About Ema
Artist - Art Historian
Ema Kubo is a Japanese-American painter and art historian. Her sumi ink and watercolor paintings are an extension of her mixed heritage and religious background—an expression of a blend of cultures. She has exhibited in galleries internationally. Her art history research focuses on Japanese Catholic history from Premodern Japan, and is expressed through narrative painting.
Ema holds an BFA from Biola University and MA from San Francisco State University. She lives and works in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Artist sTATEMENT
My work is an expression of reflecting and sharing mixed heritage with others. The subjects range from rice balls I grew up eating for lunch to segments of Japanese Catholic hymns - all of which represent my personal, cultural, and religious background. My painting “language” comes from Western tradition of modeling and shading, though expressed using Japanese sumi ink and pigments.
I start with the meditative ritual of grinding ink with a Japanese ink slab, along with prayer. I then pay careful attention to an accurate rendering without overcrowding a space, and eventually finish with a hand-painted signature rather than a Japanese seal.
I invite the viewer to come along my journey of exploring, struggling, but mostly celebrating diverse backgrounds, which I personally find to be equal parts awkward and beautiful.
INFLUENCES
Stencil cut prints from the Mingei movement in Japan
Japanese woodblock prints 17th-19th century
Scandinavian textile patterns
Japanese underground church history
Endless varieties of animals
Food culture and history of food origins
EDUCATION
M.A. Japanese Art History, San Francisco State University
B.F.A. Painting and Drawing, Biola University