Student Artist Likes Mixtures of People
Chie Yasuda, a senior art-studio major at UNM, participated in the Annual ASUNM Arts & Crafts Fair in November in the Student Union Building. She took a minute to speak to Mary Conrad for the Howler. Mary then took a minute to buy some of Chie's work!
Howler: Where are you from originally?
Chie: Japan.
Howler: How long have you been here?
Chie: Four years.
Howler: Why did you come to UNM?
Chie: I was in New York before. I wanted to go somewhere that wasn't very much like the US—like here, foreign cultures mixed, Spanish culture… I thought this was kind of fun and more different.
Howler: Tell us about what you do here.
Chie: I make origami style. I brought Washi*, made by hand, from Japan. I make ornaments. I make the cranes.
Howler: How can you make these so small?
Chie: I'm doing this since I was very little. In my culture in elementary school everybody does this together. I'm so getting used to it for a while.
Howler: Have you sold anything?
Chie: I sold a couple of earrings, I sold boxes.
Howler: You're studying fine arts?
Chie: Yes. I'm focusing on painting and drawing.
Howler: What has been the best thing about the fine arts program here?
Chie: Here has more freedom. I was in school in Japan and most teachers say "You have to do it this way." Also, people are beginners and high level. Everybody's mixed.
*Paper hand-made from the bark fibers of three main types of shrubs: paper mulberry, gampy, or mitsumata.