Into the Artist's World with Akiko Juni

Welcome to Into the Artist's World.

Each month i will ask an artist who is teaching a class with STILL a few questions about themselves and their practise

This month we have Akiko Juni joining us from Japan.

When is your most creative part of the day?

Morning. I love the moment I walk into the studio with my first
cup of coffee. And then, on a perfect day, I take a quick nap in the afternoon. When I wake up, it feels like I get to have another morning, with a second cup of coffee.

What is your favourite thing to draw? 

It isn’t something I’ve consciously decided, but I tend to draw or
paint things you might find in domestic settings, such as bowls of fruit, jugs, or flowers in a vase. I have a real affection for the steady rhythm of everyday life, and these still life objects remind me of that. It's my way of tending to my own life and appreciating simple gestures in a world that seems to be growing more and more complex.

What’s an unexpected influence? Something which gave you a
surprising jolt of creativity and stimulated your work?

There are several things I keep in my mind’s scrapbook: pieces of driftwood I’ve collected along the beach, old maps of the Alps, the damp moss gardens of Eihei-ji Temple after the rain, and a morning walk through a coastal town in France where I noticed countless variations of warm grey. I collect all sorts of seemingly random things as I move through life, and they quietly seep into my work.

What motivates you to make your art?

I love the act of drawing and painting itself, the tactile feeling
of making marks on paper. I love getting lost in that process.

What is your favourite medium to work in and why?

 I go through phases with different mediums, and I love each of
them for different reasons, so choosing one is difficult. But if I had to pick, I'd say charcoal. I love its simplicity—I can even make my own from branches cut from the yard—and the way this simple stick allows you to create a wide range of marks, from light to dark and delicate to bold. There’s something primitive about it.

Are you self taught or did you go to art school?

I have a degree in graphic design and spent 15 years working as a
graphic designer, where I learned the basics of color, value, and design. In terms of drawing and painting, I'm largely self-taught, although I’ve learned a great deal through books, workshops, and classes over the years.

Other artists and the things that inspire me have also played an important role in shaping my work. When I come across a piece of work that resonates with me, I often try to understand what draws me to it, whether it’s its texture, spontaneity, use of color, or something else entirely, and then try to incorporate that into
my own work.

I’ve come to think it’s better not to be told exactly how to do things. When you're left to figure things out yourself, you have the chance to invent your own way.

Tell us 5 of your favourite artist’s/makers/designers?

 Giorgio Morandi for his deceptively effortless watercolours.

Henri Matisse for his expressive line drawings.

Samiro Yunoki for his artistic philosophy.

Idris Murphy for his balance between abstraction and representation.

Alfred Wallis for the handmade, craft-like quality of his work.