Life & Work with Yuko Kyutoku

Today we’d like to introduce you to Yuko Kyutoku.

Hi Yuko, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory. 
I am originally from Japan and currently living in Queens, New York. I work as an artist and art therapist based in New York. I was born in Gifu and grew up in Aichi, Japan. I was having grown up next to both nature with mountains and rivers and urban areas, my love of nature and the outdoors grew tremendously. Throughout my life, I have always been fascinated by images and how the world is represented through the eyes of others. Also, I was born into a doctor’s family that appreciates art so much and my father used to take me to many museums, signed me up for various art workshops such as ceramics as well as taking trips to see concerts. My grandmother was also an artist, and she exhibited her works throughout Japan. Naturally, I was drawn to drawings and paintings. The interest was cultivated during my childhood and further developed when I opted to complete her associate’s degree in visual arts at Westchester Community College in 2016, my bachelor’s degree in fine art, painting, drawing, and printmaking at SUNY Purchase College in New York in 2019, and a master’s degree in art therapy at New York University in 2022. 

My artmaking process is transformative. I love traveling, visiting museums and galleries, reading literature, watching films, listening to music, and meeting other artists. I get inspiration from these experiences and make art based on them. I feel that life experiences open up many opportunities and make my artwork richer, more personal, and more unique. My art mentor is Susanna Heller, who taught me so much during my senior year, especially how to convey personal narrative into artworks at SUNY Purchase College. During my school years, I focused on expanding my knowledge, abilities, and networks. I frequently visited museums and galleries and attended multiple artist seminars in various locations. All of these events helped me discover my artistic style and launch my career as an artist in its early phases. 

I held several shows internationally. I had solo shows at the Ouchi Gallery, the General Consulate of Japan in New York, Gallery Petite, Cafe Grumpy in Fashion District, Local Project Art Space, Cafe Grumpy in Chelsea, Holy Art Gallery in Greece and London, Holy Art in Times Square, and Yada City Gallery. I also collaborated with other artists and had group shows at Local Project Art Space past years. My works and shows were featured in numerous art magazines, online platforms, and major newspapers, including Create! Magazine, JaamZIN Magazine, Long Island Weekly Newspaper, Creases Magazine, Flora Fiction, Vine Magazine, Seikyo Newspaper, DoodleWash, and Globo Arte Magazine, as well as in an interview with Sakura Radio in New York. 

I also have received many scholarships and awards, including the Juror’s Choice Award for my printmaking book from Julian Kreimer, who is a SUNY Purchase College representative, in 2015. 

I have worked for the Aichi Triennale, which is an urban international art festival held at the Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art and the Aichi Art Center in Japan. I currently work as an artist to produce artwork and plan to exhibit my recent work in solo shows this year at Yada City Gallery in Japan and Holy Art Gallery in London, Athens, and New York. I am also currently working on publishing my first children’s book this year. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I could say it was easy because I love what I do so much. I am so hungry to learn everything from everyone during my school years. I always ask so many questions, email professors every week about assignments, and go to see shows at many museums as part of my studies. I love doing them and could not stop doing them. There are some obstacles I had along the way, such as finding my style in art, which took me a few years, and I am still learning and polishing. It was hard to find my style and protect it. I often use blue because it is a happy color to me, and it speaks to me the most. During my school years, classmates and professors told me to not use blue anymore and use red instead. I tried it, and I felt I lost my voice in art and could not finish making paintings. I then realized I needed to protect and stand up for myself and my expression in art. Instead of using different colors which don’t speak to me at all, I kept fighting using blues and tried to expand the blue scheme by adding greenish blues, replenish blues, and traditional Japanese blues, etc. After I had done several experiments and research, my classmates and professors started accepting what I liked and did. It was a relief, and I am still using blue in my art today. 

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am an artist who specializes in painting, drawing, and printmaking. I received several awards for my work over the years. I like traditional mediums the most because I like using my hands, but these days, I am also experimenting with digital painting using an iPad. I am also working as a therapist at Children’s Hospital and provide art therapy for children and young adults with neurological disabilities. I also facilitate many seasonal workshops, such as Lunar New Year, Diwali, and Hanukkah, and provide art therapy interventions and activities based on these holidays for patients with diverse backgrounds. I am proud of what I do. Helping others use art is a great feeling, and I also see my patients benefit from art therapy too. Art therapy can be a tool for patients who are nonverbal to communicate and express themselves visually. 

I believe my artist’s career and experiences really helped me work at the hospital. I often collaborate with other artists during these seasonal events for the patients, come up with art therapy interventions, curate art shows, and display patient’s artwork in units, as well as create spaces where many people, including staff, families, and patients, can enjoy and connect together by attending these events, sessions, and programs I do. Many things I do at the hospital overlap with what I do as an artist, so I really think my experiences as an artist help me accomplish what I want to accomplish for my patients there. 

I am working on multiple projects this spring. I am forming my business, STUDIO COSMO, LLC, in Queens, NY, this spring and am excited to offer more services to the community and make my vision come true. I am also focused on my upcoming shows at the Holy Art Gallery in London, Athenes, Times Square, and solo shows at Yada City Gallery. I look forward to more opportunities in the coming years. 

What do you like and dislike about the city?
I like the culturally rich environments in LA the most. I am from Japan, and diversity has always been my interest as an Asian artist and art therapist. I have been to the studio and took different workshops to learn more about different cultures. There is a diverse community in LA that inspires me in many ways, especially when it comes to creating artwork and working with a diverse population. 

I am not a fan of the heavy traffic in the city. I have many things on my list, and I still try to finish them while I am commuting, such as listening to podcasts, checking out new art exhibitions, etc. 

Contact Info:

• Instagram: yuko.kyutoku
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yuko-kyutoku-907252180/

Image Credits
Ramsey Vazquez