Tomo was born in Shijonawate, the countryside of Osaka, Japan. She grew up playing and exploring nature all day, through endless rice fields, as the middle child of three sisters. Due to her father's business, her family moved to Tokyo, where they spent most of late 70's and 80's in the highest peak of Japan's economic boom. Once in Tokyo, it was discovered that Tomo suffered from many allergies, which often forced her to stay inside, wishing to go outside and play amongst the other children. One day, her uncle brought her a stack of leftover database printouts for her to draw. Upon reflection, it was the greatest gift in her childhood, and served to transform the rest of her life. She found a new freedom. For countless hours she created works in her own world on unlimited papers where anything was possible.

At fourteen, Tomo decided to pursue the study of art even more rigorously, and applied for a specialized school in this field. The following year, she was accepted by and enrolled in the Tokyo Metropolitan High School for Music and Fine Arts. At sixteen, with the help of a non-profit organization (YFU), Tomo became an exchange student on her way to Kerman, California to study English. After 12 months, she returned to Japan to submit her painting at the prestigious Metropolitan Museum in Ueno. Her first time large scale painting (6' x 4.5') "Scream" was accepted and exhibited at the museum in following year. In 1991, she opted to make her next destination Atlanta, GA. There she studied at the Atlanta College of Art (renamed to SCAD Atlanta). In 1992, during their annually judged Exhibition, her drawing "String" was selected as the best drawing of the year, and thus she was awarded the honor; the presidential scholarship. Tomo continued her artwork after graduation, participated in several group shows in Atlanta as well as working her Kimono collage paintings for an ongoing exhibition at Soto Japanese Restaurant.

(Photo: At Tokyo Metropolitan Museum. 1991) :

After college, Tomo worked as a graphic designer for 16 years. Last year, she made a decision to focus on her art, her unforgettable best friend from childhood. Currently she works in her studio in Harlem, New York. She has found her artistic home in Harlem where she thrives from the creative energy.

Before passing away in 2008, her father left her a message, "If you continue to paint, paint what only you can paint." Heeding his words, she spent six months assessing her skills, experience, & passions while experimenting with several different painting methods. Inspiration struck while Tomo was taking a local dance class in Mali. She knew exactly what she needed to do for her paintings. How many Japanese artists, who grew up in the rice fields, would end up dancing traditional Malian dance in Bamako? How many would leave the CNN newsroom to go straight to a salsa club? At that moment, Tomo realized that her life experience among different cultures combined with her boundless curiosity fuels the engine that makes her art original.

Since she found a solution to her father's message, Tomo has focused on three main elements in her current series, "Aggregate".

1. Music and Dance: Tomo has studied Latin/African dance and music for the past ten years. As she tried to draw the music with her body, she started seeing imageries of sounds. These were the initial inspirations for small dots and squares she uses in this series.

2. Process: During her tenure as a corporate web designer, Tomo learned that a solid process laid the foundation for a successful product. She used this type of structured thinking to devise the method and process for her collage like painting work. Although her method is exacting, Tomo draws upon her Japanese craftsmanship in order to create and complete her art.

3. Colors: Tomo uses colors to represent what she sees and feels about the world. She studies color therapy and applies the combinations for regenerative purposes. Tomo's greatest joy would be to lift someone's spirit even for a moment. Happier individuals make happier community and happier communities make the world better place.


Education

The Atlanta College of Art (renamed to Savannah College of Art Atlanta), 1991-1995 BFA.
Tokyo Metropolitan High School for Music & Fine Art, 1988-1991.

Work Experience

Present: Studio Artist, Freelance Web/Graphic Designer of Tomotion Studio.
2006-2010: DIRECTV Inc, art director, web
1995-2006: CNN.com, CNN/Money.com, Graphic designer/art director, web