Yuki Shibuya

studio art 

“Bittersweet” Beauty
My paintings are very floral and the flowers are symbolic in both their literal definitions and how I try to use them in my paintings. There is a veiled meaning for my paintings with only a few people knowing what the underlying meaning of the flowers mean, so not everyone is able to decode the message I leave. Optimism is the message I try to convey for both myself and for the people I paint for; specifically. Those people being my family and my close friends I use in my paintings for reference. I paint portraits of those I know and whose stories I feel I can convey through the style of my artwork. Depending on the flowers, my palette typically uses bright and vivid colors, highlighting the grayscale figures in my paintings. The natural color of the flowers sets the color tone for the rest of the painting. My ceramic bowls have relief designs on the face of the bowls and the interior of them. The designs consist of floral patterns and scenery that come from personal experinces. I glaze some of them with accurate coloring and some solid and more neutral colors. Depending on the flowers, my palette typically uses bright and vivid colorsI have also created bowls that follow ceramic origami patterns, concluding with very refined and simplified pieces. I wanted to create statement pieces rather than functional bowls. The patterns I choose to apply to my ceramics are not dependent on any specific meaning but meant to be conversation starters and create a more optimistic message I try to convey and thoughtfulness.