Junko came from Japan to the United States as a high school exchange student in 1987. Fascinated by diversity of people and culture, she continued her studies in the States, finishing her masters degree in Metalsmithing at the University of Oregon. She now lives in Portland with her husband and two children. Her work deals with the melding of cultural signifiers from the United States and Japan. Having lived in this country for almost 3 decades, Junko has experienced the two cultures getting closer and closer through their people and exchange of commodities.

She exhibits her work in group and solo exhibits locally and nationally, such as Jeffery Thomas Fine Art, the Contemporary Craft Museum & Gallery, Pushdot Gallery, Northview Gallery in Portland, OR; Bryan Ohno Gallery and the Center for Contemporary Art in Seattle, WA; Archer Gallery in Vancouver, WA; Velvet Da Vinci in San Francisco; John Michael Kohler Art Center in Sheboygan, WI; The Society of Arts and Crafts in Boston, MA; and The Art Mission in Binghamton, NY.

Junko’s work is included in private and public collections such as the White House, Washington, DC; Katayama Framing, Kohler Company, Kohler, WI; and John Michael Kohler Art Center, Sheboygan, WI. She holds a MFA degree in Metalsmithing from the University of Oregon, Eugene, OR; and a BFA degree in Metalsmithing with Art History minor from S.U.N.Y. College at New Paltz, NY. Junko participated in the 3-month artist residency program at John Michael Kohler Art Center in 2004, 1 month in 2016 and the artist residency program at Home Forward’s Stephen Creek Crossing. She has also been involved in several public art selection committees including Regional Arts and Cultural Council’s Trimet Public Art advisory for the green line and other local public art projects.

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Some of Junko’s works: