Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Miki Yokoyama . We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Miki, so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.
I actually don’t especially have a lot of confidence or self-esteem. There are many things that I lack, things that I’m not able to do, and things that others do better than I do. However, this is something that I’m okay with. I’m okay with not having a lot of confidence in myself. I try to look at myself from a place of neutrality. I’ll improve what I need to improve. If there are things I want to do, I’ll try to do them. I see myself just as I am, and focus on doing what I can, one step at a time.
It did take me time to be able to feel this way, though. In the past I often focused on the things I didn’t have or couldn’t do. I compared myself to others and felt frustrated when I didn’t achieve results. I had a sense of inferiority that made me feel like I had to be on constant guard. Being in a mental state like that makes your mind and body rigid, and being rigid makes everything more difficult. I realized that I needed to let my guard down to allow my mind and body to move fluidly. I needed to move past my ideas about inferiority or confidence.
Feeling gratitude to myself just as I am, to my environment, to my family, my parents, my friends has been key. Finding the things to be grateful for lets accept myself and focus on the now.
While it’s not quite what I would call confidence, being able to feel this way fills me with a quiet pride.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I started making art after experiencing a sudden realization. One day while in contemplation, I felt deep inside me the truth that I would one day disappear. I felt deeply the impermanence of all things. I saw all as transient, a cycle of being and non-being. I saw that this is how things have always been and always will be. I felt my own being itself to be impossibly close to nothingness, my life to be as brief as a single moment. After I had this experience, I was left with the powerful desire to express what I felt in a form that could be seen.
Since then I’ve tried to express what I felt in many ways. Painting, objects, murals, and performance art are some of the mediums I’ve explored.
Among the projects I’ve done, murals are the most exciting for me. I like to make things large in scale, as that allows me to better express the awe I feel for the universe and the strangeness of life and nature.
Lately I’ve focused particularly on color works. During my earlier years of making art, I only worked in black and white, but I’ve gradually become more comfortable using color, and want to continue deepening my technique.
You can email me at [email protected] if you are interested in purchasing my work or requesting a commission.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
The first is the ability to take my time to put my heart into my work. I want to give each of my pieces a part of my soul in the hopes that it can be communicated to those who experience my art.
The second is the ability to let my heart guide me and to let the art flow out from me. It’s important for me to be as I am, and to let what I’m feeling flow out without any obstacles.
The third is my desire to create work that is able to communicate with the people who view it. I want my work to have heart and soul. I want my art to be able to tell stories to others.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
Yes, I’ve collaborated with many artists across a variety of mediums. I especially enjoy collaborating on murals.
I’ve had wonderful collaborations with sculptors, on inflatable art, and I’d love to work more with sculptures and other objects.
Additionally, while it hasn’t been published yet, I have done illustrations for a picture book. I’m very interested in doing more illustrations for books.
If my art speaks to anyone reading this, please don’t hesitate to reach out!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://mikiyokoyama.com
- Instagram: @mikiyokoyama.art
- Facebook: @mikiyokoyama.art
Image Credits
Personal photo by Mehdi Hassine
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
