2022 Surf Art Calendar
March
“Gentle Waves”
By: Kyoko Endo
STORY BEHIND THE IMAGE
From the Artist: Growing up in rural Japan near mountains and ocean, I have always been fascinated with the natural organic forms and patterns nature creates. My artworks explore these delicate patterns of nature and natural phenomena such as wave and wind movements. In this papercut series, I used the layer of hand-cut papers to express the delicate patterns of waves and sea foam.
PERSONAL CONNECTION
Continuing with the theme of this year’s calendar where I sought out to showcase different mediums of expression with regards to Surf Art, Kyoko’s cover piece and this month’s papercut design really stand out. I especially appreciate her ability to create depth through the multiple layers of paper and how they evoke the feeling of being by the shore or looking down the eye of a breaking wave. I am very grateful that she’s shared her work with us and please check out more of it @kyokoendo_art or www.kyokoendoart.com
ARTIST BIO
Kyoko is a visual artist whose work expresses the transient time of nature.
Born in Japan, she moved to the U.S. when she was 18 years old. After receiving her Bachelor of Fine Arts from UGA and Master of Architecture from Illinois Institute of Technology, she has worked as a CG designer in the engineering industry for many years.
Kyoko has explored both traditional art media (papercut, printmaking and painting) and new media (digital art and animation) to express her ideas.
Her artworks are strongly influenced by Japanese aesthetics and art such as kirie* (papercut art), ukiyo-e (woodblock prints) and sumi-e (ink wash painting).
* Japanese paper cutting is called Kirie or Kirigami (literally meaning cut picture). It is said to have developed after 610 AD when Tesuki Washi paper, invented in China, was brought to Japan by Doncho, a Buddhist monk from Korea. The Japanese commercialized paper making by hand and by 800 AD their skills were unrivalled. The abundance of Japanese washi meant paper cutting and offshoots such as Kamikiri (performance papercutting in Edo Japan) developed at a very fast pace. Kirigami (切り紙) is a variation of origami, the Japanese art of folding paper. In Kirigami, the paper is cut as well as being folded, resulting in a three-dimensional design that stands away from the page. - Source Wikipedia
