Check Out Momoko Usami’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Momoko Usami.

Hi Momoko, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was born and raised in Kobe, Japan. I moved to Kyoto, the old capital of Japan to attend a collage, and received BFA and MFA from Kyoto City University of Art. Then, I was standing in my first big crossroad. I wanted to leave my lukewarm environment in Japan, and try myself in a bigger diverse world. I moved to the United States in January 2008. It was supposed to be a year or two plan, end up starting a family here.

First year, I was in upstate NY as a special student at SUNY in New Paltz. Second year, I was in Chicago doing artist residency for two years at Lillstreet Art Center, and that was another big crossroad of my life. I met my husband there, and we decided to move back to where he grew up in countryside of Northwest Missouri to afford a living space and studio. We built our house by ourselves stick by stick on his family land with father-in-law’s help. Since then we had two kids, two cats, and two goats on our art farm where sometimes we teach ceramics/ drawing classes in addition to our studio practice.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
There are always challenges along the way, like getting right visa to work as an artist, fire in our Chicago apartment started by neighbors, etc. However, when situations were bad, I also had many people reaching out to help me. Pandemic in last two years was hard on everyone of course, but so far we are able to handle it as a family team with the help of my in-laws.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My main material is ceramics. Both my sculptures and functional works need human touch and interaction to fully complete a piece. I’m showing my sculptural works including seedpod whistles and large cowrie shells in my solo show “Relics of the Deluge” at BECO gallery until end of October. I attempt to capture urgent problems we face, wrapped in humor, and present in whimsical way to seed ideas to viewers’ mind. My work is a reflection of how I want to live, think in my everyday life. I like the flexibility of clay, but more than that I like the idea that ceramics can bring art to enrich everyday life in people’s daily routines like drinking coffee, washing dishes, watering plants, putting jewelry away. You can see and purchase my small works at Kemper museum shop (Kansas City), Wonderfair (Lawrence, Kansas), Crystal Bridges(Arkansas), Lillstreet Gallery (Chicago), etc.

Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
It makes me very happy when I see viewer’s facial expression changes when they are looking at my work. If you experience something that connect deeply to emotion, it stays in their memory strongly. Many of my works are interactive, and sometimes I hide surprise in my work. Viewer has to find by themselves, so they can experience the idea, and it stays with them longer.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://momokousami.shichihuku.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/momoumomo/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/momokousamiceramics

Image Credits
Elise Gagliardi