All creative people spend time struggling to get into the right state of mind. To me, that is usually a sign of energy building up to create something extraordinary. ~Chizu Omori
New Beginning #57, Encaustic on Paper, 2020
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Untitled, Encaustic on Wood Panel, 2017
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New Beginning # 133, Encaustic on wood panel, 2021
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New Beginning #130, encaustic on wood panel, 2021
Untitled, Encaustic on wood panel, 2016
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New Beginning #132, Encaustic on Wood Panel, 2021
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New Beginning #61, Encaustic on wood panel, 2020
New Beginning #131, Encaustic on wood panel, 2021
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Connecting with Ancestors through Art
West Trestle Review is honored to feature an artist in each issue. This month, we are proud to showcase the mesmerizing art of Chizu Omori, who makes watercolor and encaustic paintings in addition to pottery. The colors and textures of Omori’s art are very different from what WTR has featured in past issues. With the summer heat we’ve been experiencing here in California, we were drawn to the cool shades and wavelike motions of Omori’s encaustic paintings. Olivia Joyce spoke with Omori via email about her experiences and process as an artist and ceramicist.
Olivia Joyce (OJ): Your encaustic paintings are what first drew me to your work. Can you describe a little bit about your process and inspiration when making these paintings? How did you originally start working in this medium?
Chizu Omori (CO): The encaustic painting process starts by melting pure beeswax mixed with rich pigments on a metal hotplate. Once the wax has melted into a completely liquid form, I can then apply it with special brushes and tools onto wood panels or paper.
I get my inspiration from nature and by living daily life. Although I live in the center of New York City, I try to make time every day to connect with nature; for example, taking a walk or riding a bicycle through Central Park, or sitting on my balcony looking at the sky. By chance, my current studio is in the flower district. Every day I enjoy walking through so many different types of beautiful flowers and plants. I also made it a practice to meditate every day, which helps me stay in touch with the bigger picture.
In the past, I was making pottery for many years as a ceramic artist. Due to life circumstances, I stopped making pottery for about ten years. A few years ago, I happened to hear about a free encaustics workshop. It sounded interesting, and I decided to join. It was one of the best decisions I ever made! After experimenting a bit with the melted wax color, I recognized a similarity to glazing pottery. I love the organic and natural interaction between human touch and Mother Nature.
OJ: What are some themes and elements of life that you incorporate into your art?
CO: Light, color, energy, space, and atmosphere are essential elements in my paintings. As I’m working, I always try to stay true to my feelings and connect to the natural world.
OJ: As a writer, I often struggle to fine the right state of mind to write. Does this ever happen to you when creating art? Is there anything that you have found to help with this issue?
CO: Of course! I think all creative people spend time struggling to get into the right state of mind. To me, that is usually a sign of energy building up to create something extraordinary. Life is the same way, maybe like the calm before the storm. One thing that I do when I feel stuck is clean up my studio and then meditate. This time spent cleaning my physical space, and my mental space helps open up my creative energy.
OJ: You make incredible pottery in addition to your paintings, and you mention on your website that this is related to your family tradition of making Urushi. Can you tell me more about this connection, and how it has influenced some of your work?
CO: Growing up in Japan, several of my family members were skilled craftspeople. My grandfather was a metalsmith and built houses, and other relatives were blacksmiths and Urushi (lacquerware) artists. I always observed the intensity of their focus while working. The process of creating something from nothing always fascinated me. Although I never thought about it consciously, when I first started making pottery, I began to feel the influence of those creative family roots.
Pottery was my first major creative outlet, and I feel fortunate that I was recently able to get back into ceramics again in New York. When I’m deeply involved with my work, whether making pottery or encaustics, I feel a powerful connection to my ancestors.
OJ: As an artist, are there questions you wish people would ask about your work?
CO: I don’t have any particular kinds of questions I prefer. I am just happy when someone asks about my work. It means they are taking the time to think about it and are curious enough to ask.
OJ: I know you have other projects that you have worked on, including a YouTube channel and published books. Can you tell me more about what you do, in the realm of and outside of art?
CO: I love making art and pottery and sharing it with others, so that is my main focus. I’m also a certified Reiki master and have many other passions. I enjoy traveling and expressing my life experiences with others through my daily blog and my YouTube channel. I’ve also written a few books about life and travel and write a weekly travel column for a Japanese newspaper in Honolulu.
Olivia Joyce (OJ): Your encaustic paintings are what first drew me to your work. Can you describe a little bit about your process and inspiration when making these paintings? How did you originally start working in this medium?
Chizu Omori (CO): The encaustic painting process starts by melting pure beeswax mixed with rich pigments on a metal hotplate. Once the wax has melted into a completely liquid form, I can then apply it with special brushes and tools onto wood panels or paper.
I get my inspiration from nature and by living daily life. Although I live in the center of New York City, I try to make time every day to connect with nature; for example, taking a walk or riding a bicycle through Central Park, or sitting on my balcony looking at the sky. By chance, my current studio is in the flower district. Every day I enjoy walking through so many different types of beautiful flowers and plants. I also made it a practice to meditate every day, which helps me stay in touch with the bigger picture.
In the past, I was making pottery for many years as a ceramic artist. Due to life circumstances, I stopped making pottery for about ten years. A few years ago, I happened to hear about a free encaustics workshop. It sounded interesting, and I decided to join. It was one of the best decisions I ever made! After experimenting a bit with the melted wax color, I recognized a similarity to glazing pottery. I love the organic and natural interaction between human touch and Mother Nature.
OJ: What are some themes and elements of life that you incorporate into your art?
CO: Light, color, energy, space, and atmosphere are essential elements in my paintings. As I’m working, I always try to stay true to my feelings and connect to the natural world.
OJ: As a writer, I often struggle to fine the right state of mind to write. Does this ever happen to you when creating art? Is there anything that you have found to help with this issue?
CO: Of course! I think all creative people spend time struggling to get into the right state of mind. To me, that is usually a sign of energy building up to create something extraordinary. Life is the same way, maybe like the calm before the storm. One thing that I do when I feel stuck is clean up my studio and then meditate. This time spent cleaning my physical space, and my mental space helps open up my creative energy.
OJ: You make incredible pottery in addition to your paintings, and you mention on your website that this is related to your family tradition of making Urushi. Can you tell me more about this connection, and how it has influenced some of your work?
CO: Growing up in Japan, several of my family members were skilled craftspeople. My grandfather was a metalsmith and built houses, and other relatives were blacksmiths and Urushi (lacquerware) artists. I always observed the intensity of their focus while working. The process of creating something from nothing always fascinated me. Although I never thought about it consciously, when I first started making pottery, I began to feel the influence of those creative family roots.
Pottery was my first major creative outlet, and I feel fortunate that I was recently able to get back into ceramics again in New York. When I’m deeply involved with my work, whether making pottery or encaustics, I feel a powerful connection to my ancestors.
OJ: As an artist, are there questions you wish people would ask about your work?
CO: I don’t have any particular kinds of questions I prefer. I am just happy when someone asks about my work. It means they are taking the time to think about it and are curious enough to ask.
OJ: I know you have other projects that you have worked on, including a YouTube channel and published books. Can you tell me more about what you do, in the realm of and outside of art?
CO: I love making art and pottery and sharing it with others, so that is my main focus. I’m also a certified Reiki master and have many other passions. I enjoy traveling and expressing my life experiences with others through my daily blog and my YouTube channel. I’ve also written a few books about life and travel and write a weekly travel column for a Japanese newspaper in Honolulu.
大森千寿 / Chizu Omori Born in Kagawa, Japan, Omori arrived in NYC in 2000 and discovered her love of making pottery and art. In 2003 she opened her first pottery studio in Brooklyn, NY, and began selling her work in Soho and Tribeca. Omori and her husband moved to Japan in 2004 and opened a pottery and art studio. After 15 years of living in Japan and participating in solo and group shows, they returned to New York. In 2019 Omori returned to making pottery and now also has an art studio in Chelsea, NYC.
Cover art: Untitled, encaustic on wood panel, 2017.
This interview was edited lightly for clarity and WTR style.
This interview was edited lightly for clarity and WTR style.