Emiko Mizukami is a self-taught artist, known for her off-kilter still life paintings and tablescapes, whimsical portraits and sculptures, combining art and food. She is incredibly hardworking in honing her skills and determined in pursuing her dreams. She is the artist behind the artwork woven throughout the newly opened Selene Aegean Bistro and will be participating in the upcoming Eastside Culture Crawl (November 14-17). Earlier this year, she landed a coveted studio space, “by luck”, in Parker Street Studios, considered the hub of the Culture Crawl and the place to be as a participating artist. We visited Emiko in her new digs at Studio 108 to learn more about her artistic practice, why food is integral to her work, and her latest commission, the restaurant mural.

“This has been a dream come true”, Emiko says of her latest project at Selene, “because I had this image of me doing a mural for a restaurant for, literally, two years”. She continues, “I love the reason why they approached me and that resonated with me—that they wanted to have art. Art is a very important piece of the theme they had for the restaurant. And that has always been my thing as well, art and food, they are inseparable for me.”

From the age of five, Emiko, who grew up in Japan, knew that she wanted to be a painter: “In Japan, at the end of the Kindergarten year, you have to write down what you want to be when you grow up…I wanted to be a painter. I couldn’t think of anything else but to become a painter. Down the road, I kept drawing and painting but realised that to become a painter, you had to be someone special and I wasn’t that special. So, I ditched the idea.”

After studying Urdu in university, and pursuing various professions including yoga teacher and hypnotherapist, Emiko eventually found her way back to painting. She took online art courses, watched YouTube videos, and pored over books, initially, on abstract art. But realising that abstraction did not provide her a voice, she decided to pursue a different style. She did more self-studying, essentially, to learn how to draw. Fast forward to the present, Emiko has developed her own, recognizable style, has presented solo exhibitions and has participated in numerous group shows.

Your artistic practice spans painting, drawing, and sculpture. How would you describe your visual style, especially for those unfamiliar with your work?

My visual style can be described as intimate, romantic and whimsical, focusing on tabletop still life compositions. I use oil and acrylics to portray subjects like food, plates, books, flowers, and personal items that evoke memory and nostalgia. My paintings capture the intimate and intricate interrelationship between objects, food and people who share meals and the stories, on and off the dinner tables, inviting viewers to connect with their own experiences. Additionally, my recent exploration into paper mâché sculptures of animals adds a playful dimension to my work, blending the familiar with the whimsical. Together, these elements create a rich tapestry that celebrates the beauty of everyday life and the connections we share.

Food and the act of gathering around a meal or a dinner table plays a central theme across your work. Why is food and depicting food important to you?

Food and the act of gathering around a meal are central themes in my work because they resonate deeply with my personal experiences and cultural background. Growing up as the daughter of a mother who owned a restaurant, I witnessed firsthand how food serves as a vital connector within relationships. In Japanese culture, food is much more than sustenance; it is the glue that binds us together, embodying emotions, love, and sometimes even conflict.

Through my artwork, I explore how sharing a meal invites conversation and connection, much like engaging with art itself. Each piece reflects this duality—food as both a source of comfort and a catalyst for dialogue. I aim to capture the intimacy of these moments to keep our narratives alive, raw and real.

Let’s chat about your latest project—the mural in the newly opened Selene Aegean Bistro in East Vancouver. Can you tell us a bit about the mural and where diners can find your work throughout the restaurant?

In my latest project at Selene Aegean Bistro, a contemporary Mediterranean-themed restaurant named after the goddess of the moon, Selene, I created a fresco-style mural that intertwines Greek mythology with a modern lens. Working with very talented interior designers, Emma and Jojo, from &Daughters, and the extraordinary branding director, Phoebe, from Glasfurd & Walker, my design took a leap and we succeeded in this project featuring delicate, lacy line drawings that adorn 15 walls throughout the entire dining space, including five bathrooms, above the kitchen station, and behind the bar, telling stories of gods and goddesses.

While I was creating the work, I would imagine their diners immersing themselves in this visual narrative as they enjoyed their meals, with each drawing inviting them to engage with the rich mythological stories that inspired it. I was hoping for the murals not only to enhance the restaurant’s ambiance but also serve as a celebration of both art and food, reflecting the restaurant’s ethos of communal gathering and shared experiences in a contemporary context.

This is not your first mural, you have previously participated in the Vancouver Mural Festival and have a mural, a vibrant still life with blue-and-white striped tablecloth, lemons, and flowers—distinctly your style—is adjacent to Fife Bakery in Mount Pleasant. What were some of the challenges or new experiences you encountered with the restaurant project?

Working on the mural for Selene Aegean Bistro presented some unique challenges compared to my previous projects. While I’ve often focused on still life objects, this time I shifted to a figurative approach to tell stories rooted in Greek mythology. This was a different, but exciting, direction for me.

With 15 walls to cover, each needed to convey its own narrative while remaining interconnected. I spent considerable time researching the characteristics of each god and goddess to ensure authenticity and depth in my work. Additionally, the restaurant was still under construction when I began, which added an element of vibrancy and energy to the process. It was incredible to work beside the co-owners of the restaurant, Yianni and Petro Kerasiotis, Amini Construction workers, and the restaurant staff and chefs, each bringing their own expertise to the project, creating a dynamic atmosphere that enriched the overall experience.

The Eastside Culture Crawl is around the corner, you’re excited for it, and this will be your fourth time participating. What are you most looking forward to during the Crawl?

This is my first year at Parker. I had been before as a Crawler but not as an artist, so I knew how busy it could be. I’m hoping there will be more interest in art this year and more engagement. Showing new work, and exciting collaboration pieces with local creatives, is also something I am very excited about.

What type of work can Culture Crawl visitors expect to see when visiting your studio and possibly acquire? What price range of work will you have available?

I will have something very different this year, I’m selling these little cups. They’re made in collaboration with a potter, Monica [of Hey Sunday Ceramics], and they will be in the $20 to $30 range. I will have some smaller pieces—paper mâché sculptures [$300] and smaller paintings. So there will be a range of work.

I will have my largest work available to view and purchase which is the centerpiece of the studio. I have started creating a couple of new series this year and a piece or two from those new series are to be viewed as well. Those are called Fika Time and A Matter of Things.

I just worked with a wonderful printer and framer, John Goldsmith, and his amazing assistant, Cyrus, from Printmaker Studio and we created the most unique frame for my print work. It is a true collaboration and I will be hanging the framed work in my studio as well.

Your dream of having your artwork in a restaurant came true in 2024. As the year winds down, what is one dream you have for 2025?

I have so many dreams for 2025 but if I must choose one, it would be that I would love to meet a celebrated chef to collaborate with to make a food-themed artwork for his/her restaurant and chefs. I would love to travel for work like that!

Follow Emiko on Instagram, visit her at Parker Street Studios during the Eastside Culture Crawl, and lookout for details on her solo exhibition at VisualSpace Gallery in summer of 2025.

1000 Parker Street Studios

Neighbourhood: East Vancouver

1000 Parker St.

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