this is a full text of my interview in may 2012, by a canadian journalist, unedited version.
... forgive me for my poor english,,, hope you'll enjoy a little facts about who i was at that moment...
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interview with Kae Seak, may 2012
Q. When did you start making paintings?
I must say 5 month ago...I just started what I do now last December. I am only a flesh man in this field.
The very beginning was when I was 1 year old...that's what I was said by my mother...the same time when I started using pencils and crayons. She said I drew princess for hours on her household account book by the age of 2.
She gave me many art books of western maestros in my infancy. I loved those books, but what fascinated me most was sumi-e, old ink painting in Japan and China. I don't remember i drew princess a lot, but I do remember that my grandfather taught me how to grind an ink-cake and how to draw with sumi ink...I loved that very much.
Also at school, I enjoyed the art class only. But for some reason, I never thought I was good, was never sure about that I should dedicate my life to art at that time. I just quit at the end of teenage, and didn't do any creations for years.
But the last year, knowing that my very precious friend tried to make his own music, I started thinking that I wanted to make something of my own too...and in December, the holiday season, I gave myself a try to draw on some greeting cards...seriously, that was my restart.
Q. What types of paint do you use?
This question is what I have asked often from other artists...Japanese gansai paint, sumi ink in deep black, blue black and vermillion, western water ink.
Q. Do you like to experiment in Art or do you just stick to one kind?
I always try to be myself, to be true to who I am, what I am all about. In that sense, I stick to one kind.
But actually I often change my style in drawing...I get bored very soon of doing the same thing over and over and switch to something new or switch back to old...that is sort of experimentation, yet my world.
Whatever I do, the output is my style of work, still myself.
Q. Do you think an Artist is naturally born or can anyone learn/study to be a good Artist?
Good studies and some privileged environments might give anyone certain knowledge and techniques which possibly make audiences impressed.
But I don't think the mind and soul as an artist can always be obtained from any studying...what I want to say here is that each person has own mission.
I may be able to draw as an artist, but I cannot draw any packages as a designer for example, even if they are both creators.
And as for me, I just studied art properly at school at my teenage, an hour and a half par week, for six years only.
Q. Who is your biggest inspiration?
Myself basically...I mean, my sources of inspiration often reside inside me. My love, my fantasies, my emotions, my passion, my thoughts...factors where I interact with people and with the world.
People say that artists express themselves in their creation...I do the same, but for me interaction and relation between my mind and paper or paints are more important than what I output. I am rather shy, quiet and passive, I don't talk much. People like that often look into inside them deeply. People like that might not speak a lot, but it doesn't mean they are lack of self-assertiveness and they have nothing to say...they have so much inside.
Apart from myself, I would say I am rather inspired by photographs and music than paintings...I am aware that some musicians or DJs are very much into art.
One of my big inspirations is the Japanese photographer Toshiya Tsudura. His works are amazing of course, he is a genius of finding human abnormality and insanity in common sense.
Also, the Korean artist D Hwang. He is very talented in many fields, and what draws me most is the fact that he bravely faces his life and death at every moment, be true to himself between them. He never escapes, but coexists with his death, as well as his life, that makes his art so madly alive.
Then Maurizio Barraco, the fabulous painter in Italy...his works are so emotional, sensual and strong, yet delicate and poetic. I am always amazed by his hard working...he paints everyday every night, never stops evolution. He is always sleepless. I've seen his works so many, almost every day, and I am fascinated each time. His dedication and commitment to art stimulate my passion for art.
Those three people as artists/photographers and as human inspire me a lot in many levels in my mentality, give me creativity.
Plus, I get inspired in the process of interacting with my family and friends, people I love.
Very importantly, nature inspires me much too...I live in this countryside in Japan, surrounded by a lot of mountain nature. I was born here, was grown up here. The simple beauty of nature here itself is too good to be missed...what is more important to me is how I feel out of it. I can sink my mind into tranquility, peace, blessed feeling, spiritual state by being in nature...and sometimes I can empty my brain with no distractions.
Q. What is your favourite colour?
Purple is special for me. Once I used blue and red a lot for a certain period of time without thinking much, just instinctually and I didn't really know why. I thought that might be because those are colors of vein and artery. And one day I told Maurizio about that, then he said "blue and red make purple, purple is a color of soul. you are trying to paint soul." I was very touched by his words, and since then I've got a feeling that purple is my color....might sound silly, but it is just like that.
I also go somewhere among blue, vermillion, fusha pink, blue black, and deep red, when I paint...components of blood color.
On the other hand, I hardly use yellow, orange, brown, green.
For clothing, I am comfortable most in white and navy blue.
Q. How long does it take you to make one painting?
My entire life so far.
Q. Do you have a favourite painting? Can you tell us a little about it?Let me tell you three.
"Schiele, ein Aktmodell vor Spiegel zeichnend", "Die Umarmung (Liebespaar II, Mann und Frau)" both by Egon Schiele, and "Prunus mume and Bird" by Eitoku Kano. I don't own them of course...I just love them from my childhood, they are big influences for me.
Q. Who is your biggest supporter or fan?
I don't have any supporters or fans, I only have friends...and of course my family.
I appreciate very much when people like my works, but even if they don't, it's ok with me. Pleasing people is not my top priority to be honest, I don't even try to make something beautiful.
I do what I do for myself, I do what I wish to keep for myself in the end.
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