I use art to make invisible stories visible and to explore emotional healing. Often symbolic and surreal, my work depicts my inner world and the invisible sociopolitical forces that shape our lives. I work primarily through printmaking, painting, and mixed media collage. Water appears frequently in my imagery, symbolizing life’s challenges and the emotions that accompany them.
Printmaking is an art form deeply connected to my Japanese upbringing. I practice Japanese artmaking methods such as Mokuhanga as a way to honor and maintain my cultural pride and identity. I create imprints from carved wood plates, etched surfaces of empty food containers, and cut papers. In my work, shapes and lines often speak louder than color.
Most of my work is two-dimensional and small in scale. Some of my prints and paintings take the form of artist books or appear on fabric. Portability is important to me; it reflects my lived experience as an immigrant. Somewhere in my mind, I am always preparing for the possibility of moving back home or elsewhere. I also cherish small-scale work because Japanese culture values quality over quantity.
When I moved to the United States alone at 18, without English fluency, art became my essential language—my way to express myself and connect with others. I make art and share my stories to build relationships, creating a space where we can collaboratively imagine a world where compassion, inclusivity, and hope are part of everyday life.
Past art collaborators include: The d’Art Center in Norfolk, Arlington County Public Library, Busboys and Poets Anacostia, George Washington University, the National Botanic Garden in Chantilly, Northside Social Arlington, and the Free Little Art Gallery – Arlington.
In addition to being an artist, I am a board-certified art therapist and a licensed clinical social worker. I help people learn about themselves through art making. Art therapy is about healing what hurts, cultivating self-awareness, and growing through creative expression. No prior art experience or artistic skill is required for art therapy.
More information about my art therapy & counseling practice can be found here. (日本語のサイトはこちらです)
If you are an art therapist or a social worker interested in clinical supervision, please find more info here.
I am currently an adjunct faculty member in George Mason University’s Master of Social Work program. Previously, I taught in the graduate art therapy programs at George Washington University and Lewis & Clark College. I regularly present at conferences on the therapeutic use of art and on topics related to Anti-racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ADEI). A list of my publications can be found here.
EDUCATION
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Master of Social Work (May 2004) & Advanced Graduate Study Certificate in Art Therapy (August 2015), Marywood University, Scranton, PA
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Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Art (May 2002), Wartburg College, Waverly, IA
ART-RELATED AWARDS
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Honorable Mention, A New Palette For The Workhouse (2006) , The Lorton Arts Foundation, Reston, VA
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Semi-Finalist, L. Ron Hubbard’s the Illustrator of Future Contest (1999), Nationwide
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Second Prize, Illustration of Books Contest (1998), Mu-Shi Tale Inc., Nationwide
SOLO EXHIBITION
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Remembering to Heal (1/2024 - 2/2024), Vault gallery at the d’Art Center, Norfolk, VA
GROUP EXHIBITION
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Am I Welcome? An art exhibition about international students’ experience
Three locations:
Arlington County Central Library (Jan - April 2025)
Busboys and Poets Anacostia, Washington DC (June - Nov, 2024)
George Washington University Graduate Education Center, Alexandria, VA (Feb - May, 2024)
JURIED ART EXHIBITIONS & FESTIVALS
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Faces & Figures (4/2025 - 6/2025), Falls Church Arts Gallery, Falls Church, VA
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Local Makers and Artists Celebrating Women Art Show (3/2025 - 6/2025), Northside Social, Arlington VA
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Beauty of Diversity (10/2024 - 11/ 2024), Falls Church Arts Gallery, Falls Church, VA
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Art in Nature Festival (5/2024), National Botanic Garden in Chantilly, VA
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Intersection: Identity and culture (11/2023 - 1/2024), Falls Church Arts Gallery, Falls Church, VA
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Five Points 2023 printmaking Juried Exhibition (6/2023 - 7/2023), Five Points Arts Center, Torrington, CT
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The Unseen (2/2023 - 3/2023), Del Ray Artisan Gallery, Alexandria, VA
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Collab: Conversations in Art (7/2022 - 8/ 2022), Fall Church Arts Gallery, Falls Church, VA
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Art in Nature Festival (5/2024), National Botanic Garden in Chantilly, VA
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Feminist Insight: Telling Her Story (3/2022), The Ellington-White Contemporary Art Gallery, Fayetteville, NC
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No Justice, No Peace: Global Protest, Unrest, and Conflict (2021), James Wise Gallery, Norfolk State University, Norfolk, VA
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20/20 in Hindsight--Coping, Confronting, and Creating Change (2021), Online exhibition, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA
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Your Place at The Table (2020), 311 Gallery, Raleigh, NC
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Facing Forward (Oct, 2020 – Jan, 2021), Light Art Space, Silver City, NM
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Divulge: A National Exhibition Featuring the Use of Art for Therapy and Mental Health Awareness (2020), d’Art Center, Norfolk, VA
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When Darkness Falls: Night Exploration (2019), Annmarie Sculpture Garden and Arts Center, Solomons Island, MD
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A New Palette For The Workhouse (2006), The Lorton Arts Foundation, Reston, VA
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Insight & Inspiration: The Fine Arts Healers (2002), The Center For Being And Becoming, Washington, D.C.
ART PROJECTS & INSTALLATIONS
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Together Through Art – Calendar project to advocate for mental illness and older adults (2012), Arlington County RAFT program, Arlington, VA
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Creativity Within Us – Calendar project with hospice patients’ artworks (2004), VNA Hospice, Scranton, PA
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Tree of Life mural project (2004), Moses Taylor Hospital Inpatient Hospice Floor, Scranton, PA