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“headfone dreamy” by yoko furusho

on thursday, my roommate mark and i went to see my friend, yoko’s solo exhibition.

i got to know yoko perhaps a year ago, through my japanese blog. she is a friend of a friend’s, and i had clicked on her profile, after seeing her super cute, hand-drawn avatar. her work totally blows me away!! it’s so cute, so intricate and detailed, and so… japanese. i think that’s the best way to describe it!

yoko furusho is a recent graduate of the school of visual arts in new york. although if you ask me, she really doesn’t need much teaching because talent like that can’t be taught. you either have it or you don’t, and the girl sure has it!!

yoko recently won a competition with new york’s chopsticks magazine. this means she will be designing their cover for the next year! it’s a free magazine that i always pick up when i go to the japanese supermarkets or any japanese related store, so i’m really proud to tell everyone, “i know the girl who draws this!” heh heh.

her solo show was called exhale, and exhale we did!

i notice a lot of similar color palettes in your illustrations, that are also very detailed and textured. have you always done this?
i think that’s my palette. i’ve never tried to use that color palette, it just comes out naturally.

have you always drawn in this same style or has your style developed over time?
i try not to think about “style”. i think, it develops when it develops. so, i’m not sure about it.

what inspires you?
i think all my pieces are based on my imagination. so, fantasy books? like alice in wonderland. and photographers.

“a mad tea party”

“the queen’s croquet-ground”

do you work in a studio or do you like going out to get inspiration?
i usually don’t need to go out to get the inspiration. i work at my place, but i’m gonna share the studio with my friends soooon!

how old where you when you first started drawing, and when did you decide you wanted to do this as a career?
i liked drawing since i was a child. and at that point, i already decided to live with something related to art.

“world04″

do you ever have days when you simply cannot draw?
yes.

what can’t you draw?
a lot of things!! but after started my career as an illustrator, i’ve been trying to put some objects that i’ve never drawn before in each illustration.

“galliano’s girl”

as an artist, does the city you’re in affect your work?
yes. this city makes me feel like, i can do everything. so it makes me stay positive and feel lot of possibilities. i think that because this city is full of energy.

what are your favorite mediums?
ink and acrylic.

“world”

which is your favorite illustration?
i like my illustration that i did only for me

who are your favorite artistes or illustrators?
kiki smith, william kentridge, akio tomari and franceska woodman.

“seven deadly sins” for vain magazine

do you start off with an idea in your head, or do you just start drawing with a blank canvas and see where it goes?
both. for my personal piece, i usually start with nothing. for a job, i start with bunch of sketches.

what has been the most difficult piece that you’ve done so far?
nnn, every single time, i struggle!

what’s next for you?
i wanna try many many things! i think illustration is really usable art. like, i can print it on the fabric, can make a book, can be for magazine and so on. so i wanna try many possibilities, not only just for the magazine.

“moulin rouge”

i think she has a long and successful career ahead of her!! head on over to yokofurusho.com to see more of yoko’s amazing work. if you’re in new york and would like to see some of her work up close, go to destination new york, which is on little west 12th street in the meatpacking district. the exhibition runs till september 5th!

good luck, yoko! がんばってねぇ☆

all artwork copyright to yoko furusho