artist bio
Born and raised in Tokyo, Japan, Anri Tsutsumi was exposed to
American sensibilities at an early age, by parents intrigued with
Western Culture.
The opportunity to study at an international school in Tokyo
from age four to six also contributed to her first growing
bicultural perspective. As a young woman, her fascination grew
and she hoped to travel to the U.S. someday.
In the 1990s, she had the opportunity to travel to New Mexico. Anri moved to
Albuquerque to
attend the University of New Mexico, to study Art and Native
American culture. During a later stay in the U.S., Anri also
attended the Massachusetts College of Art to study Art
Education. These experiences cultivated her skills and
knowledge of art and cemented her path as a contemporary
abstract artist.
Between studies, she worked many varied jobs, ranging from a motorcycle instructor and
owner of an Italian restaurant to an educator of kindergarteners and children with disabilities,
both in New Mexico and Tokyo.
Anri's exploration of the world of contemporary art continues. Her unique bicultural
background and life experiences are becoming progressively integrated and contribute to the
evolution of her joyful and exuberant painting style. In recent years, some of the most
significant influences on her art, as well as on the development of her identity as Japanese
woman at home in Santa Fe New Nexico, have been the stunning landscapes and contrast
of earth and sky in the colorful New Mexican desert.