Hi! I’m Mariko. I’m an artist and writer based in Hawaii. From the time I was a young girl, I loved to tell stories. I had a very active imagination. But it wasn’t just that I loved creating, it really was this place where I felt safe and free. Perhaps you feel that way too. If you do, I see you.

I’ve been writing for a lot longer than I’ve been an artist and illustrator. I still remember telling my parents that I wanted to be a writer. It sounds like a big deal to tell Asian parents that, but I think in the long run, writer was a more acceptable job. Deep down, I’ve realized that what I really want to do is probably more visual like art and maybe one day film. I have a lot of ideas right now. I’m doing a lot of dreaming. I’m also doing a lot of time traveling. I’m trying to get to know these parts of myself that I’ve either ignored or didn’t really know existed. I’m trying to really connect with who I was as a three-year-old. Man, she was strong.

Some things you might not know about me.

1. I love country music. I don’t necessarily know all the songs to one artist, but the songs that I do know, I sing with abandon in my car.

2. As a child, I loved Hanae Mori handkerchiefs. When we would go to Japan, I loved going into the Mitsukoshi Department Store and looking at all those colors and patterns.

3. I’ve been to Japan about seven times in my life. It’s definitely been an influence in my art and writing.

4. I am probably one of the few women who has high resolution photos of inside her womb. I think every woman should receive those photos and not just people like me who needed surgery. It’s like so beautiful inside. It totally makes you think differently about yourself.

5. Like the cat in the picture, I need a lot of sleep. I struggle with chronic pain for long periods of time and sleep has become even more important. Also, I love cats.