Artist Bio

Sayoko is a Japanese born NZ resident painter and creator based in rural Selwyn.

After graduating from Nagoya Zokei University of Art and Design, Inter Media department (Japan), she found her calling to express her art in Nail Art and has worked as a Nail Art technician for over 20 years, won multiple awards in Australia and NewZealand.

Now she brings her art work from tiny nails to big canvases and 3D nail art has helped her in another passion pottery. 

She gets inspirations from NZ scenery and nature. Sayoko paints with several techniques, tools and materials to capture the character, atmosphere and energy, something you can’t see but can feel.

Her art works are realism abstract, often using palette knives and thick paints to build up the body, simplifying brush strokes, minimise the composition and paint the important details more realistically to emphasise the focus point.

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Some of her projects she has merged two cultures together, Japanese and NZ, to introduce Japanese culture, showcase 1st generation immigrants perspectives and beauty of multiculturalism. She hopes to leave a legacy of art to inspire New Zealanders, immigrants and another generation of multicultural people to enjoy the diversity of art and culture.

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[Biography]

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1977             Born in Gifu, Japan

1996-1998   Studied Inter Media at Nagoya Zokei Junior College of Art and Design

2007             Moved Australia 

2012             Moved Selwyn NZ

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[Exhibition]

2023

 Group Exhibition Art Canterbury at Christchurch Art Show

           Group Exhibition at Wigram

           19th Annual West Melton Art Event

           Group exhibition “It’s not about you” at Linwood Eastside Gallery

2022  

ASA Exhibition 

           Art Hearts annual Exhibition

           Group Exhibition “Diversely” at Down By The Leafy, Lincoln NZ

           March Featured artist at Lakeland Gallery Leeston

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2021  

Group Exhibition "Arts Canterbury Juried Exhibition" at The Mill

Group Exhibition  “the journey” at Te Huanui Art Gallery

           Group Exhibition “Connection” at Te Huanui Art Gallery

           Darfield Artweek Exhibition

           Arts Heart art exhibition 

           ASA Exhibition

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2020   Darfield Artweek exhibition

           ASA Exhibition

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2019   Darfield Art Week Exhibition

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2017   Ellesmere A&P show, Special prize

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1998   Group Exhibition in Nagoya Japan

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[Award]

Ashburton Society of Arts 2022 Annual Exhibition

acl Applied art, Craft & Photography

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