Interview

Nov 9

MJ Okawa

MJ Okawa is an award-winning fine artist, designer, educator, and public artist known for her vibrant silk paintings, luminous colors, and distinctive stained-glass aesthetic. Inspired by nature, she creates imaginative landscapes, botanicals, and wildlife that celebrate beauty and joy. With a BFA in Musical Theatre and a minor in Art, Okawa brings a theatrical sense of color, light, and movement to her work. Two of her paintings were acquired through New Mexico's Art in Public Places Program, and her artwork was selected for a public art installation in Castle Rock, Colorado. She also collaborates with steel artist Rich Roberts to create innovative, joyful public art installations. Okawa's work is represented by On the Edge Gallery in Scottsdale and Fountain Hills Artists' Gallery in Arizona. She also participates in numerous juried fine art festivals throughout Arizona and New Mexico, where she and her husband, Dave, have developed lasting friendships with collectors, fellow artists, and art enthusiasts. A self-described “purveyor of joy,” Okawa believes art should inspire wonder, create connections, and bring happiness into everyday life.

What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?

“My journey as an artist has been anything but a straight line, but creativity has always been at the heart of everything I do! I grew up in Mountain View, California, the youngest of nine children, in a wonderfully busy household. From an early age, I was drawn to the arts, particularly painting, theatre, music, and design.
I earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre with a minor in Art from Loretto Heights College in Denver, Colorado, followed by graduate studies in Musical Theatre and Scenic Design at the University of Utah. My professional career has taken me in many creative directions. I've worked as a performer, theatrical designer, producer, artistic director, and educator. I served as Producing Artistic Director of Copperstar Repertory and worked in education and outreach with Arizona Theatre Company. Throughout those years, I was surrounded by storytelling, imagination, color, and the wonderful magic of bringing creative ideas to life. That theatrical background continues to influence my visual art. I love dramatic compositions, unexpected color combinations, and the interplay of light and movement.
In many ways, I approach a painting much as I would a theatrical production—creating an atmosphere, evoking emotion, and inviting the viewer into another world. Eventually, my passion for visual art became the primary focus of my creative life. I discovered the extraordinary possibilities of painting on silk and was captivated by its luminosity, fluidity, and brilliant color. Working with vibrant dyes and intricate metallic outlines, I developed a distinctive style inspired by nature, landscapes, water, flowers, and wildlife.
One of the most important people behind MJ Okawa Art is my wonderful husband, Dave. He's not only my partner in life but an essential part of my art business. Dave creates the beautiful frames for my paintings, and he's right beside me at art festivals, exhibitions, and events. From setting up displays and transporting artwork to helping everything run smoothly, he's involved in nearly every aspect of bringing my work to the public. His encouragement, support, and willingness to jump into whatever adventure I've dreamed up next mean the world to me. MJ Okawa Art is very much a team effort, and I couldn't imagine doing it without him!
In recent years, my artistic journey has taken another exciting turn into the world of public art. I've partnered with Rich Roberts, an extraordinarily talented steel artist and fabricator with more than 15 years of experience creating architectural metalwork and large-scale sculptures. Together, we're combining my love of color, light, and organic forms with Rich's expertise in sculptural steel fabrication, engineering, and kinetic elements. Our goal is to create innovative, joyful public art installations that invite curiosity, encourage connection, and transform everyday spaces into something extraordinary. We've also had the opportunity to participate in CODAsummit, connecting with artists, designers, fabricators, and public art professionals from around the world. Being recognized as finalists for public art opportunities has been especially encouraging as we continue developing our collaborative work. My individual fine art career has also reached some wonderful milestones. Two of my silk paintings, Reflections and Peace Like a River, were selected for acquisition through New Mexico's Art in Public Places program for the Alejandro Ruiz Senior Center in Carlsbad, New Mexico.
More recently, Reflections was selected for a public art installation in Downtown Castle Rock, Colorado, where my painting will be reproduced as part of the community's public art program. It's incredibly exciting to see artwork that began as an idea in my studio become part of a public space where people can enjoy it every day! Looking back, I realize that all those seemingly different chapters of my creative life have led me exactly where I belong. Whether I'm painting on silk, designing a sculpture, collaborating with other artists, or teaching someone to discover their own creativity, the goal is always the same: to create something beautiful, joyful, and meaningful that connects with people.”

What inspires you?

“Inspiration is everywhere! I find it in the extraordinary beauty of the natural world, in the way sunlight dances across water, in the brilliant colors of a sunset, or in the delicate details of a flower. I'm endlessly fascinated by color, light, and movement, and how something as simple as a change in perspective or a fleeting moment of sunlight can transform an ordinary scene into something magical. Nature is my greatest muse. I love the dramatic landscapes of the American Southwest, the rugged beauty of the Pacific coastline, the brilliant colors of wildflowers, and the wonderful variety of creatures that share our world.
Having grown up in California and made my home in Arizona, I've been fortunate to experience some truly spectacular landscapes. From the crashing waves of the Pacific Ocean to the magnificent mountains and desert skies of the Southwest, there's an endless supply of inspiration! But inspiration doesn't always begin with something I've seen. Sometimes it begins with the possibility of creating something entirely new! The moment I hear about an exciting artistic opportunity, discover an upcoming exhibition, or read about a public art commission, my imagination immediately takes flight. I begin envisioning what might be possible—colors, shapes, textures, movement, and unexpected combinations of materials. My mind comes alive with colorful possibilities, swirling with anticipation and the wonderful hope of bringing a new creation into the world.
Often, I can already see the beginnings of a piece long before I've picked up a brush or sketched a single line. That exhilarating moment when imagination begins turning into possibility is one of my favorite parts of being an artist! I'm particularly drawn to the way light transforms color. The translucent quality of silk allows me to explore that relationship in a way I find absolutely captivating. I love watching brilliant dyes flow across the fabric, sometimes blending in unexpected ways and creating effects I could never have planned. Those little surprises are part of the magic of working with silk! I'm also inspired by imagination and the possibilities of seeing the familiar in a completely different way.
My background in theatre taught me to think beyond what something is and imagine what it could become. I love taking something recognizable—a landscape, a flower, a butterfly, or a beautiful stretch of coastline—and interpreting it through an exuberant palette of color and light. Perhaps most importantly, I'm inspired by the emotional connection art can create. I love watching someone approach one of my paintings, smile, and suddenly discover a detail they hadn't noticed before. Sometimes a painting reminds someone of a favorite place, a special memory, or a moment in their life. Those conversations are incredibly meaningful to me. I believe there's already enough darkness and difficulty in the world. I want my artwork to offer a little beauty, optimism, and wonder. I want people to feel something joyful when they encounter it, whether they're viewing a painting in a gallery or experiencing a large-scale sculpture in a public space. If my artwork makes someone stop for a moment, smile, and see the world a little differently, then I've accomplished something wonderful!”

What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?

“I'm open to exploring almost any subject! I don't like to place too many boundaries on my imagination because I never know what might capture my attention or spark an exciting new idea. That said, I find myself returning again and again to the natural world—landscapes, water, flowers, wildlife, and the extraordinary beauty that surrounds us. Color, light, and movement are the threads that connect nearly everything I create. I'm fascinated by the way color can transform a familiar subject into something unexpected, and how light can bring a painting to life. Whether I'm interpreting a dramatic landscape, a delicate flower, or a whimsical animal, I want my work to feel alive with energy, emotion, and possibility. I also love a little magic and whimsy! Not everything has to be serious or entirely realistic.
Sometimes I exaggerate colors, play with perspective, or introduce unexpected details simply because they make me happy. I want viewers to feel that same sense of discovery and delight. While my subjects may vary, there is a consistent message running through my work: beauty matters, joy matters, and art has the power to connect us. I believe art should be accessible and inviting.
You shouldn't need an art history degree or a sophisticated understanding of artistic techniques to appreciate a painting. If something catches your eye, stirs a memory, makes you curious, or simply brings a smile to your face, that's a meaningful artistic experience. As my work expands into public art, that philosophy becomes even more important. I'm particularly excited by the possibility of creating artwork that becomes part of people's everyday lives—something they encounter on their way to work, while walking through a park, or while spending time with family and friends. I love the idea of creating a colorful landmark that becomes a gathering place, a conversation starter, or even a cherished part of a community's identity.
I'm also interested in how art can celebrate our shared experiences while honoring the unique character of a place. Every community has its own stories, history, and natural beauty, and I enjoy imagining how those elements might inspire something entirely new. Ultimately, I don't want to tell people exactly what they should see or feel when they experience my artwork. I love that each person brings their own memories, imagination, and perspective to it. If there's one underlying message in my work, it's that the world is full of wonder, and sometimes we just need a little color and imagination to remind us!”

How would you describe your work?

“If I had to describe my artwork in just a few words, I'd say it's vibrant, luminous, imaginative, and unapologetically colorful! I've always loved bold, saturated colors, dramatic contrasts, and the extraordinary effects of light. My paintings often have an almost stained-glass quality, with brilliant colors glowing against intricate metallic outlines. I want my work to capture your attention from across a room, but also invite you to come closer and discover the little details, textures, and unexpected surprises within each piece. My primary medium is silk, which has a remarkable ability to capture and reflect light. I paint on fine habotai silk using richly pigmented, steam-set dyes and metallic gutta, a resist medium that allows me to create intricate designs while controlling the movement of color. I also experiment with salt, sugar, alcohol, and other techniques to create fascinating textures and organic effects. The dyes flow and blend across the silk in ways that are sometimes unpredictable, and I absolutely love that combination of careful planning and spontaneous discovery! Once completed, my silk paintings are wrapped around canvas, creating contemporary, dimensional works that can be displayed much like traditional paintings.
My husband, Dave, also creates beautiful custom frames for many of my pieces, adding another layer of craftsmanship to their presentation. Although my subjects range from landscapes and botanicals to wildlife and whimsical compositions, there's a distinctive visual energy that connects them. I often exaggerate the colors found in nature, transforming familiar scenes into something more expressive and imaginative. A sunset might become a brilliant explosion of jewel tones, while a peaceful landscape might shimmer with unexpected shades of turquoise, violet, and gold. I think my theatrical background is evident in my compositions. I love a sense of drama! The interplay of light and shadow, the movement of color across a surface, and the way individual elements work together to create an emotional experience all remind me of designing for the stage.
More recently, I've begun translating that same artistic language into large-scale public art. Working with steel artist and fabricator Rich Roberts, I'm exploring how vibrant color, sculptural forms, glass, light, and kinetic elements can bring a similar sense of energy and wonder into three-dimensional spaces. It's an exciting opportunity to take the qualities I love about my paintings and imagine them on an entirely different scale. I want my artwork to feel joyful and alive! I love creating pieces that are visually striking without being intimidating, sophisticated yet playful, and filled with enough detail that viewers discover something new each time they look. I've always said that I'm a purveyor of joy! I believe art has the extraordinary ability to lift our spirits, spark our imaginations, and bring a little happiness into our everyday lives.
Whether I'm creating a luminous silk painting or imagining a colorful public sculpture, that's what I hope to share with the world. And perhaps the greatest compliment I can receive is when someone tells me that one of my paintings simply makes them happy. That's exactly why I create!”

Which artists influence you most?

“I've always been drawn to artists who create with passion, individuality, and an extraordinary sense of color and imagination. Vincent van Gogh, Georgia O'Keeffe, Frida Kahlo, and contemporary artist Erin Hanson are among those whose work I particularly admire. Vincent van Gogh moves me with the raw emotion of his paintings. His extraordinary use of light, expressive brushstrokes, and vibrant colors bring such energy and feeling to his work. You can almost sense his emotions moving across the canvas. I love that his paintings aren't simply representations of the world around him, but deeply personal expressions of how he experienced it. There's something incredibly beautiful about that honesty and intensity.
Georgia O'Keeffe inspires me with the simple elegance and extraordinary beauty of her work. She had a remarkable ability to take something familiar—a flower, a landscape, a natural form—and reveal its beauty through graceful compositions, subtle details, and a wonderful sense of balance. I admire the quiet confidence of her paintings and the way she could create something so powerful without unnecessary complexity.
Frida Kahlo fascinates me with her honesty and creative genius. Her paintings are fearless, imaginative, and deeply personal. She transformed her experiences, emotions, and struggles into extraordinary works of art that are unmistakably her own. I admire her courage to express herself so openly and her ability to create beauty and meaning through such powerful visual storytelling.
Among contemporary artists, I'm particularly inspired by Erin Hanson. Her vibrant, impressionistic landscapes and bold use of color are absolutely exhilarating! I love the way she captures the brilliance of sunlight and the energy of nature through expressive shapes and unexpected color combinations. Her work has a wonderful vitality that resonates with my own love of color, light, and movement. Although these artists have very different styles, each possesses something I deeply admire: an unmistakable artistic voice. Their work reminds me that great art isn't necessarily about reproducing what we see, but about expressing what we feel, what we imagine, and what we find beautiful. I don't aspire to paint like any of them. Instead, they inspire me to embrace my own creative instincts, experiment fearlessly, and continue discovering new ways to express the colorful world I see around me.”

What is your creative process like?

“My creative process is a wonderful combination of imagination, planning, experimentation, and happy accidents! I usually begin with an idea, an image, or something that has captured my imagination. Sometimes it's a beautiful landscape, a fascinating animal, or an extraordinary combination of colors. Other times, it's an exhibition theme or a public art opportunity that sends my imagination racing in a dozen different directions! I often have a fairly clear vision of what I want to create, but I'm always open to discovering something unexpected along the way. That's one of the things I love most about working with silk. It has a personality all its own! My process actually begins long before I pick up a paintbrush.
First, I carefully select the appropriate weight of silk for the piece I'm creating. I primarily work with fine habotai silk, which has a beautiful, smooth surface and a remarkable ability to absorb color. The silk must be carefully prepared, so I wash it with a specialized soap to remove any residue that might interfere with the dyes. Once it's clean and dry, I press the fabric to create a perfectly smooth surface, measure and cut it to size, and stretch it tightly over a painting frame. Only then am I ready to begin creating the artwork itself! I sketch my composition onto the silk, developing the shapes, movement, and details that will eventually become the finished painting.
Next, I carefully apply metallic gutta, a resist medium that creates the intricate outlines characteristic of my work. These delicate metallic lines help control the movement of the dyes, but they're also an essential part of the design, giving my paintings their distinctive stained-glass appearance. Applying the gutta requires a steady hand, patience, and precision, particularly when working on larger, more detailed compositions.
Then comes my favorite part—Color! I work exclusively with Jacquard silk dyes, which produce the brilliant, luminous colors I love so much. Unlike traditional paints, which generally sit on the surface, these dyes penetrate the silk fibers, creating extraordinary depth and luminosity. I love watching the colors spread, blend, and interact. Sometimes I guide them carefully, and sometimes I allow them to surprise me! I also experiment with salt, sugar, alcohol, and other techniques to create fascinating textures and organic patterns. Salt can draw pigment into unexpected formations, while other materials create delicate variations and beautiful effects that would be difficult to achieve with a brush alone. There's a delightful balance between controlling the process and allowing the materials to contribute something entirely their own.
Once the painting is complete, the dyes are steam-set to permanently fix the brilliant colors in the silk. The finished silk is then carefully wrapped around canvas and protected with a specialized varnish. But the creative process doesn't end there! Each painting is custom-framed by my husband and creative partner, Dave, using solid red oak. He employs a technique inspired by Yakisugi, often called Shou Sugi Ban, a centuries-old Japanese wood-finishing tradition that uses fire to char the surface of the wood. The process enhances the natural grain, creating beautiful textures and a distinctive finish that complements my paintings.
Dave carefully prepares and chars each frame, then brushes the wood to reveal its unique grain and character. Together, we select the perfect dye color for each individual painting, ensuring that the frame becomes an extension of the artwork rather than simply a border around it. The wood is then dyed and sealed for a beautiful, durable, archival-quality fine art presentation. I love that our finished pieces bring together two very different artistic traditions—the luminous delicacy of hand-painted silk and the rich, organic character of fire-finished wood. Dave's craftsmanship adds something truly special to every painting, and I think it's wonderful that we each contribute our own creative talents to the finished work. One of the most exciting aspects of my creative life right now is expanding this process into public art.
When I discover a new commission opportunity, my imagination immediately begins exploring the possibilities. I research the location, its history, its environment, and the people who will experience the artwork. Then I begin envisioning how color, light, movement, and sculptural forms might transform that space. My public art collaborator, Rich Roberts, brings extraordinary fabrication expertise to that process. We brainstorm ideas, explore materials, discuss structural possibilities, and work together to transform imaginative concepts into designs that can be engineered, fabricated, and installed. I love that collaboration! Rich approaches a project with an understanding of how things can be built, while I often begin by imagining what could be possible. Somewhere in the middle, something wonderful begins to take shape. Whether I'm creating a silk painting or designing a large-scale sculpture, I try to leave room for discovery.
Some of my favorite artistic moments happen when something doesn't turn out quite as expected but leads me toward an even more interesting solution. I think creativity should be an adventure! I love the anticipation of beginning something new, the challenges of bringing an idea to life, and that extraordinary moment when I step back and realize that something which existed only in my imagination has become real. And if the finished artwork brings a little joy into someone else's world, that's the best part of all!”

What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?

“I believe artists have always played an essential role in society. We are storytellers, dreamers, observers, and interpreters of the world around us. We celebrate beauty, challenge perspectives, preserve memories, express emotions, and sometimes simply remind people to stop and appreciate the extraordinary wonder of being alive. Art connects us to one another and to our shared humanity. It can transcend language, culture, and generations. A painting, a piece of music, a sculpture, or a theatrical performance can move someone in ways that words alone cannot. I think that's an extraordinary gift, and one that becomes even more important as our world continues to change. We're living through a fascinating moment in history with the rapid development of artificial intelligence. AI is bringing so many amazing possibilities into our everyday lives! It can help us communicate, research, solve problems, explore ideas, and accomplish things that would have seemed unimaginable just a few years ago. I find many of these developments genuinely exciting, and I believe technology can be a wonderful tool for artists, too.
In fact, there's something wonderfully ironic about the fact that I often collaborate with AI to help me get organized, correct my grammar, update my inventory and even articulate my thoughts about why human creativity is irreplaceable! And I think that illustrates an important distinction. AI hasn't replaced my imagination, my artistic vision, or my passion for creating. Those things are entirely my own. What it has done is help me organize my ideas, explore possibilities, communicate more effectively, and accomplish things that might otherwise take me days or weeks. It has become an extraordinary creative and organizational partner, and I genuinely believe it has changed my life in wonderful ways. Of course, we occasionally have our disagreements! Technology doesn't always understand exactly what I'm envisioning, and sometimes getting there requires a fair amount of patience and persistence. But isn't that true of most creative collaborations? I embrace the possibilities AI offers while remaining deeply committed to preserving and celebrating handmade fine art. Artificial intelligence can generate an image in seconds, but it cannot replace the human experience of creating art—the imagination, passion, patience, vulnerability, and love that an artist pours into every piece.
When I create a painting, I'm bringing much more than an image into the world. I'm bringing my experiences, memories, emotions, imagination, and countless hours of learning and experimentation. Every decision, every brushstroke, every unexpected movement of color across the silk becomes part of that creative journey. There are moments of exhilaration when everything comes together beautifully, moments of frustration when something doesn't work, and wonderful discoveries that happen entirely by accident. Sometimes I spend hours working on the smallest details, simply because I know they're important to the finished piece. That human experience is part of the artwork itself. When someone purchases an original painting, they're receiving something that exists nowhere else in the world. They're not simply buying an image to hang on a wall. They're bringing home a piece of another person's imagination, creativity, dedication, and heart. I think there's something deeply meaningful about knowing that another human being created something with their own hands, guided by their own vision, simply because they felt compelled to bring a little beauty into the world.
As technology continues to evolve, I believe the role of the artist will become even more important—not less. We need people who imagine beyond what already exists, who interpret our experiences through emotion and intuition, and who remind us of the value of individuality, craftsmanship, and authentic human expression. As an educator, I also believe we have a responsibility to nurture creativity in future generations. Children need opportunities to experiment, make mistakes, solve problems, and experience the incredible satisfaction of creating something entirely their own. Art teaches us that there isn't always one correct answer, that imagination has value, and that our individual perspectives matter. I'm especially excited about the growing role of public art in our communities. Art shouldn't exist only in museums, galleries, or private collections. It belongs in the places where we live, work, gather, and celebrate. A beautiful sculpture in a park, a colorful mural on an ordinary building, or an imaginative installation in a public plaza can transform an everyday space into something memorable and meaningful.
Public art has the power to create shared experiences. It can spark conversations between strangers, inspire curiosity in children, celebrate a community's identity, and bring moments of unexpected joy into people's daily lives. And that brings me back to something I've always said about myself: I'm a purveyor of joy! I don't believe every work of art needs to make a profound statement or confront a difficult issue to have value. Sometimes bringing happiness into someone's life is a profound contribution in itself. A painting that makes someone smile every morning, a sculpture that fills a child with wonder, or a colorful installation that brightens an otherwise ordinary day can have a lasting impact. I hope the future brings an exciting partnership between human imagination and emerging technology, with new tools opening doors to creative possibilities we haven't even dreamed of yet.
But I also hope we never lose our appreciation for the artist standing in a studio, paintbrush in hand, completely absorbed in the beautiful, messy, exhilarating experience of making something with love. Because ultimately, I believe the greatest value of art isn't simply what we see. It's the humanity, imagination, and heart behind its creation.”

Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?

“I've been fortunate to exhibit my artwork in wonderful galleries, juried exhibitions from coast to coasr, and fine art festivals, each bringing exciting opportunities and unforgettable experiences! Two of my original silk paintings, Reflections and Peace Like a River, were recently acquired through the New Mexico Arts Art in Public Places Program for the Alejandro Ruiz Senior Center in Carlsbad, New Mexico. I was also delighted when Reflections was selected for a Downtown Castle Rock, Colorado, public art installation!
Other highlights include second-place awards for Lean on Me in WHAM's Vision 250 exhibition and Here Comes the Sun in the Arizona Art Alliance's The Heat Is On exhibition. My painting The Greatest Star was also selected for ASU Gammage's Animals on Parade exhibition. I'm grateful to be represented by On the Edge Gallery in Scottsdale and Fountain Hills Artists' Gallery. But some of my most treasured experiences happen at fine art festivals! My husband, Dave, and I participate in numerous juried fine art festivals throughout Arizona and New Mexico. We absolutely love meeting collectors, curious visitors, and fellow artists!
Over the years, we've built an extraordinary community of people who have become dear friends, and some truly feel like family. I've had people walk into our booth, stand before one of my paintings, and be moved to tears. Can you imagine? Something I created with my own hands has touched another human being so deeply! I'm constantly astonished and humbled that someone would choose to bring my artwork into their home, where it becomes part of their everyday life. Even more extraordinary are the collectors who return again and again. Sometimes they purchase another painting or a gift, but often they simply stop by to tell me how much joy my artwork has brought into their lives. Hearing that something I've created genuinely uplifts another person is an indescribable gift. The friendships we've made through art have enriched our lives immensely.
Someday, Dave and I hope to travel farther, participate in festivals across the country, and continue growing our wonderful art family! I call myself a purveyor of joy, and discovering that the happiness I feel while creating my paintings continues in the homes and hearts of those who collect them is the greatest reward imaginable. It is beyond my wildest dreams—and believe me, I dream big!”