Mari Inukai
1. Chobirinko-chan, 2009, Oil on canvas, 18 x 14 in.
2. Decadent #1, 2009, oil on canvas, 16 x 12 in.
3. 2009/Natsu, 2009, oil on wood panel, 22 x 21 in.
Mari Inukai was born in Nagoya, Japan.
In 1995, Mari came to the United States to pursue her studies in art. She first attended Santa Monica Community College (Mentor program), Santa Monica, California, then Associates in Art, Sherman Oaks, California, and lastly, California Institute of the Arts, Valencia, California, where she received her BFA in Character Animation in 2004. Her short animated film, Blue and Orange, has been an official selection at numerous national and international film festivals, including the Sundance Film Festival 2003, and was the Japan Grand Prize winner at the Short Shorts Film Festival EXPO 2005. Mari regularly exhibits her paintings and drawings, as well as designs clothes, ceramic toy figures, and other fun products. She currently lives in Beverly Hills, CA with her daughter, Sena..
Mari's paintings are an expression of her desires, ambitions, and hopes for the future, starting from where she stands now. Like water flowing, seeking its path, Mari channels her direction naturally, finding her importance as she travels forward. Discovering how her dreams and memories relate to her relationships with others from the standpoint of an artist and person, her paintings reflect all these feelings.
Education
2000 – 2004
BFA, Character Animation, California Institute of the Arts, Valencia, CA
1998 – 2000
Academy of Los Angeles/Associates in Art, Sherman Oaks, CA
1999
Art Mentor Program, Santa Monica Community College, Santa Monica, CA
1996 – 1998
Santa Monica Community College, Santa Monica, CA
Selected Exhibitions
Solo
“Decadent”, Copro Nason Gallery, Santa Monica, CA, 2010
“Infiltration”, Copro Nason Gallery, Santa Monica, CA, 2008
“Shio-to-Kuro”, Gallery Nucleus, Alhambra, CA, 2007
“Syun-Ga: Spring Dream”, Gallery Nucleus, Alhambra, CA, 2006
Group
“The Human Eclectic”, Merry Karnowsky Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, 2009
“Three Apple Hello Kitty 35th Anniversary Show “, Royal-T, Culver City, CA, 2009
“The Vivisect Playset (Round 5)”, Gallery 1988 SF, San Francisco, CA, 2009
“Girls Show”, Gallery 1988 SF, San Francisco, CA, 2009
“SF Groupshow”, Gallery Nucleus, Alhambra, CA, 2009
“Kokeshi Show”, Japanese American National Museum, Los Angeles, CA, 2009
“Monster Show”, Copro Nason Gallery, Santa Monica, CA, 2009
“Crazy for Cult”, Gallery 1988, Los Angeles, CA, 2009
“Sweet Street”, Gallery Nucleus, Alhambra, CA, 2009
“The Conquerors”, Art Space, Raleigh, NC, 2009
“Nature of Water”, Gallery Nucleus, Alhambra, CA, 2008
“Power In Numbers 3”, Gallery Nucleus, Alhambra, CA, 2008
“Girls Show @: Suger and Spice”, Nucleus, Alhambra, CA, 2008
“Happily Ever After:ch.2”, Suite 100 Gallery, Seatlle, WA, 2008
“Artwalk”, Project Gallery, Culver City, CA, 2008
“Totoro Forest Project”, Cartoon Museum: Pixar, San Francisco, CA, 2008
“5 Persons Show”, Project Gallery, Culver City, CA, 2008
“The Vivisect Playset (Round 4)”, Gallery 1988 SF, San Francisco, CA, 2008
“Four Dreams”, Compound Gallery, Portland, CA, 2007
“Paint by Numbers”, Corey Helford Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, 2007
“Power by Numbers 2”, Nucleus, Alhambra, CA, 2007
“The Rising”, Wind Up Gallery, Phoenix, AZ, 2007
“Back for Seconds”, Gallery 1988 SF, San Francisco, CA, 2007
“Literartistry”, Corey Helford Gallery, Culver City, CA, 2007
“Ninja show”, Nucleus, Alhambra, CA, 2007
“Power In Numbers”, Gallery Nucleus, Alhambra, CA, 2006
“Cover to Cover”, Gallery Nucleus, Alhambra, CA, 2006
“Out of Vogue in LA”, Mixi-Bang, Pasadena, CA, 2006
“The Vivisect Playset (Round 3 )”, Gallery 1988, Los Angeles, CA, 2006
“Circus Punks Show”, Mixi-Bang, Pasadena, CA, 2006
“Faded Camel”, Meltdown, Los Angeles, CA, 2005
“Girl Show”, Gallery Nucleus, Alhambra, CA, 2005
“Monster Show”, Gallery Nucleus, Alhambra, CA, 2005
Honors and Awards
Gold Promax Award, “Quicktoons” Animated Campaign; “I Love To Draw”, “Monkey Banana”, “Hamster Sneeze”, 2005
Japan Grand Prize, Short Shorts Film Festival Expo, “Blue and Orange” Animated Film, Nagoya, Japan, 2005
Official Selection, Asian American Association Film Festival, “Blue and Orange” Animated Film, Davis, CA, 2005
Official Selection, Taipei MOCA Museum Film Festival, “Piece of Hope” Animated Film, Taipei Museum of Contemporary Art, Taipei, Taiwan, 2005
Official Selection, “Blue and Orange” Animated Film, San Diego Asian Film Festival, San Diego, CA, 2003
Official Selection, “Blue and Orange” Animated Film, Sundance Film Festival, Sundance, Utah, 2003
Official Selection, “Blue and Orange” Animated Film, DCAPA Film Festival, Hirshhorn Museum of Art, Washington, DC, 2003
Official Selection, “Blue and Orange” Animated Film, Malibu International Film Festival, Malibu, CA, 2003