Interview with Nanami Cowdroy
The beautiful, elegant yet contemporary illustrations of ingenious talent Nanami Cowdroy pull you in at first glance. Her delectable artworks are mixed-media, created using pen and pencil on paper, as well as paint, ink and watercolor, with some minor graphic elements. The only hint of color in the monochrome palette comes from a red signature stamp of her name, which in Japanese means ‘Seven Seas’.
Born in Sydney, Australia and heavily influenced by her diverse Japanese-European heritage, Nanami is
especially fond of goldfish as well as fluid, delicate characters that can be bolstered with her intrepid pen and ink lines and forms. Her imagination is illustrated through works which are complex and exotic, seamlessly emulating a thoughtful juxtaposition between foreign and familiar entities and environments in her pieces.
Enjoy a deeper look into the wondrous mind of artist Nanami Cowdroy after the jump.
List five words that describe you.
Detailed, curious, grey, dreamer, compulsive = head-case.
Name something from your childhood that comes up in your work.
Goldfish. When I was little, I grew up living in apartments – so Goldfish were the only pets I was allowed to have as they were considered ‘low maintenance’. Essentially, the main effort required was to feed them and change their water… so when they finally went ‘belly-up’ on me, it was quite sad. I guess that when I illustrate them in my artwork, it’s my own little creative ode to them curious and quirky little creatures.
Also paper (origami) Cranes. They are very dear to me, and I always love to draw them in my artworks. They bring back happy memories of two very special people from my life – my father and my grandmother who both passed away not so long ago. My dad especially was the one who encouraged me to draw and to follow my artistic dream.
My Japanese grandmother taught me how to fold ‘origami Tsuru’ (paper cranes) when I was around five years old. They took a lot of patience to do (especially since the hand and eye coordination at five was still a little below par). When they stopped resembling crushed paper balls with beaks, it was very joyful to see them take shape, and it was a way for me to meditate and relax. Drawing and making origami Tsuru is just my way of wishing them peace and keeping their wonderful memories alive and well.
Describe an insecurity you deal with in making art.
Although this isn’t exactly to do with the actual image making itself – that said it is still is a big and integral part of the art process – something I often find quite daunting (yet equally exciting), is the actual showing and exhibiting of my artworks.
For me, the process of making the images is quite intensive and personal. I often have to get into a particular head space when working on a piece – so essentially what I create, is an extension of various things that I am thinking and feeling over time. As my image making is more intuitive, rather than a planned process, it can evolve in many different ways and directions, and generally takes on a life of it’s own… not knowing how exactly it will turn out. It also takes a significant amount of time (weeks/months) until I feel I’ve completed a piece, so you get used to having them around. It’s one thing to have your pieces around you, and having them in your own private space. It is quite another thing all together when you have them up on a wall for all to see.
So, in some ways you feel a part of you is exposed as you’re publicly revealing levels of thought and feelings recorded over time condensed into a single image. It can make one feel pretty vulnerable to some degree, but again it’s also very exciting.
What do you consider to be essential in your creative process?
Having lots of blank sheets of paper around me. Trying to keep myself open to possibilities and ideas, and having the Passion to do what I love to do – Art. (Oh yes, I must not forget the occasional hit of caffeine!)
What gem of advice for the creative person has someone given you?
Trust in your creative instincts, as that is something that cannot be taught… and ok, it may not have come from a ‘creative’ source – but I happened to read my star sign in the Sydney Morning Herald the other day, and it says:
Capricorn – Keep your mind open and write down any creative ideas that come to mind today. Others may not see the merit in them right away – but in your heart you know there’s a germ of a good plan in there somewhere…
Is there an idea or subject that you feel obsessed by or curious about at the moment?
Koi’s (Carp fish). I am obsessed with them – their amazing beauty, form and strength. They are a popular symbol for vitality and aspiration in Japan, qualities which I like exploring in my representation of them in my artwork.
ALSO…Octopi and Squids! I’ve always been curious about them. They embody all the things I love to try and capture in my images and subjects – sea creatures, entanglement, water and ink!
I’m currently working on and developing a series about them. I recently re-watched the old 1954 film ‘Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea‘ based on the novel by Jules Verne, and have been looking at some of his writings (Les Voyages Extraordinaires) as well as the illustrations and prints by Alphonse Marie de Neuville – which are fascinating and very inspiring! I can’t wait to pick up my pen again!
Do you have any pets?
Yes, two little Black Moor Goldfish who are currently named Leopold and Lethaniel. They are generally well behaved and I like changing their names… few weeks ago they were Pink and Floyd. Let’s face it, I can get away with it as they don’t exactly come to me when I call them!
What works are you most proud of and why?
An example of a work which was an awesome, unique (and ALL consuming) creative experience for me, was a piece I created for L’Oreal Fashion Week in Melbourne, in support of Ovarian Cancer Research. The exhibition was titled ‘Mini Pieces’ and I was one of six invited artists to create an original artwork onto a life-size, jigsaw piece of a Mini Cooper, custom made out of timber. In a nut shell, I was living and breathing the artwork for many caffeinated days and nights. When the final piece came together, it was very exciting. I was very happy with it and proud to have been a part of it.
What is your dream art assignment?
I love doing what I do, and being offered creative opportunities to create and show my art (so I can continue doing it) – is truly something incredibly encouraging and important to me. I guess opportunities and commissions to create pieces for Music and/or Fashion, is something in particular that I find very exciting.
Also, being able to work on my own personal projects is also a dream assignment. As an example, for some time now I’ve been working on a personal creative project called ‘Inky Pieces’, which I am very thrilled to say has finally been released! It’s a translation of some of my artwork characters (like my Goldfish and Paper Cranes) into jewelry pieces. Being a fan of the brooch, this has been something I’ve always wanted to create. At last, being able to say it’s come to life is awesome, and something I hope people will dig.
How do you imagine yourself in ten years time and what challenges do you imagine you will face along the way?
Wow, ten years time! I find it tricky just thinking about what might be around the corner this year – so that’s a challenge in itself! 
One thing for sure is: I would hope and dearly love to imagine that I will still be doing what I do – Art.
Hopefully by that time, I would love to have fulfilled some of my dreams and goals. To have had a solo exhibition (maybe a few!) in countries I’d love to go to, and maybe even live elsewhere to further develop my own techniques and style. The UK, Europe, Japan, Hong Kong, Canada – to name only a few – and of course the USA. By the way, I’m heading over to San Francisco in February for an exhibition I’m taking part in at Gallery 1988. I can’t wait and you’re invited!
Challenges I’d expect to face – well no doubt there would be a lot! Living the life of an artist (like anything) – is definitely a challenge. It’s not exactly the most ’secure’ of careers… it’s definitely a unique and individual path to follow.
For me, art is not exactly the kind of thing I can switch off from at the end of the day, it something that comes naturally – so without trying to sound fluffy, I do hope with my heart that it will continue to grow.
*** Don’t miss Nanami’s upcoming exhibition: “Some Kind of Wonderful” at Gallery 1988 in San Francisco. The show runs from Friday, February 6 to Wednesday, February 28, 2009. ***
Links
Nanami Cowdroy official website
Nanami Cowdroy jewelry
Nanami Cowdroy Gelaskins
3 responses so far ↓
1 Chrissy // Jan 27, 2009 at 4:33 pm
Wow, I never thought an artist would have to ‘get used to’ having their art around them. Cowdroy’s response to the question about her insecurities really reminded me of the meaning of art and why people feel the need to express themselves. In “Lectures on Asthetics” Hegel speaks of art as a way of making the “self,” or at least some part of it, visible. He asserts, “…our whole spiritual culture is of such a kind that he himself stands within the world of reflection and its relations, and could not by any act of will and decision abstract himself from it.” She is indeed revealing a part of her “self.” But perhaps first she has to get used to it herself.
2 Steve // Jan 28, 2009 at 3:00 pm
I’m floored-the origami pieces are beautiful. I would give an arm and a leg to have some of this work inked into my skin…well, on the remaining limbs that I didn’t use to pay for the tattoo.
3 Efren // Jun 2, 2009 at 11:10 pm
I want you to design my next tattoo.
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