Today we’d like to introduce you to Kensei Morita.
Kensei, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
In the first several important years of my life in Aichi, Japan, I made precious memories that would become the heart of who I would become. I was the kind of kid who went around with my friends chasing stag beetles and cicadas, burrowing for crawfish in my neighbors’ rice paddies, and made a secret base under a bush in the park. This excitement I felt was engraved in me; its mark peered through even the layers of bark I would grow as I age, showing me what is true about myself, and guiding me through this complicated life that not always made it easy to know who I can be.
I feel lucky and thankful for my surroundings that encouraged my creativity. As a five years old, I was always drawing, folding origami, or making sculptures out of chopsticks and rubber bands. Fascination turned into passion and the desire to create only grew as time went by. 20 years later, I now have a strong yearning to not only make art for myself but to share the stories I have to tell. I chose this path in my life not because of its promise of a pleasant road, but because I know in my gut that I want to create something beautiful; one that will make someone cry.
Has it been a smooth road?
Because of my dad’s business, my family had moved from Japan to New York City around the time I turned seven. My four years old sister and I were too young to understand what moving to a different country meant. It meant that no one understood our language. It meant feeling embarrassed every time we didn’t know something that was obvious to a native kid. It meant that my parents with a highschool education were as clueless as I was on what to do with me. After two years in NYC, my dad’s business moved us again to Chicago. Then three years after that we moved to LA. And even though it was chaotic, the young me had normalized it very quickly after the first time. I don’t remember feeling a lingering sadness or resentment.
Only years after I look back that I realized these events had a huge impact on me. What I especially didn’t know is that the silhouette of my identity was blurring as I was trying to string together an unnecessarily complex form of myself as a defense mechanism to fit in. At the same time, I’ve forgotten what it felt like to enjoy being creative. I criticized and ridiculed my lack of creative talent – resulting in two years of never lifting my drawing pencils. Then I finally realized at junior year in highschool, that the real ridiculousness was my fear to see myself. I had never felt more freeing than that moment – I finally listened to where my heart wanted to go.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I am a Visual Development artist in Animation. The reason I chose this path is because I believe this profession is where my passion and business blends together most clearly. Visual Development artists take a formless concept and give it life. They are responsible for the overall expression of a visual work. It’s a position where the artists’ stories and what they have to say is as important as accurately portraying the concept. Why animation? I was actually aiming towards video game or live-action industry for a long time. But I realized; animation has always been the medium that struck deepest into my emotions. It’s an instrument that allows me to articulate my stories – in the most unfiltered, poetic expression.
I’m proud of all the projects I’ve been hired to do because it shows that people recognized my art as something that speaks to them in some way. But I’m most proud of how I’ve continued to pour all of my energy into this passion and hone my skills every day despite this tough hunt for a self-sustaining job.
My designs are unique to my name because every brush stroke is a reaction of my life. Every tendency to each hand tremble – only I can draw the way I do because only I have lived my life. So long as I continue to stay true to my passion – and create from the heart – my work will always be authentic to me.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Yes. LA is the hub of entertainment media. I think it goes without saying that if you’re starting out in the animation or live-action industry, LA is a very immersive community to be in. I feel very lucky that my family moved here. And not only because of its relevance to my career – but because compared to everywhere else I’ve been, LA has been the most inclusive, diverse, and open-minded community I’ve experienced.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://artofkensei.wixsite.com/portfolio/home
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/kensei.art/
- Twitter: twitter.com/Kenseiart
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