"Full of Surprises!"
#UAFGlobal
Junko Yanagida was born and raised in Japan, moved to
Hawaii, lived in the lower 48 (the mainland US) for a few years before moving
to Alaska in 2010 and to UAF as a graduate student in fine arts and native arts
studio program.
She came back to complete
her degree in the spring of 2015. Her two week long thesis show, based on birch
bark begins on March 19, 2016.
Junko with one of her Birch Bark and Ceramic creations (L) and at work in the studio
Why UAF?
She is very interested in indigenous culture. She has been
studying the Australian Aborigines, the native Hawaiians, The Navajo and Utah
Indian. Junko points “Alaska is home to indigenous
people living under extreme weather conditions” UAF is the only university in
the United States to offer a graduate program in native arts studio.
Junko’s Birch Bark Kimono Project.
This Kimono was the Jury’s first choice of exhibition for the 30th Annual, 64th Parallel Bear Gallery Art Show at the Fairbanks Art Community. The show runs all of October 2015
This Kimono was the Jury’s first choice of exhibition for the 30th Annual, 64th Parallel Bear Gallery Art Show at the Fairbanks Art Community. The show runs all of October 2015
She added, “In the Japanese culture, viewing the northern
lights as a child is considered to bring good luck and I wanted to experience
the charming lights”, another reason Junko wanted to live in Alaska.
“Don’t
forget the Alaskan Salmon!”, she chuckled in the end.
The Northern Lights, seen by the author in the
Denali National Park
All these factors made her decide that UAF would be a terrific place to start her Alaskan journey.
First winter and summer experience
She loves the nature and says “UAF is the perfect place for
me: situated in the interior, close to the wilderness, but civilized enough to
be able to enjoy modern conveniences like going grocery shopping”
Her first winter in Alaska was tough. Even then, she went to
the temperature display screen on campus when it was -40°C (-40°F) to take a
photo next to it with as little clothes as she could with her friends, to be in
the 40 below club. She says “Me and my friends took off our jackets and beanies
and posed in the very popular Japanese peace signs!” She caught a cold the next
day, but says it was totally worth it!
She loves the summer. She says, “Trees grow quick, faster
and longer in the summer. It is beautiful. The contrast is amazing from no
leaves at all in the winter to all of the trees exploding with color and life
in the summer. It makes me feel like they are bustling with joy” It gives her a
lot of inspiration and energy for her birch bark based art work.
(L) "The 40 below club" (From UAF ambassador's blog)
She likes both the extremes. But the transition
in between isn’t as fun, she adds. “It is muddy and rainy and you have to wash
your car after every drive!”
What do you miss about home?
“I miss food. Especially Miso soup. I even carry a pack on
instant Miso soup in my pocket every day for security!” She misses a simple,
comfortable meal like rice and Miso soup with family. She comes from a large
family where communal meals are commonplace. Though the Japanese community
sometimes gets together, having the workload of a graduate student, she has to
settle for a lot of alone- meals…
Instant Miso Soup
(From Otakuisine's blog)
She also misses Onsen (Hot springs) “I have to drive an hour and a half to get to Chena hot springs- the closest hot springs to Fairbanks"
What Next?
“I hope to teach drawing/ art in the US for a
little bit to students pursuing higher education during my OPT period” She
doesn’t mind going to villages/ country sides and teaching drawing.
“You just need paper and pencil. And it is so much better
than sitting in front of the computer!” she says. Helping her husband with his
designs and ice sculptures is another thing she considers doing after she turns
the final leaf in her UAF chapter.
(L) Junko with her student
UAF in a phrase.
Full of surprises!
She says there are countless little surprises hidden here.
The weather, food, people, the occasional days off when students get to sleep
in because the roads are too slippery, how people dress for up- winter weddings
in boots and jackets and so on…
UAF is a very different and interesting place. She hopes many
of international students have their first experience in the United States here
at UAF.
That kimono is gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteI have been looking into leather work and salmon skin, but I hadn't even considered using bark.
This was inspirational for me- I would love to see the artwork that Yanagida continues to make in the future!