ABOUT MIKA

I’m a painter and UX designer living in Portland, ME. Follow me on Instagram @mikasatoart 

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As a teenager, I was drawn to printmaking, a medium in which I found a unique voice by incorporating text into my work. This blend of visual and verbal elements allowed me to express complex emotions and ideas, creating pieces that were both thought-provoking and deeply personal. The tactile nature of printmaking, combined with the power of words, resonated with my youthful creativity, curiosity, and angst.

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When I decided not to apply to art school, I inadvertently took a very long break from art. As the pandemic reshaped daily life, I took baby steps to return to a creative mind - first drawing, and then experimenting with watercolors and finally settling into acrylics. 

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Having recently become a mother, my thoughts these days tend to drift towards youth. With my head in a fog of nostalgia, my current work is an exploration of the techniques, ideas, and feelings of my younger years, playing with varying degrees of emphasis on the text - wavering between wanting to be seen and wanting to remain hidden. Each piece serves as a bridge between past and present, illustrating an artistic evolution enriched by time and experience.