Q: Are there any artists you admire? (Question from “Cultured Focus” Magazine)

“Henri Matisse: Forms in Freedom,” The National Arts Center, Tokyo, Japan

A: Among historical painters, I adore Henri Matisse and André Derain, for their striking compositions and bold use of colors.  Among living photographers, I am most fascinated by the Pictures Generation, namely, Cindy Sherman, Laurie Simmons, Sandy Skoglund, and Gregory Crewdson.  I am drawn to these photographers, I think, because my earliest pastel painting series involved staged photography. 

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