When I was eight years old, I came across Edward Hopper’s oil painting Early Sunday Morning. As I took in its warm tones, I became tranquil, content. It was the first time I remember being truly moved by a work of art.

A decade later, I pursued a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Visual Art at the University of Washington, where I explored sculpture, pastel, mixed media, printmaking, and oil painting—skills that proved invaluable when I joined a studio art program in Rome.

I later earned an M.S. Ed. in Elementary Education and spent 17 years teaching in Waldorf schools, where I merged my love of art with my passion for educating young people. As I balanced motherhood with my career, my art practice slowed, but I trusted I would return to it in time.

In 2020, shortly after lockdown, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Between chemotherapy sessions, I sketched, wove, block-printed, and painted. Creating art, supported by the love of my family and community, became a lifeline on my journey back to health.

These days, when I paint, I reach for red, the color of my strong Serizawa bloodline. I also gravitate toward green, which dominates the Pacific Northwest landscape.

Red and green are complementary colors.

Making art and teaching art are my complements.

I love doing both!

一期一会

Taken in front of a 230 square foot mural I painted for Herban Wellness in Kirkland, Washington. Completed in January of 2025

Photo by Noah Dassel