Artist of the Week: Audrey Kawasaki

Over the past few days, I've decided to dedicate one post each Friday to spotlight some of my favorite artists. Current or not, I'll be sharing some information and artwork on ones that I personally admire.

The first artist that I wanted to highlight is Audrey Kawasaki. Ever since my freshman year of high school, I have always admired her intricate work and how she creates her pieces. Honestly, she's probably become one of my biggest inspirations to pursue my interest in the visual arts. Her paintings intrigue me with the flowing movement, and have really pushed me into becoming a real artist myself.

A Los Angeles native, Kawasaki works slabs of wood and uses oil paints to bring her pieces to life. She is most known for her portrayals of young Geisha surrounded by beautiful wisps of floral designs. 

                    

I have always been drawn to Kawasaki's piece "Dishonest Heart" (pictured below) as one of my favorites. The portrayal of a young girl whose heart is in full visibility has a sense of mystery surrounding it. This is one of Kawasaki's more known works, and many people decide to get it tattooed onto themselves out of appreciation and admiration of the painting.

While I am certainly interested in all kinds of art, I have a soft spot for Kawasaki's. If you are a fan of her work as well, you can find some of her paintings or doodles and at www.audrey-kawasaki.com. There is true movement within each stroke of her paintbrush that she touches to every piece of wood.