Issue 3 Artist Spotlight | Gina Ariko
C+B: Tell us about yourself, Gina!
GA: I'm a full-time working artist. :) In my spare time I love reading and cooking. I view art as another form of storytelling, and am fascinated by all the ways we're able express ourselves and share our stories, whether through visual art, written words, music, meals, etc.
Something people may not know about me is that I play piano. It's the only creative outlet I don't share publicly.
C+B: How has your relationship with your work changed since you first started creating?
GA: When I first started creating I was much more concerned with the "what" than the "how." I was concerned about what the subject of my painting was, or what it should be, and whether it would be well received by the viewer.
I no longer worry as much about the "what." Instead, I focus on the process of creating my work, and the feeling it evokes. Ultimately, I can't control how others interpret my work, and the more work I've created the more I've learned how much can still be communicated, regardless of what subject or style I paint in.
C+B: Share some details about your process for creating.
GA: I prefer creating early in morning or late at night. I get antsy in the afternoon and have a hard time sitting still and focusing. I almost always have an audiobook or music playing when I'm in the studio.
C+B: What is the one accomplishment you most hope to achieve in your creative career?
GA: Have an exhibit in Japan, because that's where I first learned to paint, thanks to my jichan and baachan.
Find and support Gina here:
IG: @ginaariko
(Origami, 18" x 24", oil on canvas, ©Gina Ariko)
If my work was a meal it would be: Whatever meal reminds you of home. Not the big fancy holiday meal, but the meal a parent or grandparent made for you that reminds you of your childhood.
I would love to be able to share my work with: Matisse, because I tend to struggle with the push-pull of relaxing my style and painting more expressive, and refining my technique and painting more detailed, and I really admire his bold-yet-figurative style.
If I wasn’t able to paint, I would like to try: I love ceramic art, even though I have almost no experience with it! I think it'd be really satisfying to create work that is both decorative and utilitarian, too. I'm also drawn to fiber art. The textural element of the work appeals to me, and I also think the gendered/cultural history of quilting, tapestry, and costuming is interesting and I'd love to learn more about it.
My hope for those viewing my work: I hope my work gives people a moment to pause, exhale, and appreciate the beauty in the everyday moments that are so easily overlooked.
