Drue Kataoka

Drue Kataoka

Master Zen Sumi-e Artist

Silicon Valley's Artist in Residence

About Drue

Tokyo born Master Sumi-e Artist Drue Kataoka brings a modern Silicon Valley perspective to the 2000 year-old art form of Japanese brush painting. Technological zeitgeist collides with the single stroke in Drue's hands. Trained and disciplined in the ancient ways of the brush, she distills the modern moment in indelible ink. [more...]

About Sumi-e

The 2000 year-old art form of Japanese brush painting is spiritually rooted in Zen Buddhism. Sumi-e's earliest practitioners were highly disciplined monks trained in the art of concentration, clarity, and simplicity. These early Zen Masters dedicated themselves to the art form with spiritual intensity through long years of serious reflection and strict discipline. Respect for Sumi-e's demands shaped their aesthetic direction. [more...]

Drue's Latest Projects

In Around the World in a Single Stroke, Drue created one powerful brush stroke — Enso 2008. Re-imagining one of the most important visual images from the Zen canon — the Enso, she encircled the globe. Honoring 12 Masters of Time and Icons of Culture, she touched down in Tokyo, Chicago, New York, London, Paris, Gstaad, San Francisco, Silicon Valley... [more...]

Portrait of Michelle Obama

Drue had the honor of meeting Michelle Obama and has just completed a portrait of the First Lady entitled Black on White: Portrait of Michelle Obama. Drue says, "My portrait of Michelle is the Michelle I experienced—open, direct, warm, elegant and spiritual—iconic yet approachable, simple yet sophisticated, monumental yet stepping into our world. I called my black and white portrait of her Black on White to convey the multiple layers of history, aesthetics, values and aspirations her confident and powerful presence conveys... [more...]

Drue's Stanford Paintings

Stanford Paintings

  • Infused with the spirit of Stanford:
    • Mem Chu
    • Palm Drive
    • The Quad
    • Old Union
    • Hoover Tower
  • Her brush dipped in years of research on Stanford
Drue's Sumi-e Portrait of Duke Ellington

Jazz Paintings

  • Go "backstage" to view Drue's paintings of:
    • Duke Ellington
    • Wynton Marsalis
    • New Orleans secondlines
    • Jazz musicians & vocalists
  • Read about Drue's history of chronicling great Jazz artists
UP! - Drue's art in space

Drue's Painting Launched in Space

  • Drue's UP! - First Sumi-e painting in space
  • Launched on Soyuz - 10.12.08
  • UP! exhibited @
    International Space Station
Affirmations for Drue

Affirmations

for Drue's art from luminaries in:

  • business
  • sports
  • music
  • fashion
  • academia

who have commissioned Drue or collaborated with her

Valley Zen Blog

Valley Zen Blog

From CNN

“This Master Sumi-e artist has her eyes on history and leaving her artistic footprint in brushed black ink.”