Beck Wheeler is a New-Zealand native illustrator, children’s book author and pop surrealist artist who creates art from paint, wood, found objects and digital media. She is currently in Fukuoka for a four week residency at Studio Kura, Itoshima. Their Artist in Residence program is a chance for foreign artists to enjoy and draw inspiration from Japan’s rural environment, as well as for Studio Kura’s thriving local community to meet different artists and their work. As an illustrator Beck has helped develop campaigns for national and international brands. As an artist she exhibits regularly internationally, showing her artwork in the USA, Europe, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. This month, Beck holds an exhibition at Studio Kura, showcasing her work created in Fukuoka during the residency. The exhibition, entitled Itoshima Characters, portrays Itoshima locals Beck has encountered in her daily life at Studio Kura. The four main characters – a mochi cafe chef, an old lady with a roadside garden, a bonsai tree gardener and a local hunter/fisherman – have become large scale paintings and die cut toys. An opportunity to meet a visiting international artist in the Itoshima countryside and, through her work, meet the locals of Itoshima too!
• 7/12 (Sat.)~19 (Sat.) 11:00~19:00
* Opening party: 7/12 (Sat.) 17:00~
• Studio Kura Gallery
• 586 Masue, Nijo, Itoshima
• mail@studiokura.info
• http://beckwheeler.net
