Meet Mie Iwatsuki

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Mie Iwatsuki. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Mie below.

Mie, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?

I always try to situate myself with creative people or practice, perhaps because I was also an artist (painter/ art student) before and I best connect with artists, mentally , emotionally and intellectually. I believe art is the form that can help many people to communicate without languages and it can also serve as a medium for contemplation, connection and meaningful conversations and ultimately self reflection. I like people who has insights and worldly and have interest in global issues and conscious about society. I feel that great artists are not indifferent to others in a sense because ultimately we can not live without each other, living in the harmony to find purpose.
I have been very fortunate to being surrounded amazing artists around the world today and have sat for them.
I often try to find myself by contemplation through the art works or the gaze when I am working with artists and sitting for them. Many years later, eventually some people start calling me artist muse in the art world, but I was just doing what I love. I love art and artists and to communicate with artists and to learn about them was my joy, I felt I found a meaning of life.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

After graduated from college studying Fine Art, I was working in the art world, first I interned at Christie’s Auction house, then worked at a Japanese gallery in Soho for some time. I then became an art curator working with many internationally acclaimed artists. Through the experience working closely with each artist, whether by curating or being the subject of their creations, I get to be very close to many artists.
After some time, people started to call me artist muse. Even there was my portrait exhibition was held where I posed for 35 artists and wrote for each story.
I have posted over 50 or more artists in my life. I now also working as a fashion, commercial and beauty model but my experience working with each artists was most unforgettable experience.

I always appreciate art of any genre, any art history period and also antiquities, I love to explore human creation and their philosophy & culture that comes with it. I love learning history, art history and also interested in learning human condition. Having surrounded by many great art and artists have given me great experience and opportunities in exploring their world of artistic philosophy.

Through this journey I learned that I am interested in the mind of such people, I like to be inside of someone’s philosophy and then recently I feel I discovered the joy of acting.
I just started and am still learning, but it will be my 3rd film I will be working on next year. I play a protagonist in this short (to be a feature) film, it is a story of a Japanese female monk who existed in 19C. Japan, who was an acclaimed poet, artist, and her works are exhibited all over the world today. She was also a storied beauty who many people traveled miles to just to get a glimpse of her. But most importantly, her way of living, her mindset, kindness and giving spirit were the most mind blowing and profound aspect of her being and being respected and many of her stories remain as great teachings until today.
I have leaned so many things from this character from the director, Neha Lohia whom I am working closely with for this project.
I also made effort to practice to attain Japanese Tea Ceremony and calligraphy to get the glimpse of the spiritual mindset of this subject. I wish to be as truth as this person in my acting practice, but also make me want to learn the spiritual aspect of this profound character for my ownself in real life, I believe this project will give me a profound & personal self reflective journey.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Art teaches many things, not only the current social issues, but also reflect on the human condition. When creating art, you can not be indifferent to the matters surrounds you, the world & people. I learn that we are all different, but our difference makes our world beautiful and there are so many different circumstances that created who we are. I learned to be compassionate to people. Art and artists also taught me to be less materialistic because what remains when all material is gone is love. Artists have many different forms and way to express it.
It also taught me what most important to focus is in the present tense, not the transient past, you can find happiness in the present, any situations if you have attained the right mindset.

I also think that I learned many things in my upbringing looking at my late-grandmother who was very respected woman in Japan. Her way of love, ethics and justice to people have taught me something.
I was always curious and studied art , art history, and also some languages in college and that allowed me to travel the world.
Learning language was something I was good at. first it was Chinese (Mandarin) and then English, and then French.
Some are fluent, some are not. I love to communicate with people and learn from different cultures and their way of life, maybe because I am constant search on myself. The answer may not be only one, or there maybe great ideas in unconventional minority thoughts, or even criticism can come from love.
I want to find the best or if not best, better answers to choose for my own, that can constantly offer me some great teachings to better myself.

What’s been one of your main areas of growth this year?

I am new to modeling and acting. I have been modeling for artist for many years but was not model as a means of job or actress.
Life sometimes brings you different aspect and challenges. But I think what I have done in the art world is also helping somewhat in my new experiences.

I wanted to explore new things that relates to what I have been doing and through this experience I met many different field of people, entrepreneurs, directors and actors & actress. Each creative person brought me new & different insights that I have not aware of, and I always feel grateful and humbling for such encounters.
I now want to improve my acting, I want to constantly better myself. I want to learn and encounter something or someone that will inspire me unconventional way in the field of acting.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/Mieiwatsuki
• Instagram: @mieiwatsuki
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mie.iwatsuki
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iwatsukimie/

Image Credits

Each images are different photographers.
Front the top
1. Photo by Ou Zhang
2. Photo by Susan Bowlus
3. Photo by Ou Zhang Dress: YEOHLEE.
4. Photo for Mandarin Oriental Hotel
5. Photo by Ou Zhang
6. Photo by Frederic Auerbach
7. Photo by Ou Zhang
8. Photo for Mandarin Oriental
——for this one please crop the surrounding white corner and only post the image.——-

9. Photo @ BVLGARI Paris.

Thank you so much.