How we found Kazuki Takizawa and chose him to be our very first AMS featured artist is a classic example of how online marketing should work. Here is how it happened:

Kazuki followed us on Twitter about a month ago. As we reviewed a list of our new followers we were intrigued by his icon image – it was bright, colorful, and unusual! So we clicked through to see some of his recent tweets – and they were authentic and interesting. Our attention piqued, we then visited his website and found a wealth of interesting work. Classic Online Art Marketing 101 in action!

We chose Kazuki as our featured artist for this week because we appreciate the talent and energy in his work and the clear sense of commitment and direction to his art career – the feeling of a young artist already going places is palpable. We hope that you will enjoy his art as much as we did. You can find Kazuki’s contact details at the end of this feature.

Featured Work

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Note: Use the slide-show controls to pause or go to a specific image. Mouse over the images to see details about the artwork.

Bio

Born and raised in the urban setting of Hong Kong and attending high school in Bangkok, Thailand gave Kazuki Takizawa an appreciation for nature from an early age. His work and process reflects the concept of order from chaos, and is influenced by the aesthetics of the natural world.

Kazuki graduated from the University of Hawaii at Manoa with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in glass art. His work has been exhibited in numerous exhibitions locally and nationally. He was the teacher’s assistant for Shunji Omura’s glass workshop held at the University of Hawaii at Manoa in 2007. He received scholarships to attend Pilchuck Glass School and Glass Art Society Conference in 2008. He is currently working as a glassblowing assistant for a local artist.

Artist Statement

As a person who is filled with many different emotions, most of my work is cathartic self-expression. In expressing my emotions, I seek to connect with others and evoke a sense of familiarity and fellowship. Part of my body of work is based on my dark feelings such as pain, struggle and depression, however, beauty of human emotion is almost always stressed. The harmonization of the radically different, such as, violence and meditation, spontaneity and meticulousness, and destruction and repair is found in the process and the result of my work.

The Art Marketing Secrets Signature 6 Questions

1. What led you to become an artist?

Art was always something that I enjoyed and felt confident doing. I was a shy and quiet kid, but when I make or draw something, other kids came to speak to me. They would ask me to draw sometimes and I liked that kind of stuff. I became interested in glassblowing in high school and choose to attend the University of Hawaii at Manoa because of its comprehensive glass program. I fell in love with working with hot glass because it is so magical and it is technically challenging.

2. What happens for you and what do you feel when you are in the creative process?

When forming an idea, I am really pensive. You can even say that I enter into my own world. I feel very excited when I am making something, and I throw my whole self into it. I believe that there is no right or wrong in making things, which gives me freedom to approach art in an open minded way. I also like to take risks and do things in innovative way.

3. What is your favorite piece of your own art and why?

Auric Shelter is my favorite piece. It was my largest work and one that involved a lot of innovation and creativity. I had to figure out a way to custom color each panel through trial and error. Building it was very exciting, and because it was installed in a public setting, I received feedback from wide range of people. I had fun listening to how they felt about it.

4. What would your perfect artist-life look like?

I would like to make large scale and public art. I want my art to be meaningful to many people. Also, I would like to have my own glassblowing studio where I can make offhand sculptures and functional glassware.

5.How are you marketing your art?

I sell my work at local galleries in Hawaii, do art fairs and also enter exhibitions. Word of mouth as well as social networking sites play a part in marketing my art.
My website www.kazukitakizawa.com is useful because gallery owners and museum curators have easy access to my online portfolio.

6.What else are you busting to tell the world?

Auric Shelter is now installed in a private home, and I would like to re-install it on the University of Hawaii at Manoa campus, as well as to other public or private facilities in Hawaii. I am going to start raising money through kickstarter.com please donate. http://www.kickstarter.com/profile/kazukitakizawa

Contact Kazuki

Website: www.kazukitakizawa.com

Twitter: kazukitakizawa