Yumiko Lewis

I am a qualified artist up to degree level in BA(HONS) Illustration, and my love of art and of all it's form has proven to accumulate with HND Illustration, ND Art and Design. I did ND Art and Design on foundation course as access course, because I was an over sea student from Japan. I had so much joy of finding and having been introduced to many forms of Art practice. I was particularly into black and white print making by Etching. I had produced many of them. I have also produced in many other forms of Art during my foundation year, but my aim was toward children's book illustration and Christian teaching materials for Sunday schools. So I have selected Illustration course for higher education. As my time of over sea education was only 2 years left, so I have compromised from degree level education to Higher National Diploma in Illustration.

In HND, I have been through many very useful learning through different projects. I was very interested in digital illustration at the time and I had practiced it a lot. However, I have used traditional method and learning it's techniques as main. My artwork was very vivid and colourful and some digital and editorial works. Having passing HND course, my desire for taking degree course was strong. I had searched through out England for BA Illustration course, that was accepted me in 2nd year of BA Illustration degree course at Herefordshire college of Art and Design. So was the start of my life in Herefordshire.

Second year of degree course was very different style of Art from the previous one. Others on the course were expressing loose form of styles, and not so bright colours, and much more of conceptional illustration to encourage audience to think through with art what is the given message in your Illustration Art. I had been deeply taught the way of conceptional illustration and having to develop and to produce Illustrations in thoughtful ways. It was very beneficial study time to my Illustration Art.

My life in Herefordshire did not end with the end of the course. I have met the love of my life at near the end of the course in Herefordshire. I have got married to my husband after 2 years of my graduation. My life with family of three children in Herefordshire goes on till now.

My illustration has been published in 4 books. " Daydee's Holiday adventure trilogy" written by Daydee Baba-Agasi, " Monkey train", " The Stubborn Mule", and " The Dancing Bear" . "Down on the lake" was written by an author Patrick Mooney, who is also an award winning Poetry, and artist himself and he lives in Herefordshire.

In recent year, my focus on artwork was environmental matters, and what importance is in our lives. Only 4 % of entire population of the planet earth is wild life, 60 % live stock, 36 % is humans. I would like to address Global warming issues and what is causing, to help us to survive. We all need to save our planet for our children, the next generations. As there is no planet B, but only our planet Earth.

I would like my Artwork to give hope in everyday life. To create positive space, and and to give hope for the future. I would like it to be caring, peaceful and loving .