erin eitter kono
​USA b.1973
Lives and Works in Los Angeles and Dubuque, IA
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E. E. Kono is a Los Angeles and Iowa-based artist. In her work, she explores the fluidity of culture and time. She employs a visual language that reflects her investigation into the connections between stories, symbols, and archetypes; across cultures and to the natural world.
Growing up, Kono’s family split their year between a diverse international community and small-town, middle America. This nurtured in her a life-long interest in how stories and symbols create interwoven meanings between societies. Initially, this inspired a career in children’s literature, writing and illustrating picture books. Now, her practice favors a slow, meditative process using natural materials chosen for their layered significance.
A self-taught painter, Kono studied art history at the University of Hull (Kingston Upon Hull, England) and The University of Iowa (Iowa City, IA). She has studied traditional egg tempera techniques under the guidance of artist Koo Schadler.
Kono is an award-winning author and illustrator with over a dozen books published by major trade houses. Her work appears in the collection of the Mazza Museum (Findley, OH) and has been exhibited in notable venues, including La Luz de Jesus (Los Angeles, CA), Modern Eden (San Francisco, CA), and Riverside Art Museum (Riverside, California).
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