Clyde

I believe what I paint stands for what I am, and what I am makes paintings. I am Japanese, and I had lived in the United States for 10 years until 2013. The different cultures of Japan and the United States have caused me to question my identity. However, I am not trying to find my identity, nor am I trying to depict these cultural differences when I paint. These differences make me what I am, and because of these differences, I am able to see and create a world that is my own; I paint from there.

Everything in this world is inspired by my life experiences. Inhabitants of this world are imaginary figures from my childhood combined with learned artistic experience, and these inhabitants are vital in that they assist in the creation of whimsical narratives. Sometimes these narratives are stories of my dreams, anxieties, or memories. Others, however, may simply be reflections of me and symbols I have collected from different cultural experiences in my lifetime. 

The content within my paintings may be unfamiliar to the audience, because I utilize and express events, occurrences, and thoughts that have occurred throughout my life. Each person on this earth is different, and thus, everyone will perceive my paintings in a different manner. This, in turn, means that a storyline is created uniquely to the individual, and his or her interpretation may or may not be what I had originally intended to present. I want my viewers to try and decipher the intent behind the story presented to them on the canvas. I am not trying to control the thought process of any viewer, but trying to evoke contemplation of the story that I have illustrated.