Interview with Japanese Ink Painting Artist: Akiko Tanimoto

Ms. Tanimoto is a Japanese ink painting artist who began her career in 2002 and held her first art exhibition, “Breath-n-Brush,” in 2013. In 2016, she presented her work in New York for another exhibition, “Breath-n-Brush 16h28.” In December 5th to 10th 2017, she told us that she will hold an exhibition in Ginza, Japan, in collaboration with another calligrapher.

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All lives are shaped by experiences, and Ms. Tanimoto narrowed hers down to three: teaching Japanese to non-Japanese students from around the world, which gave her a global perspective on Japan; the elegant ink drawings of Tohun Kobayashi, which inspired her to study ink painting; and being commissioned to illustrate a poetry book by yoga instructor and writer, Leza Lowitz.

A favorite hobby and the basis of many of her works, her art shares the same mentality of clearing the mind that yoga teaches. She paints body and breathing motions boldly with varying pressures applied to each stroke. And she puts a lot of importance in the white spaces in her works. With stories drawn through rich expressions of blacks and whites, she hopes to leave a deep impression on the people who view her paintings.

Like many poets and artists, daydreaming is something Ms. Tanimoto holds dear to her heart. In a fast-paced, ever-changing world, we all need to take some time out of each day to dream, even if it's only for a moment.