CREATIVE LENS: ASAMI NAKAMURA

CREATIVE LENS: ASAMI NAKAMURA

We’re honoured to share the world of Asami Nakamura, a Japan-born, Canada-based artist whose paintings and embroidered details invite us into moments of deep stillness. Her work feels like a quiet breath: soft, layered, and attuned to the subtle shifts in light, colour, and emotion that many of us rush past. Through her gentle blend of acrylics, mixed textures, and delicate threadwork, Asami captures the serenity of noticing: the hush of a forest walk, the warmth of a handmade ritual, the atmosphere of a season just beginning to turn.

Asami touches on the creative roots she carried from her childhood in the Japanese countryside, the winding path that ultimately led her back to painting, and the intuitive way she chooses colours, textures, and materials. She speaks openly about the role of calm in her practice, the sensory memories that shape her palette, and how motherhood has shifted the rhythms around her work without altering the heart of it.

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To begin, can you share a little bit about yourself and what led you to the creative path you’re on today?

I was born in Japan and have been living in Canada for about 11 years now.

Since I was little, I always loved drawing and making things with my hands, and I attended art classes for six years. Because of that, creating was always a part of my life but only as a hobby.

Even though I admired painters, I grew up being told, especially by my art teacher, that becoming an artist wasn’t a realistic career path. In Japan, only a very small number of people can make a living as full-time artists, so I never believed it was an option for me.

During the pandemic, I lost my job and spent about a year trying to reset myself. At the same time, I was struggling with fertility challenges, which was emotionally difficult. One day, my husband gently encouraged me to do what I truly love. That simple support helped me pick up painting again this time with the intention of really pursuing it.

Growing up in the Japanese countryside, you must've been abundantly surrounded by nature. What are some of your fondest memories from that time, and how do they continue to influence your art and way of seeing the world?

My childhood was surrounded by nature. I grew up near the mountains, where my friends and I built small “secret base” huts and played endlessly. In autumn, we would jump into piles of dried rice stalks after the harvest, and throughout the seasons we gathered cherries, horsetail shoots, chestnuts, and persimmons, ingredients my mother would cook for us.

As a child, I wasn’t consciously “studying” nature—I was simply playing. But through that, I naturally learned to sense seasonal changes through colour, light, and scent. I think those impressions soaked into me in ways I wasn’t aware of.

That sensitivity—being able to notice small shifts in atmosphere, emotion, or season—feels deeply connected to how I create now. I think those early experiences honed the inner “sensor” that guides me when I paint.

Your work beautifully blends painting and embroidery, a combination that feels both soft and intricate. How did this layering process come to life for you, and what does it add to your pieces?

I’ve always been drawn to things that feel unique rather than doing the same as everyone else.

When I started painting seriously, I constantly asked myself what my own visual language was and how I could continue evolving. I wanted to create something that others could instantly recognize as mine—something original and distinctive.

Around that time, I was seeing many fiber artists’ works. Their use of different threads and textures felt incredibly beautiful, and I was fascinated by the idea of combining materials with different qualities. That curiosity led me to wonder how I could bring something similar into my own art.

I had never embroidered before, so I learned through YouTube and slowly began adding small stitches to my paintings. Over time, that evolved into the style I have today.

My paintings are primarily acrylic, but I use many mediums and textures. Combining different materials brings a quiet dimensionality—something that feels both grounded and quietly uplifting. The embroidery, in particular, adds softness, tenderness, and a sense of calm that aligns with what I aim to express.

We’d love to know more about your materials - what kinds of threads and textures do you love working with, and how do you choose them?

I mostly use cotton, silk, and linen threads.

It’s difficult to describe how I choose them—it’s very intuitive. After finishing the painting portion, I look at the colours and atmosphere of the piece, and then select the thread material and hues by instinct, based on what feels harmonious.

The colours in your art feel incredibly soothing. What draws you to these particular hues? Have they always been part of your palette, or do they shift with the seasons or your mood?

Thank you—that means so much to me, because cultivating serenity and tranquility is at the heart of my work.

I have ADHD, and my mind tends to be busy and constantly moving. Creating art quiets that noise for me. It gives me the same peaceful feeling as walking in the forest, doing yoga, going for a run, or taking a moment to enjoy a warm cup of tea.

Drawing has felt that way to me since childhood—soothing, grounding, clarifying.

Japanese colour sensibilities also influence me deeply. Japan has an incredibly rich palette, with unique colour names that don’t exist in English. I grew up seeing these colors in kimono, wagashi, ukiyo-e, shrines, temples, and the shifting seasons. I think those subtle combinations naturally find their way into my work.

People often tell me my paintings feel reminiscent of Japanese art, and I think that comes from this background.

What does your creative process look like these days? Are there rituals or moments that help you ease into the flow of creating?

I recently finished a small series “Ki no awai”, so I’m spending time studying ideas for my next body of work while also working on commissions.

It always takes me a while to shift into creative mode. Mornings are hectic with getting my daughter ready for daycare, and once she’s gone, I tend to want to rest. To avoid losing momentum, I keep myself moving—finishing all the housework, warming up my body, and then going straight into the studio. If I sit on the couch even for a moment, I won’t get up for two or three hours!

I also like to listen to calming music before I begin. It helps me settle my mind and ease into the flow of creating.

You’re also a mother to a young daughter! How has motherhood changed or deepened your relationship to your work?

In many ways—surprisingly—it hasn’t changed the core of my relationship with my work.

The way I approach my pieces and care for them feels very similar to before I became a mother. That fundamental connection is still the same.

On the quieter days (or the very full ones) how do you find balance between nurturing your art and caring for your family?

Before becoming a mother, I worked constantly—even on weekends—since I’m self-employed.

But as my daughter grows, I want her to experience different things and see the world around her. So on weekends, when she’s home and we have family time, I make sure to take those days off completely and spend them with her and my husband.

Both my family and my work are precious to me, and I’ve come to realize that rest is essential. It supports my creativity, my well-being, and the time I share with the people I love.

Both your art and the pieces you’re wearing, our Meadow Zip Cardigan and Prairie Skirt, celebrate texture and form in a quiet, effortless way. What do you love about clothing that feels as intentional as your creative process?

I’ve always felt that thoughtfully made clothing carries a certain warmth. Over time it softens, holds small memories, and slips easily into both everyday moments and special occasions. I love noticing how pieces change with me as the years go by.

Harly Jae’s pieces embody that feeling. They’re simple yet functional, beautifully feminine, and designed to be lived in for a long time. There’s a quiet honesty in them that feels timeless.

As we approach a new year, is there a project or direction you’re feeling especially drawn to explore next? Perhaps a small glimpse or feeling you’d like to share.

I’d love to incorporate more embroidery into my work and explore styles that feel new to me.

I try to challenge myself with something fresh each year, and in the coming year I hope to spend more time researching, experimenting, and developing ideas that expand my practice.

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Asami wears our Meadow Zip Cardigan & Prairie Skirt.

Keep up with her work on her Instagram & shop her art on her website.