Today we’d like to introduce you to TETSUYA FUKAZAWA.

Hi TETSUYA, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.

The moment I realized that I could make people happy with my illustrations was when a friend was delighted by the drawing I had made on their favorite cassette tape. That was when I first became aware of the idea of becoming an illustrator.

I attended an art university and an art school, but academic discussions on art didn’t suit me. I was more interested in commercial illustration, so perhaps there was a better path I could have taken. However, bookstores taught me a great deal.

The books there, filled with works by illustrators from overseas, innovative architecture by architects, and insights into fashion, have all become valuable assets for me.

First, as an illustrator, I needed to think about what kind of artwork I truly wanted to create and through which mediums I wanted to present my illustrations. Once I found the style that I could confidently call my own, I started sharing it widely. Even though I don’t consider myself very social, having the goal of showcasing my work helped me become more outgoing.

I reached out to magazines, advertising agencies, and design studios, which led to job opportunities. Once I got work, that job would often bring in the next one, creating a continuous flow of projects.

However, one of the unfortunate realities of the advertising industry is that it is highly influenced by economic conditions. About ten years after starting my career, the rise of mobile devices and various social changes led to a decline in magazine illustration work.

Around that time, my apartment lease renewal was approaching, and I thought it might be a good opportunity to leave my home country and try living abroad for a while. Since I had acquaintances in Mexico, I decided to give life there a try.

Gradually, I began working between Mexico and Japan, and now, in recent years, I run a gallery café in Mexico while temporarily returning to Japan for solo exhibitions.

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?

In the beginning, everything apart from creating artwork felt incredibly difficult.
Preparing presentation materials, making calls to schedule appointments, filing taxes, organizing exhibitions, promoting my work—the list of tasks seemed endless.

However, if you keep working hard, you will inevitably meet people who support you. They may be friends, family, or even your spouse.

Unless you win the lottery, gaining recognition takes a long time.
But the truth is, that time has helped me grow, both as an artist and as a person.

At times, it can feel overwhelming.
But rather than seeing it as a struggle, I believe it’s important to enjoy the process and see everything as a clue that helps me and my work grow.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?

I work as an illustrator in my home country, Japan. In Mexico, where I spend most of the year, I run my own café, where I host exhibitions and share Japanese culture.

If there’s something I take pride in, it would be my unwavering admiration for illustration.
I have yet to grow tired of drawing.

This is because I always look forward to encountering my own new works, and because this journey has allowed me to meet wonderful people along the way.

The ones who deeply rooted my admiration for illustration were commercial illustrators with a humorous approach, like the French poster artist Raymond Savignac, who created many iconic advertising posters. I also admire “color magicians” like Marc Chagall and Henri Matisse.

I will soon be visiting France to explore the places and works associated with them.

How do you define success?

I believe there are two kinds of success: one is self-fulfillment, and the other is bringing joy to others.
How ideal would it be if we could achieve both in the same project?
But in reality, that is extremely difficult and often unrealistic.

For me, it works like this: for example, working as an illustrator in Japan feels like a personal reward—it’s time I dedicate to myself.
On the other hand, when I am in Mexico, running my café as both an owner and a staff member, my focus shifts entirely to how I can make my customers happy.
At that moment, I set aside my self-fulfillment and live a different life.

At first glance, these two aspects may seem unrelated, but they often end up positively influencing each other.

If I want to succeed, I must also provide others with moments of success and enjoyment.
In other words, making both myself and others equally happy.

If I can achieve that, then I believe I can truly call it success.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.tepping.jp/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/studio_tepping/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teppingood

Image Credits

TETSUYA FUKAZAWA