Mediums - Oil on Canvas

Artist's Statement - I was born in a small town of northern Kyushu island of Japan in early Spring. I was a shy kid. I liked looking for fairies in grass and reading adventure stories from my gigantic book case. My parents were great patrons of cultures and art and made sure I had many opportunities to grow artistically. It seemed like I have been painting and drawing from my first breath. My school note books are filled with drawings. My professional art career started in the graphic arts field in Fukuoka, Japan in the early 1990s. After graduating from Seinan Gakuin University with a BA degree in French and Nihon interior design school with a BA degree in design and rendering, I founded Atelier Yume-Tsumugi Ltd. I operated that studio successfully for 5 years. I emphasized working on a variety of projects with varying requirements rather than a distinct style. Many of my works are displayed in hospital lobbies, corporate offices, and commercial building entrances in Japan. In 1998, I broadened the scope of my endeavors to include projects in the United States. In the US, I decided to start concentrate on oil painting. I had always wanted to paint with oils in Japan, but slow drying oils were not realistic with the short deadlines of my commercial clients. Now I could do it. San Francisco, with its vibrant arts culture, became my second home and was a source of much inspiration. For a while, I felt disadvantaged because I was a foreigner learning a second language. Now I know that my differences are my strength and I can combine my Japanese and San Francisco backgrounds to produce powerful and unique art works. When we tap into our powers of imagination, we are blooms of possibilities. I believe that I am one of the happiest creatures in the world because I have found what I am meant to do on this Earth and what I want to do from now on.

Biography - Hiroko Sakai is a Japanese artist, and has been living and working in San Francisco California since 1998. The intense passion that she conveys in her art has inspired deep expressions of emotion in viewers over the years. In the early 90's, her professional art career started in the graphic arts field in Japan. After graduating from Nihon interior design school with a BA degree in design and rendering, she founded "Atelier Yume-Tsumugi Ltd." Operating the studio successfully for 5 years, she emphasized working on a variety of projects with varying requirements rather than focusing on a distinct style. Many of her works there are displayed in a number of hospital lobbies, corporate offices, and commercial building entrances in Japan. In 1998, she broadened the scope of her endeavors to include projects in the United States.

Gallery Affiliations - The Artists Alley Gallery 863 Mission Street., San Francisco, CA Venus Gallery 627 Cortland Ave., San Francisco, CA CityArt Gallery 828 Valencia Street, San Francisco, CA 94110 ArtistXchange Gallery 3169 16th Street, San Francisco, CA 94103 AranciatAmera 526 Castro Street-2nd Floor San Francisco, CA Mad River Post Gallery 451 Jackson Street 2nd Floor SF, CA Yuri Shiller Gallery

Exhibitions - SelfClothing Boutique Exhibition, July, 2008 Chillin Production 9th anniversary show, Dec, 2007 StarBucks Chestnuts Street Solo Exhibition, Sep-Oct. 2007 SF Honda Show Room Exhibition, Jan.-July 2007 Chillin Production 9th anniversary show, June, 2007 SouthFirst Gallery group show, Feb.-Apr. 2007 MadRiverPost Gallery grounp show, Oct.-Des. 2006 Roger Licot Memorial Show, Aug. 2006 Chameleon Cafe Solo Exhibition, June, 2005 Cafe Mono Solo Exhibition, June, 2005 H. Cafe Solo Exhibition, December, 2004 XmasTreeLot Artshow, October, 2004 YMCA Art show, June, 2004 Yo's Sushi Club Exhibition, May, 2004 Jupiter Art Show, October, 2003 Laufen Tile Showroom Exhibition, September, 2003 Red Devil Lounge show, June, 2003 Start.SOMA opening show, March, 2003