Akemi Ki spent her childhood drawing pictures. Now, she creates textile designs for Spoonflower, and creates highly detailed illustrations on 3D cards, concertinas, and gate fold card. For Akemi, imagination is what makes life interesting, with endless possibilities.
How did you find yourself on an artist’s path? Always there?
I have always been interested in making things, spending my days drawing pictures all through childhood and into my adult years. I found work in animation and later, children’s books. These days, I bounce between making patterns for Spoonflower and experimenting with 3D cards, concertinas and gate fold cards.
You work across a variety of media. Tell us how each inspires the other in your work.
I worked with gouache for many years, but wanted to try ink and brush where it became the main medium I use for patterns.
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For cards, I find the texture and vibrancy of pan pastels, crayon and colored pencils so appealing when layered over gouache.
Share with us what you are working on recently – your concertinas, 3D cards and illustrations that open up.
For many years, I made individual Christmas themed lunch bags painted with acrylic. Last year, I decided to make something completely different and experimented with 3D Christmas cards to send to family and friends.I enjoyed it so much, I plan to design a new one for Christmas 2024. I send them to about 80 people, so I’ll probably start inking/painting them in early October.
Working on 3D cards led me to an interest in other styles of cards like concertinas that open up like an accordion, and gate folds that open up to an inner image. It’s been good fun experimenting with them!
How does your work with paper art influence your fabric designs?
My process for making patterns vs. making paper art begins the same way: With lots of percolating over sketches, and thinking of the story behind the image.
Where can people see your fabric designs?
I have a shop on Spoonflower! https://www.spoonflower.com/profiles/akemi_ki
When it comes to creating, are you more of a planner or an improviser?
I’m somewhat of a planner to a point. I will sketch my idea out in multiple versions. The drawings are often very rough, but the general idea is there. I will then work on the layout working out the details as I go along. Hmmm…Does that make me more of an improviser?
Describe your creative space.
I work in a snug converted bedroom with a west facing window. There are two aquariums – One with catfish, the other with my snail, Noodles and her children.
There are color studies taped on the walls with pieces of nature I find interesting, like feathers, lichen, galls and shells.
Working across many different media, how do you organize all of your creative supplies?
The oddest piece of furniture I use is an old wooden chicken egg dispenser! It’s the perfect size to store my small palette dishes!
Have you found something intended for one media that works well for something else?
I started using ink after admiring Albrecht Dürer’s ink drawings, as well as the ink illustrations of Ernest Shepard. I really loved using ink and brush for illustration work, but did not expect that I would use it for pattern making where it became my chief medium for patterns.
Can you tell us about the inspiration and process of one of your works? How does a new work come about?
The gate card “On The Sea” was inspired by portraits in the 1800s where people were posed in stage-like settings with painted backdrops and props. After looking at many vintage portraits, there were some that were especially interesting because the subjects were placed behind phony boats with a backdrop of the seashore behind them.
I made some sketches of how I would make a multi-layered card and came up with the hound dog and pug sailing on the ocean waves. The wave design was inspired by old vaudeville shows and theatre back in the day.
Is there an overarching theme that connects all of your work?
Nearly everything I make has nature in it. I feel most at home walking the woods or poking around a swamp. I love animals, fish, birds and bugs! And when I can, I like to add a little humor.
What do you do to keep yourself motivated and interested in your work?
Every morning, I walk my dog before sunrise. I go early because I need the quiet solitude where I can think and let my mind wander. Most of my ideas have come from this quiet time walking my dog.
The enjoyment and relaxation I get when I draw or paint is something that makes me feel whole. There are times when I can’t think of anything and it’s so frustrating. So when I’m in the midst of it, I don’t force it. Instead, I take a break and read a book or go on a day trip somewhere or do some yard work, etc.
It’s best, for me, to not push through a creative block because I only get more frustrated. When I leave it alone, it eventually packs its bags and leaves.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?
When my brother and I were very young children, he said to me,”Be nice to me, or I won’t take you with me when the Martians come and take me to their planet.” Today, when I think of what he said, it tells me that imagination is what makes life interesting, with endless possibilities. It can transport me anywhere, any place, and bring wonderful ideas to life!
Where can people see your work?
I’m on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/akemi_ki_/?hl=en
Interview posted June 2024
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