Tomoe Yokoi, Japanese (1942 - )

Born in Nagoya, Japan, in 1942, Yokoi began art studies at Bunka-Gakuin, a Tokyo College of art, where traditional techniques and subject matter -- the realistic everyday images of fruits, musical instruments, and flowers, which were to become her principal subjects -- were stressed.
Several years after her graduation in 1964, Yokoi moved to Paris to study intaglio printmaking with S. W. Hayter at his famous workshop, Atelier 17.

By the time Yokoi moved to New York City in 1971, she had perfected the lessons of mezzotint, expanding its parameters to include complex multi-plate images of subtle color nuances.

Saper Galleries created a major exhibition of Yokoi's mezzotints in 1988.

Combining European beaux-art subject matters with an oriental emphasis on asymmetry and elegant design, the mezzotints of Tomoe Yokoi have been exhibited throughout Europe and the United States at some of the most important print invitationals:
Norwegian International Print Biennial, Oslo (1972-4)
Paris International Print Biennial (1972)
52nd SAGA National Print Exhibition, NY (1973)
IKI International Art Fair, Desseldorf (1973)
4th British Intern. Print Biennial, Bradford (1974)
Ljubljana Intern. Print Biennial, Yugoslavia (1976-81)

In addition to these honors, Yokoi's prints are included in the prestigious museum collections of the National gallery (Oslo), the Musee d'Art Moderne (Paris), the Bibliotheque Nationale (Paris), Brooklyn Museum (New York), the New York Public Library, the Free Library (Philadelphia). Plus, Roy Saper has long owned Yokoi mezzotints displayed in his home!

Tomoe Yokoi's simple, yet elegant imagery, brilliantly glows from the darkened mezzotint background. Technically and aesthetically, her works are a joy to see and a thrill to own.