Masukawa Masako | Contemporary Artist: Artworks & Biography

Based in France, near Paris, Masako is an illustrator with a unique background. Unlike most painters, she began drawing late in life. Yet the young Japanese girl grew up in an environment conducive to pictorial art since her mother created traditional Japanese ‘sumie’ watercolour paintings. Masako admired the artistic work but could not imagine having the talent to do the same. Her preferences then focused her on outdoor activities, travel and on cultural discoveries. At 17, she went to the United States as part of a student exchange program. Her low level of English made her beginnings difficult for her on the other side of the Pacific, and her only respite was an art course in which she was asked to draw more than speak. This experience taught her a new way of expressing herself. Her teacher noticed her talent and encouraged her to start an artistic path she had never considered. Under his guidance, Masako developed her skills and won a scholarship to the College of Art and Design in Savannah (United States).