Hiroko Imada on Back Pocket Notebooks

Hiroko Imada is a painter, printmaker, and installation artist who works out of the Make Space Studios in London.

I had the pleasure of providing Hiroko with one of our pocket notebooks to try out using her own style of Art in exchange of asking a few questions and getting some feedback on the product itself.

Before I move onto some questions for Hiroko I wanted to share the amazing pieces of art that were handed back to me within the notebook.

Hello Hiroko, and thank you so much for trialing our pocket notebooks. Before I get to your creative process could you share a little bit of history about yourself? How did you get into painting, printmaking, and installation art — and what was your background?

Since I was a child I liked making things with different materials and methods so it was only natural for me to approach what I want to express via different media.
When I was a University student in Japan I became interested in Japanese traditional art techniques such as Japanese woodblock printmaking, paper making, folded screen making and hanging scroll making and that led me to learn all these skills in Japan and now I am teaching these in the U.K..

Where do you find inspiration for your artwork?

‘Nature' or 'Dance & Movements’. I like to capture the movement of nature or dance and interpret into an abstract format in my own way.

When inspiration strikes do you have a particular workflow that takes it from idea/concept phase and right the way through to a finished piece?

Not particularly.

When you're exploring ideas do you have a set of tools that you always reach for? Paper, Pencils, Pens, paints etc etc

I like to use brushes with strokes.

I think the brush makes me able to interpret the movement and speed I feel.

Before you go if you were to go back to your younger creative self what would the one piece of advice be?

Do what you like & explore

Thanks for your time Hiroko. If anyone is interested in continuing the conversation how do they get in touch with you or see more of your work?

Via my website or Facebook Artist page.
www.hirokoimada.com
www.facebook.com/hirokoimada.uk

For Adults, I teach Japanese Woodblock Printmaking via the Prince’s School of Traditional Arts. Check out the next course!

For future courses, please register with PSTA mailing list.

For Schools, I run Japanese Woodblock Printmaking one day course via the British Museum.