Creator Interview：Kuriko Nekoya

Kuriko Nekoya

〜We can’t take our eyes off…from the world full of warmth 〜

“ Transparent picture that you would want to stare at forever”

That is my theme. And maybe add a little spice to it.

A person who comes to the events differs from the exhibition I attend. So, I think about what kind of picture will remain in people’s heart more.

I would like a lot of people to remember my piece.

I want people to be happy by seeing my drawings.

When I was young, my brother liked anime and games. And we had Slayers (light novel) at home.

I was curious about how they colored the drawings.

But I lived in the countryside. It didn’t have any art materials.

So I used the water-color paint that I bought at school.

I was a member of the art club and illustration club when I was in high school.

I participated in the art show and my illustration had a really good reputation.

So I simply thought of doing an illustration.

I wanted to go to the illustration related art academy.

But for my parents, they were anxious about me going down a path where it’s uncertain whether you can survive or not.

I had done everything my parents asked me to do through then, and finally was able to persuade them after fighting and crying for half a year.

In the end, I went to the art academy. The things that I learned there have been very useful for me through now.

When I was going to produce an original artwork, there was a time that I was wondering whether I should go towards something art-related or illustration-related. I attended a post-card exhibition in Osaka, those days.

Then, my anime-ish illustrations were odd. Other people were more painter-like.

Those people told me about Sakura Exhibition. They told me that there are many kinds of people participating.

So I attended and was selected as a member of UK exhibition. This made me very happy.
I thought I might be able to slowly move in this direction.

I won’t show my drawings even to my close friends. I get nervous to have them see in front of me.

So, I don’t know their reactions. And because of that, I was pleased to be chosen as a member of UK exhibition.

If you participate in sokubaikai (art exhibition and sales event), there are lots of people who have the same hobby like me.

That is very fun.

I have a goal to win a prize at the large exhibition like Sakura Exhibition.

I feel a strong sense of confidence in each line drawn by writers and painters who draw in analog.

Even drawing in analog, I want to acquire a skill so that I don’t need to draw over and over again.

It doesn’t mean that you need to complete an illustration by analog. If I was asked instantly to draw a picture on a paper, I want to draw a high-quality picture.

I also would like to draw for a magazine cover.

From our Editor

Interviewed month：May, 2014

Nekoya-san was already determined that she would draw for living when she grew up since she was a little girl.

Until 6th grade, she was practicing her drawings using Oekakisensei (it is a magnetic-backed toy that you can draw a picture or write on a screen). Using this toy on your lap, no one could see her drawing and she was able to erase it quickly.

Interview supported by: