ABOUT.
My name is REIKO LAUPER. I am a Japanese artist based in New York.
I specialize in creating illustrations mainly using the pointillism technique and graphic art using my own illustrations.
I became a freelance artist in 2019 after 10 years of experience as a graphic designer in the fashion industry and 4 years working at an art gallery on the Lower East Side.
I take commissions for all types of creative projects, including graphic design.
*Please contact my agency for all illustration commissions.
PROFILE.
Obsessive attention to detail leads to outstanding results. And there is no better proof of this than in the beguiling artworks of New York illustrator, Reiko Lauper.
Using the meticulous technique of stippling, Reiko renders breathtakingly accurate portraits from thousands upon thousands of hand-applied ink dots.
Clients marvel at her unique skill and flexibility in delivering pieces that truly separate their projects from all the rest. Born in Japan, Reiko is inspired by the Yin and Yang philosophy and the balance of dark and light is clear in her portfolio. There’s also a Japanese sensibility in her approach.
Trained in Sculpture at Tokyo Zokei University, Reiko came to New York after finishing her degree and has worked in an art gallery and for the Emmy Award-winning costume designer Patricia Field.
She’s an art lover inspired by the Low Brow movement as well as Japanese horror comics.
APPROACH.
Like the Impressionist Georges Seurat, Reiko creates her images dot-by-dot. After carefully planning the work, she draws a sketch to work from and applies the dots. Predominantly her work is black and white, with occasional flourishes of color applied in Photoshop.
STYLE.
Reiko’s exacting craft steps to the fore in every image she creates, engaging the viewer with subtle shading, texture, tactility, and outright artistic beauty. It is bold, graphic, and poignant.
LANGUAGE.
English/Japanese
HISTORY.
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1982 Born in Tokyo, Japan
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2005 BFA in Sculpture, Tokyo Zokei University, Tokyo, Japan
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2006 Moved to New York
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2007 - 2008 Hand-paint Textile Designer at Tanuki Studio
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2008 - 2015 Graphic Designer at Patricia Field
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2015 - 2019 Graphic Designer at Wendigo Productions NY / Art on A Gallery
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2016 Got back into art after a 10-year break and started drawing
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2019 - Freelance Artist / Graphic Designer / Part-time Art Teacher at PI Art Center NY
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2022 Represented by IllustrationX
EXHIBITION.
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2018 Solo Exhibition, "Japonisque", Art on A Gallery, New York, NY
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2018 Collaborative Exhibition, Bar LSD, Tokyo, JAPAN
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2019 Collaborative Exhibition, Art on A Gallery, New York, NY
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2019 Dec "Trading Card Art Show", Gristle Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
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2020 Jan The 22nd annual "Postcards from the Edge" benefit for Visual AIDS, Bortolami, New York, NY
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2024 Mar "TAYO Legacy Foundation Inauguration and Art Showcase: A Celebration of Asian and AAPI Creativity", The Loft at Liz's, Los Angeles, CA
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2024 May "Contemporary Asian Art Show", EPPICHarts, Napa, CA