Biography
Kumiko S. McKee was born and grew up in Japan. Kumiko started studying art from high school as a fine art major. After working as a display designer for two years in Tokyo, Japan, and traveling 36 countries with backpack, she moved to the United States and studied painting at the University of Wyoming and obtained BFA degree. She opened her studio "Kumiko Art Studio" online gallery in 2003 and founded an art center “3 Square Art” in 2017. She has received prestigious awards in numerous juried exhibits and competitions including 1st Place Award four times.
Most Recent Achievements:
⭐️Featured Article: The Top Award-Winning Drawings of 2020 (Artists Network)
⭐️ Selected for the 15th International ARC Salon Exhibitions at Sotheby’s NY in New York and the European Museum of Modern Art (MEAM) in Barcelona, Spain
Artist Statement
I'm mainly working with series of paintings that are in some way connected to my life and experiences. My interest in other culture and art in different countries took me on travels across the world during turbulent and historically significant political times, which are clearly reflected in my artwork. To see other culture and communicate with local people at each location where I visited during my travels has greatly influenced my point of view and has led me to focus on cultural and political themes in my paintings.
I believe art is the "voice of the artist" and another language that artists use to speak their mind, how they see the world, and their point of view on life. Also, I believe art is a challenge to break down the norms existing in our everyday life by showing unique or different perspectives.
My previous series were based on Japanese culture themes, which combine Western and Japanese traditions. My challenge in these series was to show the beautiful elements of Japanese culture with the images in a way that people from other cultures could appreciate and make a connection with. Through viewing my paintings, the viewer gains a glimpse into a world they may know little about. I hope my artwork will help people in the world to better understand and bring interest to the Japanese culture as well as the diversity and depth of Asian-Pacific culture.
Kumiko S. McKee
Portfolio
"Oiran 花魁の微笑み" Graphite on Paper 30”x 40” (102cm x 76cm) 2013
"Isaiah" Graphite on Paper 40"X30" (102cm x 76cm) 2017
"Savion" Graphite on Paper 40"X30" (102cm x 76cm) 2019
"Liza" Graphite on Paper 40"X30" (102cm x 76cm) 2015
"Portrait of Artist" (Self-Portrait) Graphite on Paper 40"X30" (102cm x 76cm) 2007
"Portrait of Artist with Momo" Graphite on Paper 40"X30" (102cm x 76cm) 2011
"Husband & Pet of Artist" Graphite on Paper 40"X30" (102cm x 76cm) 2011
"Momo II" Graphite on Paper 24”x18” (61cm x 46cm) 2015
"Chibi II" Graphite on Paper 24” x 18” (61cm x 46cm) 2009
"Requiem for Dear Carol" Graphite on Paper 24" X 18" (61cm x 46cm) 2020
Japanese Women (quadriptych)
Oil Painting on Masonite
48” x 112” ( 48” x 28” each)
2000
Japanese Women are a quadriptych and I used four Japanese women as subjects from four different generations. Each woman has a different expression on her face and they are holding the Noh masks with different manner. Individually they represent “Innocent”, “Jealousy”, “Anxiety”, and “Enlightenment”. Emotions are intangible and lurk deep inside of humans. Sometimes they show up on the surface but other times they hide within us. I substituted these intangible feelings with the masks, which have symbolic meanings to represent the feelings.
Note: Those masks are called "Nohmen", which actors wear in Noh Theater in Japan and each mask has a symbolic meaning.
Noh Theater Masks: Envy and Jealousy (Diptych)
Oil Painting on Masonite
40” x 40” (40” x 20” each)
2000-2001
The two paintings Noh Theater Masks: Envy (Left) and Jealousy (Right) are a diptych and the idea of "Envy" and "Jealousy" come from the volume of "Aoi no ue" in The Tale of Genji, which is the story about Lady Aoi and Lady Rokujo that is often played in Noh Theater. One of Genji's mistresses Lady Rokujo had strong Jealous at Genji's wife Aoi, and while Lady Rokujo was sleeping, her jealous spirit came out from her body and killed Aoi. In the first image "Envy," I used two Noh theater masks called ko-omote and hannya to express envy; the ko-omote symbolizes a beautiful young woman while the hannya symbolizes an evil or jealous spirit. In my painting, "ko-omote" is addressed on Lady Aoi and "hannya" is Lady Rokujo. In the front, the ko-omote is smiling full with confidence while hannya is glaring at her from the darkness with eye of enmity and deep envy. In the second image Jealousy, the envy reaches the peak and transforms into jealousy. The force of jealousy overwhelms and destroys the mask ko-omote that still showing smiling with full of confidence. Through those two pieces, I wanted to express the emotional conflicts created from the deep, dark side of the human mind.