Featured Artist : Nagisa Sakamoto

Nagisa first discovered the world of miniatures at an exhibition. It made her want to exhibit as a maker, so she began creating miniatures herself. Totally self-taught, she bought a wide variety of materials and began by experimenting and learning through trial and error. Nagisa’s inspiration came from roses, which she would admire in rose gardens and flower shops, roses she grew herself and photographs she came across online, in books as well as artworks she studied in museums. She always unconsciously keeps her senses open to inspiration in everyday life.

Nagisa believes a miniature needs to be realistic (this is what is so breath-taking about her work) while also containing an element of the unreal. Creating miniatures – giving visible form to what was once invisible is also a healing process for her. She believes that what is held within us moves outward and becomes a means of communication. How far you can express your own worldview depends on both sensibility and technique, something she continues to refine.

The work that required the most time and effort was Green-topophilia. She also made its display box herself: she selected the wood, milled it, carved it, and finished it with a French-polished oil finish. 

See more of Nagisa’s work HERE