Interview with Yoshimi Sugiyama

I love to create things. I feel the joy when I could cast my idea into a formalized shape.

I chose to be a designer, but I did not need to think hard to become a designer. Art has been, and continues to be, part of my daily life. I always enjoyed seeing the greatest works of art from contemporary art to a classic masterpiece. I was inspired to create my own unique works.

I wish to create an art work which communicates a message and a story. The audience does not need to agree with my message, but I wish they enjoy thinking about the message they each get. The greatest art takes a lifetime to understand. I also wish to design more of things I find in my everyday life.

Establish a concept of your art and obtain advanced skills to transform the concept into reality.

A good designer creates a design which is generally accepted. A great designer creates a design which is loved by many timelessly and continuously.

A good design creates value.

A good interior design creates attractive and successful working environment. A good product design creates economical value by increasing marketability and prestige. A good fine art and photographic design attract people and raise people’s spirits and lift confidence.

I desire to create a design for a bigger scale objects, such as a huge wallpaper for home or office. I hope to create a design which will provide a peace of mind, enrich the existing environment, and create a higher qualify of life for people inside the building. The wallpaper will be part of people’s daily life. I also want to create a photographic design for an automobile.

I would like to challenge the integration of fine art and commercial art. I need to develop a good concept but hope to incorporate fine art elements in advertisement design.

Japanese legendary painter, Korin Ogata and a fine art photographer, Michael Kenna.

Fashion Designers, Automobile Design Firms, Furniture Designers, Architect such as, Alexander McQueen, John Richmond, Giorgetto Giugiaro, Pininfarina, Eames, Isamu Noguchi, Joseph Eishler. Their designs have concepts and are aggressive yet beautiful.

My greatest designs are my representative works of “Animism 1 Sacred trees”
The design theme is Animism, which is ancient mythology. It makes it great and unique because the works mirror the timeless natural beauty and ancient people’s spirit and consciousness that “nature is sacred.”

Movie Director

I consider design as a form of art. I design to create an artwork, whether it be a commercial product image or a fine art book. Art has been part of my daily life and tries to express myself in the form of art. My design and work of art stem from a view or opinion or feeling that I hold within myself. Design is a communication tool between me and my audience.

My spouse.

When people or clients provide suggestions or opinions regarding the details of the design concept.

Full frame DSLR, Adobe Photoshop, i-mac,

It is a professional commercial photography and video production studio located in the south of San Francisco. Creating images for clients to sell and promote products sounds artificial, lifeless, and unspirited, however, I would say our studio is unique in a way. We try to create stories for every product and breathe new life into it in new and exciting ways. We try not to forget to challenge new things.

I consider design as a form of art. I design to create an artwork, whether it be a commercial product image or a fine art book. Art has been part of my daily life and tries to express myself in the form of art. My design and work of art stem from a view or opinion or feeling that I hold within myself.

I like to create a work which communicates a message and a story, and most importantly a work which inspires the audience.

My most favorite designs are my representative works of “sacred tree” series. The design theme is Animism, which is ancient mythology. I am trying to visualize ancient people’s consciousness that “nature is sacred.”

When I was able to create an artwork employing different techniques and the image came out exactly how I envisioned it to be. Specifically, when I was able to turn the lifeless images into living beings.

The design must be unique and influential, however, intent or purpose of the design should not be forgotten. I also consider visual design elements and principles such as color, balance, composition, direction, which I believe are the important foundational elements of art.

Joy, serenity, happiness, excitement, struggle.

Amazement, admiration, surprise, inspiring.

A successful design begins with a good design concept with solid fundamental knowledge of art and design theory.
A successful design should have all such foundational elements of art.

I will consider a target audience and clear purpose of the design first. The good design should convey influential messages, and yet provide true value for the audience. The lack of understanding of your target audience tends to lead to distrust and disrespect towards the designer/artist himself.

It is true that art comes in many different forms, and all artists have the right to freedom of artistic expression. It is the greatest things for the designers/artists that they are free to express their thoughts and opinions. At the same time, as a member of global society, the artists/designers are still responsible for showing respects towards different culture, opinions, thoughts, and environment, and not to convey wrong or misleading messages. We should be reminded that the art /design has been key to bringing about positive changes and has a strong power to inspire people in a good way.

2013 May, Exhibition "Japanese Garden" at The Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco The Japan Information Center, USA

I feel lucky that I get to work on what I love most. I strongly believe that such respect for design, my culture, and nature all develop a creative mind which is becoming my sources of inspirations.