In conjunction with the winter exhibition, Drawn to the Work: Illustration and Craft in Conversation, HCCC is pleased to present an artist talk by Aya Kakeda.

Aya will share her artistic influences, as well as an overview of her practice, which spans illustration, risograph printing, and sculpture.

About Aya Kakeda
Aya Kakeda (Brooklyn, NY) grew up in Tokyo. She earned a BFA from Savannah College of Art and Design and an MFA in illustration from the School of Visual Arts. Growing up, she was influenced by the Edo-era woodblock prints of Utagawa Kuniyoshi and the travel photography of Kenji Sato. Her detailed illustrations evoke lush worlds inhabited by moody and whimsical characters. Kakeda has translated her illustrations into toys, ceramic, and installations. Through diorama-building and character design, she plays with scale, allowing viewers to explore the imaginative worlds she creates. She has been awarded Illustration Medals from the Society of Illustrators NY, SILA, MOCCA Festival, Print Magazine, and 3×3 Illustration.