About
Okada’s work explores “the atmosphere of nature,” which is a vibrant experience such as breeze, light and shadow, smell, and temperature that a natural site creates, not the physical aspect of nature. Experiencing the phenomenon of nature, such as the transition of the seasons or the climate change, overwhelms us and impacts our feelings in many ways.
In her work, the contrast between the vibrant pastel and toned background surface creates a sweet melancholic mood similar to the feeling of longing for home. The subject figure is simplified in a decorative and patterned manner and creates a two -dimensional composition, which feature is in common with the Rinpa school from the Edo period. The purposely left negative space in the background allows the viewers to imagine freely what could possibly be there; a sea, a mountain, the sky, or a building, etc.
No matter what, when seasons come around the plants from roses and hydrangea to the nameless weeds and moss grow their leaves, blooms, fruits, and pass on the seeds to the next year. The exquisite beauty and the sense that there are so many things in life beyond our knowledge or imagination thrill and excite us. While the viewers can discern a leaf here or a tree there, when looking at her series of paintings the colors and textures indicate the sound, temperature, and the atmosphere of nature: a sensation that only nature can produce.
Mitsuyo Okada (b. 1994, Hiroshima, Japan) She received her BFA in Art and Design from Centenary University, and MFA in Painting and Drawing from Pratt Institute in 2019. She lives and works in Brooklyn, NY.
