Today we’d like to introduce you to Kyoko Bass.
Kyoko, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’m a freelance CAD/3D CG designer and Visual Artist. I was born in small rural town in Japan and moved to the U.S. when I was 18 years old with my family for my father’s business. Since I was a child, I’ve always loved to draw comics and illustration (and Sci-Fi and playing soccer. I was a tomboy!) .
As soon as I moved to Georgia, I started to attend college but really struggled since I was not able to understand teachers’ and classmate’s English at all. Language barrier was bigger than I’ve expected. So I took many art classes and started to create abstract paintings to release my frustration and express various emotions. After 2 years I transferred to the University of Georgia to major Fine Art (printmaking). At UGA, I was more and more drawn to the universal language which connects people without spoken language and decide to choose another universal language: Mathematics as a minor. I think art and mathematics really helped me to connect with others while struggling with language barrier and also shaped the course of my future path.
After the graduation, I moved to Chicago to study architecture and structural engineering and received Master of Architecture degree from Illinois Institute of Technology. My first full time job was an architectural designer/drafter at the engineering company in downtown Chicago. During these times, I discovered 3D CG Art by accident and become hooked to it! I taught myself 3D modeling and rendering after work and one day showed the sample image to my coworkers and boss. They liked my rendering and started to market 3D rendering (architectural visualization) as a new service to the clients. Eventually I become the go-to person for 3D rendering work at the company. That experience gave me confidence and opened the doors to many future opportunities.
At the same time, I was going through health problems which required major surgery and started to draw and paint again to express suppressed feeling such as fear, sadness, loneliness and stress. Creating art helped me to go through tough times and I’ve learned that art has the power to heal and lift spirits.
Eventually I moved to Hawaii for a new job but the company went through laid-off phase and eliminated my position. Since I’ve worked in AEC industry for over 14 years at that time, I thought it was a perfect timing to start my company CADBRUSH and become a freelance CAD/3D CG designer. At the same times, I launched Kyoko Bass Art to follow my life-long dream of creating, exhibiting and selling art as a business.
Has it been a smooth road?
It has been 7 years since I started my solo-career but not been a smooth road for both businesses.
As for CAD/3D CG Art, the first 2 years was the hardest. When I first started my company and become a freelancer, I didn’t have enough projects to support myself so I juggled with multiple part-time/temp jobs and freelance work to pay my bills.
Also it took me quite a long time to get accustomed to wearing many hats to handle tasks such as accounting, marketing, administrative tasks, IT, web design, logistics and customer support in addition to actual digital and visual art work. Time management was the main issue at the beginning.
Freelancer’s notorious “Feast and famine cycle” is something I still can’t get used to. Feast phase is exciting, but, the tight deadlines of multiple large projects required me to work for 20-24 hours for many days to meet the deadlines. I become like a zombie in the end. Lol. And there were times I didn’t have any work for 2-3 weeks and started to get nervous. During these down times, I concentrated on fine art and learned that having both digital/fine art businesses kept me balanced in many ways.
Fine Art business has had a different kind of challenge. One of the hardest things was to overcome artist’s block and I still don’t know how to handle it when it hits. But I see creating art as a life-long journey so I’ve decided not to rush to my goal. Art has a unique way to connect with others and contribute the society in positive way so I would like to keep learning and creating.
Even though there were many obstacles during these years, it has been a fulfilling and humbling journey and I’m grateful for every experience (good and bad) and more than anything…I’m so thankful for support from my husband, family, friends, fellow freelancers, customers and clients. I couldn’t have survived this journey without them.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the CADBRUSH / Kyoko Bass Art story. Tell us more about the business.
CADBRUSH provides architectural, structural engineering and waterproofing CAD drawings (my strength is speed) and 3D CG Rendering service focused on architecture.
Kyoko Bass Art provides unique abstract paintings and 3D paper sculptures through art shows and online. My recent artworks explore the unique rhythm and pattern of water flow and wind movement through mixed media painting and sculpture.
My business motto has been always “Integrity over money”. I hope to connect and collaborate with more people who believe in the same things.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
Recent new technologies such as Virtual Reality, 3D printing technology and Cloud-based CAD design technology have opened many new doors for AEC industry. VR technology gives clients the opportunity to explore the proposed design of room/house/building in an exciting interactive 3D environment. I think VR technology will be used more during design process by architects and engineers in future. The recent development of 3D printing technology has made it possible to build the entire house by 3D printer in 24 hours! In future, I see 3D printing technology will help housing problems in urban environment and provide emergency/temporary housing solutions during natural disaster relief because construction process is much faster and environmentally friendly.
I see Virtual Reality and internet sales will play an important role in Fine Art filed. But as technology evolves and AI threatens to take over our jobs, more people started to reject machine-produced products and seek for unique handmade items with individuality from artisans, crafters and artists. I think (and hope!) this trend will continue to rise in future.
We live in an exciting time just like the industrial revolution in the 19th century. As someone who works on both digital and fine art field, I can’t wait to experience what it is like to be an artist in next 50+ years.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://kyokobassart.com
- Email: CADBRUSH: kyoko@cadbrush.com, Kyoko Bass Art: info@kyokobassart.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/kyokobass_art/
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