painting Archives - Forum Nepantla

Saki Tominaga is a Japanese painter, hairstylist and make-up artist. We wanted to learn more about her awesome art, so we asked her to do a short interview with us.

Nepantla: Hi! You’re a hairstylist, make-up artist and also visual artist. How do you combine those different activities?

Saki: The purpose is not to combine them, but just to make art. Whatever the form, if the situation and feeling at that moment and the movement of the hand match, I can come out with something.

N: How did you start making art?

S: I’ve been drawing only girls since I was little. I was painting every day, but when l was a junior high school student, l started going to an art school. I majored in oil painting until high school and 1st year in college, and then majored in printmaking.

N: Your art deals with inorganic forms: water, stones, dry flowers. Why are you interested in that?

S: l think that now it is time to revisit nature. In my work human beings are represented as natural beings. Beautiful things are born from nature, also human beings. l also think that ideas come from visual information. My work is made of wildflowers and grass. But wild grasses are discarded if they grow too much. There is a green that no one can see. Instead of disregarding those leafes I like to use them to my make-up and showing myself a little more pretty. It’s done to satisfy others, but also to satisfy myself.

N: How did the virus affect your activity?

S: l was able to face myself. To be honest, I think l have discovered new aspects of my work thanks to the virus. I wouldn’t have noticed wild grass if l just worked as usual.

N: What are your nexts projects?

S: l have not decided yet. It’s still about making beautiful things.

N: What artist inspires you? Do you want to recommend some book/song/artist?

S: One person I respect is Katsuya Kamo. I especially like the sound of hang drums. I would therefore recommend Hang Massive’s MV.

N: Thank you a lot for your time!