Underwriter: David & Brenda Gottlieb
Artist: Elizabeth Akamatsu (Nacogdoches, TX)
Elizabeth’s art can be categorized into four themes: examining nature, searching for identity, telling stories, and expressing through geometric form. In her statement, she shares her thoughts such as seeing a triangle, square, or circle as an "instant gestalt". She refers to these basic forms as “the sacred geometry”. “They hold a great visual power that all human beings can understand at a gut level. Think of the Great Pyramids in Egypt; their simple form rivets us with its overpowering grandeur. Think of the unassuming sugar cube; when examined closely with a magnifying glass, its beauty is breathtaking. And lastly, visualize the circle; it is a symbol of perfection and union understood around the world.
Elizabeth was born in Yokosuka, Japan, and holds a MFA from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois. She was an Assistant Professor of Art from 1990 – 1995 until she became a full-time artist in 1995. From the East Coast to the West Coast, her work is shown in galleries and exhibitions throughout the United States and Mexico.