I love creating open stories in my artwork.   

The mix of my Japanese father and my Oregon born and raised-on-a-farm mother made an incongruent world where a beautiful Kannon (goddess of mercy) shared the same space as a polyester afghan blanket. Living with that mix makes me love that same odd mix in chinoiserie (the European art/design made in a Chinese style).  That wrongness is right to me.

My hands have touched, brushed and molded the art. Figurative elements connect the viewer with an emotional alliance and an implied story. The plot is open to interpretation and embellishment. Exploration reveals cultivated references: animism, Americana, class, history, consumerism, humor, decorative arts, Shintoism, and love of beauty. 

Transformation of space invigorates my spirit. I incorporate drawing, ceramic sculpture, oil painting, wood, bronze, concrete, light, and other materials, bringing a feeling of warmth and connection to magnify experiential qualities.

BIO:

Saya Moriyasu has exhibited at venues including the Deitch Art Parade (New York), Aqua Art Miami (Florida), Montserrat College of Art (Massachusetts), Henry Art Gallery Gift Shop Project, Bellevue Arts Museum, Tacoma Art Museum, and Wing Luke Museum for the Asian American Experience (Washington state unless noted). After graduating with a BFA from the University of Washington, Moriyasu was awarded residencies at Skowhegan and at Pilchuck Glass School. An alumnus of SOIL Artist-Run Gallery and represented by J. Rinehart Gallery in Seattle, Washington.  Inspirations include Americana, consumerism, humor, the decorative arts, class, history, Buddhism, and a love of beauty.  Her work often consisted of many small pieces that make up a larger piece, in clay, wood, prints, and other materials.