Hiroko Maya Okahashi
134 Kapahulu Ave. #909 Honolulu HI 96815 USA
+1(617)230-3722
Education
Corcoran School of Art in Washington, D.C. 1981 - 1983
School of Visual Arts in New York, NY 1985 - 1986 & 2012 - 2013
Harvard University Extension School in Cambridge, MA 1989
University of Hawaii in Honolulu, HI 1990 - 1992
Mass College of Art and Design in Boston, MA 2000 - 2001
Award-winning work Exhibition
2022 "I am where I want to be" NAWA online Exhibition In New York, NY
2021 Virginia Stukey Memorial Award, "132 Annual Exhibition" NAWA in New York, NY
2020 The First Place of "Small Works And Beyond" NAWA(National Association of Women Artists, Inc.) in New York, NY
2018 "The New Member of the National Association of Women Artists, Inc" in New York, NY
2017 "Solo Show" Cambridge Community Television (Karen Aqua Gallery) in Cambridge, MA
2017 Cambridge Art Association in Cambridge, MA
2016 “ItsLiquid experimental Art Architecture and Design Festival” in Rome, Italy
Hiroko Maya Okahashi "Liquid Light" art work
2015 Tokyo National Art Center (Genten Art Society) in Tokyo, Japan
2015 Osaka Art Museum (Zenkansai Art Competition) in Osaka, Japan
2015 Osaka Art Museum (Genten Art Society) in Osaka, Japan
2015 “Labirynt Festival” in Slubice, Poland and Germany
Invited by Professor Jerzy Olek of the Academy of Fine Arts in Poland
2014 “ItsLiquid International ArtExpo” in Venice, Italy
Film: https://youtu.be/AYtjyx9iiqA
Film: http://www.itsliquid.com/interview-hiroko-okahashi.html
2014 Almeria MECA (Mediterráneo Centro Artístico) in Almeria, Spain
2010 “Solo Show” Cambridge Multicultural Arts Center in Cambridge, MA
2007 “Solo Show” Virginia Carten Gallery in Marblehead, MA
2007 “Solo Show” Marblehead Arts Association in Marblehead, MA
2006 “Solo Show” Fresh Eggs in Boston, MA
2006 "Solo Show” Hayato in New York, NY
2006 LynnArts Inc. in Lynn, MA
2006 Gallery @ Piano Factory in Boston, mA
2005-Present The Edwin O. Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies at Harvard University in Cambridge, MA
2004 Boston Actors WorkShop in Boston, MA
2003 “Solo Show” Wainwright Bank in Cambridge, MA
2002 “Solo Exhibition” Cambridge Multicultural Arts Center in Cambridge, MA
2002-2004 Cambridge Open Studio, Cambridge, MA
2001-2002 Provincetown Art Association in Providence, MA
1999-2002 Gibbs Gallery Arlington Center for Art Gallery in Arlington, MA
2000-2002 Cambridge Art Association in Cambridge, MA
2001 “Solo Show” Sacrament Gallery in Cambridge, MA
2001 Boston Center for the Arts in Boston, MA
2000 “Solo Show” South Rutanda Gallery at Boston Hynes Convention Center in Boston, MA
2000 The Gallery at 38 Cameron in Arlington, MA
2000 Out of Blue Gallery in Cambridge, MA
2000 ”Solo Show”Cambridge Community Television in Cambridge, MA
2000 - 2001 Tremont Gallery of International Society in Boston, MA
2000 Cambridge Center for Adult Education in Cambridge, MA
1999 Stanford Fine Art Gallery in Sarasota,, FL
1993 -1995 Honolulu Museum of Arts in Honolulu, HI
1993 -1995 Honolulu Academy Arts of Association in Honolulu, HI
1991 -1998 Honolulu Printmakers in Honolulu, HI
1991 -1998 Hawaii photographic Society in Honolulu, HI
1996 “Solo Show” Michael Video Filem Inc. in Honolulu, HI
1996 “Solo Show”Alana Hotel in Honolulu, HI
1995 “Solo Show” Paul Brown Gallery in Honolulu, HI
1994 Agora Gallery in Honolulu, HI
1993 “Solo Show” Ramsay Galleries in Honolulu, HI
1993 University of Hawaii in Honolulu, HI
1992 “ Solo Show” Che Pasta Galley in Honolulu, HI
1989 Ariel Arts Gallery (Exhibition of SOHO Art Competition #9, NY) in Soho, NY
1989 Kampo Culture Center in Soho, NY
1989 Multi-Media Arts Gallery, in Soho, NY
1989 Consulate General of Japan in New York
1983 Stanford Fine Art Gallery in Washington DC
1983 Charles River Boat House in Cambridge, MA
as well as many other locations.
Awards
2022: "I am where I want to be" NAWA online Exhibition In New York, NY
2021 : Virginia Stukey Memorial Award, "132 Annual Exhibition" NAWA in New York, NY
2020: The First Place of "Small Works And Beyond" NAWA(National Association of Women Artists, Inc.) in New York, NY
2018: The Member of the National Association of Women Artists, Inc. in New York, NY
2017: “Community Supported Artist” Cambridge Art Council in Cambridge, MA
2015: "Honorable award to be a member of Genten Art Society" in Japan
2010: "Solo Show"Multi Art Culture Center in Cambridge, MA
2008: "Solo Show" Virginia Carten Gallery, Marblehead, MA
2007: "Honorable Mentions" Marblehead Arts Association in Marblehead, MA
2006: "Honorable Mentions” the LynnArts Inc. in Lynn, MA
2000: "Solo Show" Multi Art Culture Center in Cambridge, MA
2000: “Publication Award” New Art International in New York, NY
1999: "Publication Award "Art Crow Magazine in New York, NY
1993: "Frame Shack Award" in Honolulu, HI
1993: "Hawaiian Graphic Award" in Honolulu, HI
1991: "Acquisition Award” the State Foundation on Culture and Arts in Honolulu, Hawaii,
1991: “Honolulu Printmaker Award” Honolulu Printmaker in Honolulu, HI,
1991: “Solo Exhibition Award” Ramsay Galleries in Honolulu, HI
1990: “Fellowships Award" Arts Matters Inc. in New York,NY
1990: Publication " Art Nippon Camera Magazine” in Japan
1989: Two Awards Clifford Chieffo, Juror for the "Exhibition of SOHO Art Competition #9, NY” in New York, NY
1989 & 1988: Three Awards of " Excellence" from Photographer's Forum Magazine in CA
1984: Publication "TABI" (The biggest Travel Magazine in Japan) in Japan
1983: "The Photography Contest of Washington D.C." in Washington, D C
1983: Second Prize of “River Bend Park Photography Contest" in Cambridge, MA
Collections
The State Foundation on Culture and Arts in Honolulu, HI 1991
The Edwin O. Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies at Harvard University 2007
Many Private collections in the United State 1991 - present
Donations to “The Art Connections, Inc.” in Boston, MA 2000
“The Women’s Center” in Cambridge, MA 2000
“The South End Community Health Center” in Cambridge, MA 2000
Fellowships Award
“Art Matters Ink” 1990
“Community Supported Artist” Cambridge Art Council, in Cambridge, MA 2017
Publications
"Almost Free" Fine Art Fashion Photography Published 2017
" Nagasaki" novel book's cover inParis, France 2017
“Genten 2015” ( Genten Art Society) in Japan 2015
“LABIRYNT 2015” in Slubice, Poland 2015
“More than Meets the Eye” Book for the illustration of the story by Lee Pierce
The first publication 2010
The second publication 2013
“Wicked Local” Newspaper in MarbleHead, MA 2007
“New Art International” Book Art Press, Ltd. Woodstock, NY 2001
Volume VI P.21 2000
“Art Crowd Magazine” in New York 2000
“Chronicle” Newspaper in Boston, MA 2000
“Takara Magazine” in Boston, MA 2000
“Aikido Today Magazine”(Japanese Martial Art) in California. As a photographer 1998-2001
“Cultural Survival” Magazine’s Cover and postcards 1999-2008
“Honolulu Magazine” in Honolulu, HI. Published photographs for the story 1993
“The Picture Cube Inc.” in Boston, MA Photography Stock Market 1989-1999
“New York Yomiuri Press Inc. “ Japanese Newspaper) in New York, NY 1989-1991
Articles and photographs about Boston and Hawaii
“Parenting Magazine” in San Francisco, CA 1989-1990
Published the illustration of the stories for the assignments
“D C Heath and Company” in Boston, MA 1989
“Art Nippon Camera Magazine” in Japan 1989
“TABI” (the biggest Travel Magazine) in Japan. Published an article and photographs
on “ Commonwealth Dominica” in Caribbean 1987
“River Bend Park Photography Contest" Cambridge Press in Cambridge, MA 1983
HIROKO MAYA OKAHASHI - BREIF BIOGRAPHY
I am a female artist and photographer who was born and grew up in Japan. I have been a resident in the United States since 1980. I love Japanese culture and am skilled in the Japanese arts such as, Japanese calligraphy, watercolor, silkscreen printing, flower arrangement, tea ceremony, martial arts (Aikido),
.Japanese song and dance.I have been creating and inventing my own original art to combine these traditional Asian classic
.culture with modern photographic techniques and different medias
My interest in photography began at the Corcoran School of Art in Washington, D.C. in 1981 and grew
during my studies at the School of Visual Arts in New York, the Harvard University Extension School
.in Cambridge, MA, and the University of Hawaii in Hawaii.
My photographic goal has been to achieve simplicity of design and composition reminiscent of
classical style. I have created images, often using as my subject the reflection of my own body in
mirrors. The reflected image brings a surreal quality to the images, transcending time and space. My
model is a woman in search of her lost identity: a mother, daughter, lover, and divorced wife, torn
.between her traditional upbringing and her present life in a foreign land
.In 1989, I started using “liquid light” of strokes and images, on watercolor paper with my photographs in the dark room
By using painting with this medium to show the brush strokes, in my own style, I achieve a unique combination
of strokes and images, so that my photographs may look like Japanese black brush paintings, and brush strokes I was able to bring flowing movement into my pictures, resulting in fascinating visual effects.
Later I began to bring color into my work by incorporating silk screening techniques. This has allowed
me to bring more emotion into my pictures, as well as striking contrast. The use of different kinds of
printmaking and watercolor techniques further expanded the borders of my art.
I have been taking pictures of myself and my sons since my first pregnancy, now for almost 30 years.
These photographs of my life are my diary. To this day, I continue using myself as a model for my
portraits, wearing my own dresses and kimonos to create personal fashion shows. Movement in my
photographs adds excitement, and now, instead of using “liquid light” with physical brush strokes, I
use computer technology to manipulate my photographs. I take self-portraits in dance and then make
slide shows of these photographs and films combined with music. Adapting to new techniques, I create
art whose style is similar to that which I achieved in the dark room when I began, though now with
completely different tools.