Artist’s Statement

Realism is my starting point. It’s where I observe and interpret, and where seeing becomes a way to explore. Whether I’m working with silverpoint or watercolor, I’m putting visual data into my mind, training my perception to notice details, textures, and shapes. Constant curiosity and love for silverpoint and egg tempera never ceases to exist.

In my still life oil painting, I start by accepting what I see. I look for connections between objects—how they interact through closeness, contrast, or silence. From this conversation, I create scenes that are both real and moving. My aim is to make the everyday interesting: to find a story in the arrangement and then paint it.

To balance realism, I also explore abstract through acrylics. Using a palette knife, I capture moments of movement (seen or unseen) and presence—unfiltered, spontaneous, where gesture and texture take center stage over form. It’s a way to connect with the present, to respond rather than just copy.

In 2025, I’ve started painting miniatures. I’ve realized this change is both practical and philosophical: it saves materials, space, and time, and makes paintings more accessible to more people. Miniatures are easy to carry, affordable, and intimate—perfect for connecting with the public and encouraging painting outside of traditional galleries.

My work is about the balance between being precise and spontaneous, between quiet observation and expressive. I want to create visual stories that invite reflection, curiosity, and connection. My quest for the crossroads in between abstract and realism continues.

Junko M Larossa (MARCH 3, 2026)

Bio

Junko Larossa, a painter based in Everett, Washington, utilizes a diverse range of artistic mediums. Born and raised in Japan, Year 2000, she spent three years in Naples, Italy, due to her husband’s military duty in NATO. This period profoundly influenced her artistic creations.

She became a US citizen in 2023 to embark on her career as an American artist, with her husband’s unwavering support.

Her experiences in various cultural states have led her to question the nature of understanding others, often finding herself with more questions than answers. This extends beyond self-existence to encompass the broader existence and relationships of the world, shaped by history and current events.

However, nature holds a special place in her art, providing constant inspiration that never wanes.

She’s opened her artwork to the public for viewing in September 2024.

Exhibitions:

-FIRENZE CONTEMPORARY 7, Via Ghibellina, 105r-111r Firenze, Italy March 14th - 24th, 2026

-2026 SMALL WORKS SHOW, Gallery North Edmonds, March 1st - 31st, 2026

- FLORAL: Light in the winter, Seattle Convention Center, February 13th - April 21, 2026

- Roma Contemporary Exhibition 2025, November Edition, Rossocinabro Gallery, Rome, Italy

- SeaTac Community Center Fine Art Exhibition, October 6th - 31st, 2025

- The 45th Annual Arts of the Terrace Juried Art Show, September 20th - 27th, 2025

- Still Life 2025, Gallerium/Artsy Online Exhibition, July 13th - September 16th, 2025

- Edmonds Art Festival Juried Art Show, June 13th - 15th, 2025

- Monthly Member Art Show, A/NT Gallery, September 2024 - March 2025

Portfolio: https://junkolarossa.artcall.org

Instagram: @junkolarossa

Contact: artjunko@icloud.com