”Yossyatelier explores landscape through spatial reading, inspired by Japanese ukiyo-e compositions and drawn to nostalgic moments of dusk where structure, atmosphere, and nature quietly coexist.”
Artist statement
My practice explores landscape through spatial reading rather than direct representation.
Influenced by the compositional language of Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints, I am interested in how space can be structured, experienced, and remembered. In particular, I draw from the use of line, strong silhouettes, and the contrast between foreground and distance to create a sense of depth and movement within the image.
Rather than depicting untouched nature, my work explores moments where architecture and landscape quietly coexist. Bridges, roads, industrial traces, and built environments are not separate from nature but become part of the landscape through time.
I am especially drawn to the atmosphere of dusk, when silhouettes emerge and familiar places begin to feel both timeless and nostalgic. These transitional moments reveal a subtle balance between structure and atmosphere, stillness and movement, and evoke memories that feel personal yet difficult to place.
Working intuitively with mixed media, including pastel, gouache, watercolour, ink, oil paint and charcoal, I build layered surfaces that move between landscape, structure, space, and abstraction.
My work invites viewers not simply to observe a place, but to experience the quiet transformation of space.
Artist biography:
Yossyatelier is a Japan-born artist based in North East England. With an M.A. in Architecture from Tokyo and a background in architectural practice, she brings an understanding of structure, perspective, and spatial reading into her work.
Her practice is inspired by Japanese ukiyo-e and explores the relationship between urban and natural landscapes, particularly the industrial environments of Northern England. Through line, composition, and atmospheric layering, she examines how space is constructed and how architecture and nature gradually align over time.
Working in soft pastel, gouache, watercolour, and oil, she creates mixed-media landscapes that reflect moments of stillness, transition, and quiet nostalgia. Her work often focuses on dusk and dawn, where light and shadow transform familiar places into contemplative spaces.
My art pursuit:
I work with mixed media—gouache, oil paint, soft pastels, watercolour, and charcoal pencils—applying them in distinct sections to create gradients, vivid colours, and a balance of bold and textured lines. The process is always challenging, with the final outcome initially uncertain; I begin only with an impression of the atmosphere shaped by light and shadow. Composition plays a central role in my work, whether in highlighting geometric structures that frame nature or in focusing on landmarks that give meaning to a landscape.
