Mizuki Katakura
Follow messageSavannah College of Art and Design Class of 2014
CEDAR RAPIDS
Not your typical Asian girl.
Born in Japan, raised in Iowa. Bilingual, piano-loving painter with an intense interest in social sciences, history, physics, mathematics, psychology, philosophy. My art and work is realist, about the here and now we live in, in terms of perceived dualities: the wonder and cruel indifference that the tangible universe possess and the beauty as well as ugliness of humanity.
Born in Japan, raised in Iowa. Bilingual, piano-loving painter with an intense interest in social sciences, history, physics, mathematics, psychology, philosophy. My art and work is realist, about the here and now we live in, in terms of perceived dualities: the wonder and cruel indifference that the tangible universe possess and the beauty as well as ugliness of humanity.
Extracurricular
- Art Club
- General Art-related activities club.
- Band
- Why are there no "Instrumental: Flute" choice??? I also play the piano but privately, not at school, except when asked to accompany solos.
- Marching Band
- Self explanatory.
- SPECTRUM
- Gay-straight alliance human rights advocacy club. Secretary.
- Math Team
- Competitive math team; we go to competitions.
- NHS
- Also does volunteering.
- VOICE
- Diversity and human rights advocacy club. Secretary.
- Writer's Ink
- Literature and composition lovers' club.
- Anime Club
- Anime lovers' club. President.
- Piano
- Took lessons since 1st grade until 10th, practicing privately since. Average 8 hours per week without rest.
- Drama: Painting & Prop production
- I help with painting and/or making things used in the drama department for plays and musicals.
- Student Ambassadors
- Volunteer organization at school aiding office work as well as serving as school representatives during events.
- Art-related volunteer
- Painted the grounds at the elementary school, painted decorations on school locker room walls, painted props on demand for drama, etc.
- Tutoring
- Tutored fellow high school student in mainly mathematics.
- Booster Club volunteer
- Fund raising organization of the school district. Concessions, event help, fund raising aide, etc.
- CORDS volunteer
- Volunteer at school events; hours count towards an award.
- Community services
- One-time community related volunteers, including festivals of nearby children's shelters, county fairs, elementary school events and neighborhood cleanups.
- Band Volunteer
- Help set up or take down chairs and stands, help during special events, etc
- Representative
- Acted as translator, guide and representative of student body for delegates from New York and Japan
- Iowa Asian Alliance
- I'm just a member of the Eastern Chapter. The alliance is made up of mostly Asian business people.
- Art Class
- Attending regularly a local art class. Also attending one-time workshops around the area.
- Internship at DAIKO USA
- Designing web, designing mascot, office work, translating (Japanese-English) and other work involved in running an internet business.
- Internship at Gordon's Photography and Gallery
- Assist with office work, photography, crafting, computer graphics and other things involved in running a private photography business.
- Internship at Barb's Fine Art
- Teach small art classes, mat and frame artwork, repair artwork, and other office work.
- Anime Club
- The club was a small, dying organization. In my sophomore year I took over with the help of the teachers and the remaining members. It is now an established club of 25+ members.
- Opinion Writer
- School paper 2008 to 2009
- write arguments for the opinion section about controversial topics
- Shoujo Penguin 2010 to 2014
- College sequential art group that publishes work
- Bookbinding Club 2011 to 2015
- Explores different ways to bind books.
- Student Ambassador
- SCAD Student Ambassador 2012 to Now
Experience
- Cashier
- Target
- 2008 to
- Cashiering and other guest-service related work.
- Piano Teacher
- own business
- 2007 to 2007
- Taught piano to young children for a short while as a cheap way for them to decide whether or not they liked it and wanted a more professional teacher.
- Art teacher
- own business
- 2008 to
- Teaching art to a small class of two young kids once a week.
- Translator
- own business
- 2006 to
- Japanese-English translator. Translated for travelers in exchange for my own travel ticket expenses. Also translated business cards, piano competition programs (in Japan), and websites.
- Artist
- own business
- 2006 to
- Work when commissioned.
Education
- High School
- College
- Savannah College of Art and Design
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Bachelor of Arts(Visual Arts and Design)
- 2010 to Now
- Kirkwood Community College
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(Other)
- 2008 to 2012
Honors & Awards
In College: Academic Honors Scholarship, Artistic Honors Scholarship, Dean's List. High School: 2010 Iowa All State Visual Arts Team Qualifier and 1st place, 2009 Iowa All State Visual Arts Team Qualifier, National Honor Society, 2007 Iowa Piano Teachers Association Competition Honorable Mention; 2007 Mt. Mercy High School Art Show Honorable Mention, 2007 and 2008 School Art Show Best of Show (and 5 other school art awards 2007-2009), 2008 Outstanding Contribution to Productions A.
Specialties & Skills
Japanese/English bilingual and introductory level written German. Microsoft Office programs and Adobe Creative Suite programs. Professional painting/drawing skills with classical emphasis.
Info
Basic
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Last Update:
March 22, 2012
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Gender:
Female
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Birthday:
July 10
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Religious:
Atheist
Background
-
Ethnicity:
Asian
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Heritage:
Japanese
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Fluent Language:
English // Japanese
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Hometown:
CEDAR RAPIDS
Interests
- Visual Arts & Design
Favorites
- Movies:
Grave of Fireflies, A Beautiful Mind, AI, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, F 911, Joyeux Noel, Mononoke, This Is England
I hate comedies and chick flicks and impossible action/mystery/SF/horror movies that give the audience only entertainment and no artis - TV Shows:
Mostly Anime: Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, Deathnote, Mushishi... Trivia no Izumi, the news.
I RARELY watch TV. - Music:
A lot of Jrock, rock-- alternative, punk, some metal
Classical music, especially Chopin and Beethoven
and modern music of Joe Hisaishi, George Winston - Websites:
google blogger, goo (not google, it's a Japanese site) mail, zinch, connectedu, collegeboard, yomiuri news, yahoo, US news, my high school's website, netflix and youtube, postsecret, newgrounds, deviantart, photobucket...
- Quotes:
"I respect deities. I do not rely upon them."
"Intelligent people have awesome ideas. Successful people have mediocre ideas and act."
"Having a smoking section in a restaurant is like having a peeing section in a pool."
"An eye for an eye makes the whole - Books:
Too many to choose! Twain, Riku Onda, Ira Ishida, Shakespeare, "Crime and Punishment" "Catcher in the Rye" "Odessey" "I know why the caged bird sings" "The Book Thief," Akutagawa, Dazai, Hearn, "Holic" "Deathnote" Poe, Colfer, "Hyakunin Isshu" "The Heart
