Nao Watanabe
New York生まれ。
幼少時代をアメリカ、イギリス、日本とインターナショナルな環境で育つ。
アメリカの美大で彫刻を学び、日本でファッションの勉強を得て（株）ヨウジヤマモトで働く。
後に彫金・鋳金を学びジュエリーブランドLike A Deer を1997年に立ち上げる。有名なセレクトSHOP、アメリカFred Segal, Sorelle Firenze、日本 (株）Beams, American Rag cie,Bay Crews等で販売。ハリウッド女優ユマ•サーマン、映画監督タランティーノなど世界中の顧客に向け１０年以上に渡りorder made製作をする。
現在はLondon を拠点として、Art ・イラスト・デザイン＆Like A Deerの活動をしている。
そして2015年春、ヨーロッパ を中心とした Antiques やVintage、世界のジュエリー＆小物のOn Line Shop"Snail Knock"をオープンした。
”ジュエリーのプロ視点から観て、厳選された物をセレクトしています。
レアで貴重な一点ものを取扱っております。ぜひご覧ください！”
Naoはyogaのインストラクター、detox マッサージ、マクロビオティック等の資格も取得し幅広いフィールドで活躍しています。
また、2014年には子供の本をイギリスから出版している。
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”中学校の３年間を イギリスの現地寄宿舎で過ごしたため、ここには特別な思いがあります。
また過去に１５カ国以上を巡り、その様々な者、物の出会いが私の活動の力になっています。”
”雨の日も 風の日も カタツムリはお届けに参ります。”
”Doing something with myself and beyond is what I call traveling.”
何か特別な事をするのが旅ではなく、 旅そのものが人生である。
”Living in a dream is not how I seek to live. Life itself is a Dream. Anything could happen, anything is possible.”
夢を叶うために生きるというより、
なにごとも起こり得る。
なにごとも可能である。
そう。生きることそのものが、夢である。
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All About Nao.
Nao has followed an eclectic path as an artist. She grew up in New York City, Tokyo and London. She studied sculpture at Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). fashion at ESMOD JAPAN, and toreutics and metal-casting at Japan Jewelry Academy. She worked at Yohji Yamamoto before starting her own line of jewelry, Like A Deer, which has sold through Bay Crew's, American Rag Cie, Atelier Ash, Cave, and Beams. She started creating custom jewelry for personal clients in 1998 and continues to do so today. She is a qualified macrobiotic cooking instructor, yoga teacher, and practitioner of Balinese massage and Japanese meditation. She recently published a children's book based on her designs in the UK.
How did your get started as an artist?
I traveled so much when i was younger. So, art was for me was a universal language I discovered for expressing myself and connecting with people from all cultures. I loved the idea of communicating through your hands.
Do you still travel so much?
Physically, yes. But really with traveling itself, location is not what is important. Doing something special with myself and beyond is what I call traveling.
Where do you get your inspiration?
Every day, every moment, I try to experience as a fresh start. I look at the world through child's eyes. Rather than putting fixed definitions on things or coming to conclusions, I try to be humble and full of wonder. It means staying open to all your senses, which I guess is why I meditate a lot. When I work, it's kind of personal craft, a ritual for channeling that mindset. I'm always amazed at what comes out.
How would your describe your work?
I don't really see my work as creating anything new, but rather expressing and capturing what others are giving to me. You are paying homage to what you are receiving. It's a thank you. This is why when I hand over a piece to a client, it becomes theirs. It's a reflection of what they've given to me from my interaction with them. It's quite magical.
Magical. Sounds like you are living in a dream?
Living in a dream is not how I seek to live. Life itself is a Dream. Anything could happen, anything is possible.