Mieko Hara

Statement

Surrealism and abstract elements form the foundation of my work. I combine spontaneous gestures in paint with carefully arranged collage to emphasize depth of field and the relationship between microscopic and macroscopic forms.

Recently I was invited to exhibit with a ceramicist in Arizona whose work is contemporary but also makes use of the earthy Japanese ‘wabi-sabi’ sensibility. Wanting to complement this aesthetic, I imagined myself holding one of his tea cups, while sitting in a 16th century tea house complete with a small alcove containing a humble flower arrangement and a sumi-e scroll. In this instant, the Desert Calligraphy series was born.

The Atom and Valence series are its offspring. Without any preconceived notion or image, but with an improviser's mind, I set elements into play until I achieve a dynamic resolution in my compositions. My most recent series Felix, Nocturnal Animals are the result of imposing narrative frames on chance incidents of materials and process. 

Biography

Mieko Hara was born in Oita, Japan. After graduating from Oita Prefectural College of Arts and Culture, she freelanced as an illustrator in Tokyo from 1987 to 1996.

Hara left Japan and briefly lived in Sydney, Australia and Oahu, Hawaii before settling in Manhattan where she continued her art studies at The Art Students League from 1998-2001.   After travelling throughout Europe and South East Asia she moved to California in 2003 and studied at The California College of Art. She currently lives on the Mexican border in southeastern Arizona where, in addition to painting full time, she is converting an old church into studio space and living quarters.