Devin Oishi
Devin Oishi: Artist
Devin Oishi is an artist, teacher, cyclist, and all around thinker about everything: buildings, toys, paintings, inventions. . . but he never seems to be "done."
"Art is the conduit through which culture and civilization is transmitted across generations. I use narrative art to shine a spotlight on the past in order to illuminate a viable future by unveiling the holistic nature of life. ʻI ka Wā Mahope l ka Wā Mamua- The future exists in the past.ʻ”
Mr. Oishi works in whatever material is handy in various genres. Often he has pens, pencils, cameras, and computers. He has spent extensive time with paint and ceramics. One year was spent studying architecture where he was able to deepen his knowledge of 3-D modeling, CAD, and other forms of digital manipulation. . . and woodworking. “Animation, Tokusatsu, and comics were my inspiration as a Kindergarten artist. I continue to make comics and storybooks in addition to paintings, photos, and sculptures that reflect the status of Hawaiʻi by juxtaposing moʻolelo, Japanese, and contemporary culture and history.” He often draws or photographs whatever is happening. His designs flow from extreme control to (un)controlled chaos. Often drawings are an amalgam of sketchy, vigorous mark making that carve an image from the page.
His work has been exhibited in Honolulu, St Louis, Minneapolis, Los Angeles, New York, and Imago Mundi, La Biennale di Venezia, Italia. As an artist and curator he has been most prominent with the artist group Mangabento.
Straight out of college he started working in schools and has taught general art, photography, ceramics, drawing, painting, digital media (videography), graphics, sculpture, and aquascience at several schools. He is the new professor of art teaching ceramics at Chaminade University.
He volunteered or worked with many art organizations including the City and County of Honolulu's art collection, the Academy of Arts, Contemporary Museum, and the Japanese Cultural Center. He remains active in the art community organizing events with Mangabento and Comic Jam Hawaii. In the past he participated with the Honolulu Printmakers, Artists of Hawaii and the Watercolor Society.
In his free time he built a fence, a cabinet and redid the joists in his grandmother's house with the skills he learned in art school to build strainers and frames.
When he can he travels, often by bicycle and has been to most of the major islands, half the United states, parts of Europe, Japan, Canada, and Mexico.
Prints and other products can be purchased at Redbubble or Devientart:
https://www.redbubble.com/people/devinoishi/explore?asc=u&page=1&sortOrder=recent
or
https://www.deviantart.com/moosubi
March 2013
