Dawn Yoshimura

I grew up in a small town in Hawai'i on the Windward side of O'ahu. My family was not rich, and we didn't have luxuries like boogie boards, surfboards, playing on sports teams, taking music lessons and attending elite schools like President Obama.  I spent my childhood playing in the nearby stream or going to the beach with families for picnics or fishing. I also spent a lot of time reading about other places and looking and drawing the mountains outside my window.

When we sang America the Beautiful in school, I thought the 'purple mountains majesty' was my own beloved Ko'olau mountains, and the 'sea to shining sea' was the shores of my own island touching some far off land.

I was encouraged by my art teachers--Mrs Esaki, Dorinda Lum and Avis Nakamoto to draw, paint, sculpt and explore my ideas. They inspired alot of students to pursue art degrees, including me. The students before me, and my aunt, also an artist also encouraged me to think that a skinny Japanese-American girl could be an artist too--it didn't have to only be men with mustaches and berets and a drink in their hand.

When I received a one-year scholarship to study at the Rudolph Schaeffer School of Design I left for San Francisco to study textile design. Living in the cosmopolitan cultural center of the Bay Area was a great experience.

I painted, collaborated on projects, performed with the Women Walking Tall performance group, and experienced many other fun things. Being around so many other creative people is wonderful blessed experience.

I wish I could say I fought the good fight and became a full-time artist. I wish I could say I worked hard and got into all the  big galleries and had agents representing me. Instead I got sidetracked while trying to balance finding a way to finance my time to make art and a private life and am now finding my way again--painting and rediscovering my voice and working on my craft.

My new role models are those who found their way late in life, like the actor Patrik Stewart. Even those who died young, like Van Gogh, inspire by his sheer talent and passion, but also his commitment to work. Reading his letters to his brother, inspires me to work and see how far I can go. Lately, thanks to facebook, I can reconnect to community again being inspired by artists who are talented but also generous to others seeking to explore their potential.

My  Inspiration

I take inspiration from my heritage and history: Japanese, Hawaiian, American, and my expat life in Sweden. They all give me nuances of flavor to how I interpret what  I see, and provide inspiration--such as Japanese folktales like Kaguyahime and Issunboshi. Hawai'ian music and themes such as kuleana and ohana also influence and inspire. American values of self discovery and realisation and giving back to community give me the drive to pursue my potential as a unique individual.  With my immigrant history it provides constant ideas to think about and explore. Artistically, these cultures also provide color and aesthetic sensibilities to my art.

Recent Exhibitions

2011

Galleri SK 5-10 November. Gothenberg Sweden. 2-person show.

2010

Galleri Oliven 3-15 September. Gothenberg Sweden. Single show.

Stadsbiblioteket Gothenberg.  Juried show. 3 pieces of 80 in group show.

2009

Konstråkan. Open show. 3km of artists in the town of Tranemo, Sweden.

Galleri Oliven. Group show. Gothenberg Sweden.

Private corporate collection. Molndal Sweden.

2008

Pocket Med Mera Gallery. Gothenberg, Sweden.

Galleri Oliven. Group show. Gothenberg Sweden.

ArtOn Gallery. Group show. Gothenberg Sweden.

2007

Galleri Oliven. Two-person show. Gerd Hordal sculptures and my paintings.

ArtOn Gallery. Group show. Gothenberg Sweden.