Wendy Maruyama, Artist
What ideologies or thoughts inspire your art?
Initially, I have always been inspired by my environs: I love to travel and have been lucky to have been selected to be an artist in residence in so many different parts of the world: the colors, the smells, and culture has always provided fodder for new work.
But in the past 15 years my work has been inspired by my own ethnicity, my own place as an American, a Japanese American - and my narratives in my work addressed Executive Order 9066 (The Japanese American Incarceration camps), in the form of domestic objects.
And since I was a child, I have always loved animals - and the concerns I have about wildlife and the growing threat to various species concerns me greatly. My last major exhibition was a call for activism and awareness of the dangers of poaching.
Life in general always has an effect on my work. Some of my family members have recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer's/dementia and it has me thinking about loss in a different way. This combined with Covid has profoundly affected my work. (works shown below: a project done with consultation with Salk Institute scientist Dr. John Reynolds - black mirrors examine the effects of memory loss and memory retained.)
What is a typical day like for you?
Generally, in the mornings I have my coffee and I work at the computer on correspondence (like this!) and then after lunch, I would head over to my studio to work. But lately, we just got a new puppy and her name is Olive and she is 14 weeks old - so in the morning, I play with the puppy, then work at the computer, then play with the puppy, go to the studio, come home, play with the puppy!
When did you decide to become an artist?
I have been deaf from birth and so from the outset, I have always been interested in visual things and making things with my hands. I remember making some sort of art in different forms since I was five! Later in life, I trained to become a jeweler but then migrated into furniture making - working with wood seemed like such a novel idea back in the day (1970’s) since I was not allowed to take woodshop in Jr high or high school.
I also serve on two non-profit boards and they both keep my mornings supremely busy!!!
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