We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Keiko Tanabe a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Keiko thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?
A while ago I was having a conversation with someone I met at a social event. I had just started painting as a full-time artist so I introduced myself to him as an artist when he asked me what I do. His response startled me a bit because it was not what I expected to hear. He said, “no, no, no, that is not what I mean. What do you do for a living?” This might have been a rare exchange of words between an artist and a non-artist but to this day it is still one of those moments I will never forget. Being an artist is a job like any other if one does art for a living. It has to meet certain qualities that will make one look competent and professional. It must be profitable to be long-lasting. It is often said that 80 percent of success in life is just showing up and I think this applies to all kinds of jobs including being an artist. I would describe “being an artist” to be more passion-driven rather than profit-driven so there’s never a dull moment. Pretty much everything that happens in life can be a source of inspiration in art. So maybe that’s why being an artist doesn’t feel like a regular job because it is a way of life.
Keiko, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I was born in Kyoto, Japan and moved to the US in 1990 to attend graduate school in California. I studied education and cross-cultural communication, not art, so I was a mostly self-taught artist when I started painting professionally in 2005. Since around that time, I have been showing my work in a variety of exhibitions in the US and abroad while building recognitions world-wide. My work was also featured in major art magazines in several countries and has been acquired by private and corporate collectors. I started teaching watercolor techniques to students in 2011 and have been a very busy workshop teacher ever since. Much as I love painting, I do find teaching very rewarding also, and like doing that as it gives me opportunities to travel to different parts of the world. In recent years I have been often asked to be a juror in art exhibitions both on national and international levels. Aside from painting, I have several books and 4 DVDs published so far. I received a signature membership in the American Watercolor Society, the National Watercolor Society, the American Impressionist Society and the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association. My current home base is San Diego, California but I am a frequent traveler and spend many weeks on the road. Having lived an artist’s life for close to 2 decades, I like to share my experiences and help those who started a similar path lately so I spend some time mentoring some of my students.
She has frequently served as a juror in art exhibitions both on national and on international levels. In 2018, she was appointed to the advisory board of the American Watercolor Weekly. She has several books and 4 DVD’s published. She is a signature member of National Watercolor Society, American Watercolor Society, American Impressionist Society and Laguna Plein Air Painters Association. Since 2021, she has been an Official Savoir-Faire, Sennelier, Cretacolor, Fabriano & Raphael Advocate. She is also an Escoda International Brand Ambassador.
Keiko was born in Kyoto, Japan and currently lives in San Diego, California.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
I like the fact that being creative allows me to enjoy the process without worrying too much about the result. Ernest Hemingway said this so beautifully: “It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.” Creative people observe, appreciate and get inspired by the world around us to produce something meaningful out of their life experiences. They are curious, ambitious, caring, open-minded, flexible yet unwavering. I feel blessed to belong to the art community where I constantly meet and get inspired by all kinds of creative people. It is so true that creativity begets creativity.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ktanabefineart.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keikotanabewatercolor/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ktanabewatercolor/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/keikotanabefineart
- Other: https://www.threads.net/@keikotanabewatercolor
Image Credits
©2023 Keiko Tanabe. All Rights Reserved.