Michiyo Ihara Artist’s statement

My drawing process requires just pencil and paper. It starts in the center of the page and I build a snowflake outward. The work itself tells me when it is done, and I am filled with a sense of awe upon completion. As a child I drew all the time. I drew long, long trains, carrying fruit, people and animals, leading into infinity. Now my drawings are inspired by nature. Nature to me has integrity and is my source, and I want my audience to absorb my fascination with it and how it inspires me. I also want my audience to be engaged and to participate in my drawing experience. When I start to draw I start with something small that expands into infinity. From the microcosm grows the macrocosm, so each tiny snowflake becomes a symbol of the entire universe.

People and snowflakes have the same source, that of infinity,and inspire in me a sense of awe. Everything in nature originates in the infinite possibilities of the universe. Snowflakes are familiar representation of this, appreciated for their uniqueness and diversity. Combining snowflakes with my creative process is springboard for ever more possibilities.