Biography
Shigeki Tomura (戸村茂樹, born 1951) is a Japanese printmaker known for contemplative etchings and drypoint prints that capture the quiet poetry of natural landscapes and the passage of time. Born in Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture, in the far north of Honshu, he participated in the Kokuga Association's exhibitions from 1973 to 1975 before devoting himself fully to printmaking from 1984 onward.
Tomura's work centers on scenes of nature rendered with a meditative restraint that suggests more than it depicts. Trees, fields, skies, and seasonal transitions appear in his prints not as literal representations but as evocations of atmosphere and feeling, with an emphasis on what lies beyond mere surface appearance. His technique in drypoint and etching produces images of extraordinary delicacy, with fine lines and subtle tonal gradations that reward close, slow looking.
His work has been recognized with numerous awards: the Art Prize of Iwate Prefecture in 1985, the Kitai no Shinjin Newcomer Award in the print section in 1987, prizes at Small Graphic Forms in Lodz, Poland, in 1989 and 1991, and the Grand Prix at the 2nd Bratislava International Ex Libris Triennial in 1998. He lives in Morioka, Iwate Prefecture, and continues to exhibit internationally, with his work shown in Russia, the United Kingdom, Germany, and the United States. He is represented by Davidson Galleries in Seattle.
Key Facts
- Active Period
- 1951
- Nationality
- 🇯🇵Japan
- Movement
- Contemporary Mokuhanga
Frequently Asked Questions
Shigeki Tomura (戸村茂樹, born 1951) is a Japanese printmaker known for contemplative etchings and drypoint prints that capture the quiet poetry of natural landscapes and the passage of time. Born in Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture, in the far north of Honshu, he participated in the Kokuga Association's exhibitions from 1973 to 1975 before devoting himself fully to printmaking from 1984 onward.
Shigeki Tomura was active born in 1951. They were associated with the Contemporary Mokuhanga movement.
Shigeki Tomura's work was shaped by the Contemporary Mokuhanga tradition in Japanese woodblock printmaking. Contemporary Mokuhanga: Contemporary mokuhanga (literally "wood-block print") encompasses artists working from approximately 1970 to the present who continue or reinvent traditional Japanese woodblock printing techniques.
Shigeki Tomura's prints frequently feature etching, summer, trees, winter, nature, snow scenes.
Original prints by Shigeki Tomura can be found in collections including Gallery No.85 (Davidson Galleries).
Shigeki Tomura is a contemporary printmaker contributing to the ongoing tradition of woodblock printing. Contemporary prints offer collectors an affordable entry point into Japanese printmaking. Prices range from $100 for smaller works to $1,500 for major compositions. Most prints sell in the $200–$600 range. The contemporary printmaking scene is active and international, with artists exhibiting at galleries, art fairs, and print biennials worldwide.
