erin eitter kono
USA b.1973
Lives and Works in Los Angeles and Dubuque, IA
E. E. Kono is an artist based in both Iowa and Los Angeles. Her work employs specific materials layered with historic and geographical significance that tie the object and viewer to time and place. Her visual language explores connections between stories, and symbols; 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).