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Tomoyo Ihaya: Fountain: New Works
Art Beatus Gallery
Vancouver BC thru Mar 11, 2005
Tomoyo Ihaya, Searching for Water 1 (2003), mixed media on Japanese paper [Art Beatus Gallery, Vancouver, BC, through Mar 11]
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Fountain by Tomoyo Ihaya is a special collection of prints and mixed media works using water as a unifying theme. The woolly little sculptural beings and cryptic figurative drawings display a visceral interest in organs, body auras and exhaled breath. The prints are populated with tiny animals and silver stars, as well as enigmatic drinking and exhaling people. The naivete and whimsical spirit of Ihaya's imagery is inspired by the work of Paul Klee, Frida Kahlo, Edgar Ende and Kinochi Suzuki.
The sculpture or “little people” installations are a new venture for Ihaya. The work was funded in part by a B.C. Visual Arts Development Award in 2004, which provided opportunities for British Columbia’s emerging or mid-career visual artists to explore new techniques and processes.
Tomoyo Ihaya, Fountain (Stars) (2003), mixed media on Japanese paper [Art Beatus Gallery, Vancouver BC, through Mar 11]
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Ihaya is a Japanese-born artist who came to Canada in 1994. She actively pursued studies at Mount Allison, Emily Carr Institute, Capilano College and the Malaspina Printmakers Society. In 2002, she earned an M.F.A in Studio Art at the University of Alberta. She has exhibited in international print and drawing shows, in Japan, Taiwan, Lithuania, Estonia, Italy, Bulgaria and Argentina. Ihaya has been the recipient of numerous grants and awards for her unique printmaking.
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