as both a dynamic presence and a timeless metaphor. Its relentless movement, shifting light, and kaleidoscopic hues evoke a profound sense of vitality and transformation. The sea emerges as a living entity, embodying both serenity and chaos. Through these works, I capture the ocean’s rhythms—from the tranquil radiance of dawn to the tempestuous churn of storms—inviting viewers into a meditative dialogue with the elemental forces that define existence.

My artistic style has evolved into a dynamic synthesis of abstraction, landscape, and documentary printmaking. Each piece in The Missing Link serves as an exploration of memory and place, interweaving personal narratives with universal themes. Liquid acrylics serve as my primary medium, enabling me to create fluid, undulating currents that mimic the ocean’s ceaseless motion. Through intentional repetition and intricate patterning, I generate visual rhythms that immerse viewers in the energy of the sea. The final application of a glossy resin finish enhances the luminosity and reflective quality of each work, conjuring the rippling, ever-changing nature of water.

The Missing Link is a testament to the ocean’s enduring power to inspire and connect. It reflects a journey—both personal and artistic—that weaves together memory, heritage, and the eternal dialogue between humanity and nature. Each piece offers a glimpse into this transcendent force, inviting viewers to contemplate the interconnectedness of life, identity, and the sublime beauty of the natural world.

At the core of my artistic practice is a philosophy of abstraction as a profound method for capturing essence and emotion. I often reflect that "My experiences are the cornerstone of my work. Abstract art transcends literal representation, revealing the soul of a subject through its intangible qualities." The Missing Link exemplifies this ethos, presenting meditative interpretations of the ocean's vast power alongside the enduring beauty of the trees and rocks that steadfastly guard our shores. These elements, with their intricate interplay of strength and grace, reflect the profound beauty and mystery of the natural world. This elemental force—both a tangible presence and a metaphorical thread weaving together my heritage and identity—offers a window into the enduring forces that continue to inspire and shape my creative journey.

Special thanks to my family for all of their support.