About

“Balancing the Middle Path”

Pen & Ink

Artist Statement:

Tessa Asato creates large-scale drawings compiled of little narratives, she uses multiple cartoon self-portraits (the little Tessas) interacting with one another. Her choice of medium is pen and ink on paper. These drawings are humorous cartoon versions of Tessa, the little Tessas interacting with one another, from light hearted moments to over the top violent evil Tessas doing more harm than good. Tessa’s art influences come from her upbringing of being a minority in a mostly white populated town, Japanese-Okinawan American identity, connection to Jodo Shinshu Buddhism, relationships with family and friends, and self-deprecation scenarios while seeking inner balance.

Bio:

Tessa Asato is a Yonsei (fourth generation, Japanese American), Uchinanchu (Okinawan descent) millennial that has lived in the Pacific Northwest her whole life. She followed her passion of art and received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Western Washington University. She has been published in Rosanna Porter’s series, The S.O.S. Boys, The Chronicles of Princess Naughty, Compass Rosie, and Tofu Ling Sets Sail… The Adventure Continues. She has also illustrated for Dr. Gaye Green’s CHA CHA (Children Helping Animals, Communities Helping Animals) series, Why Jade was Spayed, Hog with a Blog, and When Something is Awful Have a Falafel. And in recent publications, her art has been used as a cover for Jeff Wilson’s, Living Nembutsu: Applying Shinran’s Radically Engaged Buddhism in Life and Society. Tessa’s art explores her relationship with Jodo Shinshu Buddhism, cultural identity, and overcoming self-doubt in humorous illustrations. She likes to create large-scale drawings compiled of little narratives of the little Tessas interacting with one another, from good to bad scenarios. When she isn’t drawing her self-exploration pieces, she draws Asian American Jodo Shinshu Communities, a small niche in the AAPI Community.