In 1992 Mikiko Kudo left Japan to come to America to pursue her dream. Her background was in science until then. She taught math, biology, and chemistry at a secondary school in Kenya as a Japanese Peace Corp Volunteer for two years prior to moving to America. After the life changing experience in Kenya, she decided to follow her passion to go back to school to study art. She wanted to become an artist. Vincent Van Gogh, whom she admires, started painting when he was 27, and she was now beginning to study art at the same age.

She received a B.A. in Fine Arts in 1996 from Columbia College, Chicago. After graduation, she worked as a graphic designer in Chicago. In 2004 she moved to Dripping Springs, TX to raise her family and eventually she focused on painting again.

Lately, she has been painting personified animals in the Fantastic Animals Series and also a lot of flowers. She loves to paint portraits of her family. When she is not painting, she is practicing violin (music is another passion of hers).

1996      Columbia College, Chicago, IL, B.A. Fine Arts, Graphic Design

1988      Iwate University, Iwate, Japan, Bachelor’s Degree of                   Agriculture, Agricultural Chemistry