Tomiko Bailey

As a child in Japan Tomiko loved collage, drawing, watercolor while receiving awards in local art competitions. To this day she holds a fond memory of the artist who taught her classes. In her mid twenties, she moved to San Francisco and met her husband who was raised in the art world, together they visited many museums and art events in the U.S. Europe and Japan. She had eye opening experiences immersing herself in amazing art.

They moved to Tokyo for eight years to live Japanese art and culture. She studied the aesthetic style of Zen cuisine for four years with a temple Abbess along with occasional tea ceremonies in magnificent settings and places.

On returning to California, she taught at a Buddhist temple in Mountain View and her students loved this artful cuisine of health, taste and beauty. Her desire for art arouse again. She picked up again her art skills of oil and watercolor painting. Not long after, she got selected for various plein air competitions and juried shows mostly in California. Tomiko considers herself a self taught painter.

California offers numerous beautiful places to paint with intense light from the sky accentuating the earth tones. Plein air painting is naturally her favorite way to paint.

Tomiko says: “Nature never reveals the exact same scene again: light, colors, shapes constantly shift in time. It is thrilling and satisfying to paint outdoors, tiptoeing around the canvas to capture fresh impressions of the landscape while realizing I am part of it. Every scene exalts feelings and creates a state of mind. My intention is to paint a scene so open and unlimited by the frame that the viewer feels free to enter.”