Yuko Shimazu Yuko Shimazu Yuko Shimizu

Award winning Japanese illustrator based in New York City and instructor at School of Visual Arts.

Spectrum Silver Medal!

Spectrum Magazine (December 2009): Yuko's Silver Medal
With SPECTRUM silver trophy!I have to be just honest; 2009 was definitely not the best year I had, and work was definitely slower than usual.But when the most of the world is in recession for over a year and more than 10% unemployment rate, you gotta look at the brighter side of it.

Price of milk is not going up every time I visit my local supermarket. And oh yeah, both my studio and home rent got frozen for now. I was able to squeeze in more travels and meet peers and aspiring illustrators everywhere. Invited to a museum show in Berlin, Germany, then a show and lecture in Xalapa, Mexico, guest instructor for three days in Utrecht, Holland, taught a workshop in Venice, Italy, and just got back from judging a Chinese illustration competition in Hong Kong, China, among multiple schools in the US who were kind enough to invite me over. Thank you thank you thank you to all the kind people in my life.

This week when I schlepped my heavy suitcase back from Hong Kong with my head spinning from jetlag, there was a big package waiting for me at my door.
SPECTRUM silver medal!!!  And look how sci-fi fantasy it looks!

Below are the images that got accepted to SPECTRUM this year starting from the  silver medal winning piece in advertising category created for Microsoft as client.

Ok, so this year was not so bad. There were lots of great things to celebrate. What goes down must come up. Economy will soon come floating back up, my dear friends who have lost their jobs will eventually find jobs that are probably even better than the ones they lost.

For now, I wish everyone a wonderful holiday season. And let’s make 2010 even better year than this one!

PS: this won’t be my last post of the year.

Spectrum Magazine (December 2009): Issue 16 Spread
SPECTRUM 16 annual just came out. My silver award piece on the right. Gold was also by a Japanese artist, Mr. Ryohei Hase
Microsoft Online Ad: December 2009
One of five images created for online ad for Microsoft won this year’s silver.
Microsoft Online Advertising Series: December 2009
Another piece from Microsoft advertising series.
Sandman Cover For DC Vertigo: December 2009, Issue 4
Sandman issue No.4 cover for DC Vertigo was accepted into comic category.
PlanAdvisor Piece For CD: SooJin Buzelli, In Editorial Category
PLANADVISOR piece for CD: SooJin Buzelli, in editorial category.