Bio:
Morisawa was born in Tokyo, Japan, and studied art at Tama Art University in Japan. She had worked for commercial package design projects such Godiva Chocolate and Twining Tea etc. She had taught art classes in Tokyo, Yokohama for more than 10 years, including at the Canadian Embassy. She moved from Japan to the Pacific Northwest in the U.S. in 2004.
Morisawa currently works in Seattle and has exhibited her work across the U.S./ Canada in more than 35 states, in Japanese museums, and the Dublin Biennale Ireland in 2014, National Weather Center Biennale Norman OK, Coos Art Museum exhibition in Oregon, Crow Asian Museum exhibition in Dallas,Texas, Bellingham National at Whatcom Museum, Tokyo Art Olympia Biennale 2019 at Metropolitan Art Museum in Tokyo, Japan, Contemporary Art Festival 2020 at Brukenthal National Museum in Romania, Bellevue Art Museum online exhibition, NW Biennale in 2021, Traver Gallery Solo Exhibition 2022 and Seattle Art Fair 2022.
Corporate presentations include Amazon-South Lake Union, GE-HQ in CT, and Nordstrom's nationwide advertisement for Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month Celebration and presentation in OR and WA. She’s also been commissioned for public art projects for the cities of Seattle, Lynnwood, Sea-Tac, Des Moines, Shoreline, Edmonds, and Kent in WA State. Her current focus includes mosaic collage painting.
Her artworks have been collected by the City of Portland, Oregon in 2021, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in 2020, City of Seattle in 2018 and neighbor cities such Bellevue, Kent and Shoreline etc.
Statement:
Wood is an important component in my art. The life of a tree and the energy in each grain of wood are why I use wood.
My artwork is hand-made of thousands of very small slices of natural and oil-stained wood and paper pieces on board. I like to incorporate the patterns in the wood and enhance them with oil-stain. The variety of wood grain is very beautiful and the pattern is never the same. The combinations of natural and oil-stained grains create interesting shadows and impressions. My imagery comes from common items: shoes, a wave, waterfalls and landscape etc.
When seen from a distance, my artwork looks like a painting. The details of the work and mosaic technique slowly emerge when the viewer comes closer. Look closely and see the vibrancy and movements of the wood patterns. By using wood mosaic I can show the life and energy. I can talk about life and the energetic atoms inside my work with my tiny wood slices.
I am currently developing a new body of mixed media artwork using other materials such as a variety kinds of papers, Japanese papers in addition to wood mosaic art-form.
Represented by the Traver Gallery, Seattle USA. https://www.travergallery.com/
Website: www.naokomorisawa.com
Instagram: @nao.nap @morris.studio
