Chikako was born and raised in Hokkaido, Japan Although she is an accomplished artist, she received no formal art training. During a particularly difficult time in her early childhood, she was confined to a plaster cast from the waist and spent her days entertaining herself by drawing, painting, making things with her hands and mechanical tools, exploring the details of her world and surrounding herself with color. This curiosity and a sensitivity to the world around her has continued throughout her life and has served her well in her art and life. After she graduated from the University of Tokyo she moved to the United States where she attended graduate school at the University of Massachusetts. During the 1970’s, she spent several years traveling in Europe and North Africa.
While living in Livorno, Italy, she discovered Amedeo Modigliani (b. 1884 and d. 1920) and was inspired by his contemporary style known for its economy of composition and neutral backgrounds that evoke a certain elegance that crosses peoples cultural and educational backgrounds. She began sketching and when a few years later she settled in New York, she began to create larger pieces to enhance the walls of her apartment.
Chikako Suginome reflects the spirit of an “outsider artist.” “Outsider artists” are self-taught, not trained in traditional art forms and they are not limited by tradition leaving them free to express themselves in the manner in which they choose. Their work is at once inspiring and visually exciting. In these artists one can truly see the limitlessness of human expression. Outsider Artists have gained much deserved recognition over the last three decades.
In her own words, Chikako explains, “my objective in creating art is to surround myself in bright colors and textures, so that I am living in the space where I feel visually stimulated no matter where I am, what I am doing, or what the weather is. I like to create art using geometric lines because I can express simplicity and movement at the same time. I use fabrics as a medium to create the warmth that we need to go through the dark days of winter in Vermont. I also use rice paper uniquely produced in Japan that resembles the texture of fiber to create a feel of warmth and softness. It’s not the physical size of the space rather it’s the feel of the space that matters. We are constantly dealing with illusions as we decide the size of space, color and texture to our surroundings. To me, art is a work and creation of visual illusion.”