Voices of Creativity
Hear the artist share her journey, challenges, and definitions of success
Toshiko Kitano Groner
Toshiko Kitano Groner’s journey as an artist began unexpectedly when a curator discovered her work while she was arranging exhibitions for her brother in New York. Originally from Japan, Toshiko first pursued a career in music, performing as a singer-songwriter and earning ASCAP membership. In 2001, she transitioned to visual art, painting landscapes inspired by her travels and later exploring abstraction and mixed media. A graduate of The Art Students League of New York, Toshiko has exhibited widely, with her works collected across the United States.
A Life of Artistic Exploration: The Journey of Toshiko Kitano Groner
The Spark of Creativity
For Toshiko Kitano Groner, creativity has always been a central part of her life. Growing up in Japan, she was captivated by art, music, and Japanese calligraphy. “I really loved both art and music,” she recalls. After moving to New York City, her passion for music blossomed as she performed original songs in Greenwich Village’s vibrant club scene. However, her path took a significant turn when she began curating her brother's artwork. This unexpected shift led Toshiko into the art world, where she found her voice as a visual artist.
Defining a Distinctive Style
As a versatile artist, Toshiko works across multiple mediums, including oil, acrylic, watercolor, and mixed media, creating portraits, landscapes, still lifes, and geometric abstractions. However, her greatest challenge remains the quest to establish a style uniquely her own. “I have to find my distinctive style in whatever medium I use, which would be recognized as mine,” she says. Her dedication to this pursuit drives her to continually think, create, and exhibit her work.
Milestones of Pride
Toshiko’s artistic journey is marked by proud moments across disciplines. As a singer-songwriter, she experienced a career high when three of her songs were performed at Carnegie Hall. As a visual artist, she cherishes every exhibition, particularly her solo show featuring 40 geometric abstraction and assembled works at a large local gallery. Selling her work at the Affordable Art Fair in Manhattan also stands out as a highlight.
An Eclectic Evolution
Toshiko’s artistic evolution reflects her diverse talents and curiosity. “My evolution as a visual artist has been extremely eclectic,” she explains. Now, her focus lies in creating series works, which she believes will help her develop a more cohesive and recognizable style.
Lessons from Setbacks
Early in her music career, Toshiko missed the chance to present a song to a famous singer due to personal challenges. This experience taught her the importance of readiness and openness to opportunities. As she puts it, “One must be ready and open to any moment, possibility, or opportunity.”
Wisdom for Creatives
Toshiko believes that the value of art transcends the artist’s identity. “Your heart tells you it is good, and that is enough,” she advises. For emerging artists, she emphasizes the importance of producing a large body of work and embracing the process before dwelling on uncertainty.
Staying True to Art
Toshiko creates without focusing on the art market, though she values audience opinions. “Some like my still lifes, others my landscapes, geometric works, or meticulous drawings,” she says. Yet her priority remains the continuous development of her unique artistic voice.
Sources of Support and Inspiration
Toshiko credits her husband’s unwavering support and her son’s professional photography skills for aiding her journey. Her inspiration stems from artists and musicians who have achieved iconic status through their distinctive styles, including Van Gogh, Hokusai, Andy Warhol, and Joni Mitchell.
Redefining Success
For Toshiko, success is timeless: “Success is to have one’s artwork seen, recognized, and admired internationally over passing times.” She acknowledges the shift in the art world, where many artists now achieve recognition during their lifetimes—a change she finds inspiring.
Toshiko Kitano Groner’s story is a testament to perseverance, curiosity, and the enduring quest for self-expression. Her journey across music and art exemplifies the power of following one’s passions, no matter where they lead.
Toshiko Kitano Groner’s work focuses on the interplay of colors, showcasing her expertise as a colorist. Her color field paintings explore the delicate balance and coordination of hues, emphasizing harmony and resonance in every piece.
Her artistic practice encompasses two ongoing series. The first is a collection of semi-abstracted floral scenes, emerging spontaneously from fleeting images and moments of inspiration. The second series delves into geometric abstraction, featuring intricate compositions of circles and lines that are deceptively simple yet richly complex.
Before transitioning to visual art, Toshiko was a singer-songwriter, creating original songs by coordinating words and music. She draws a direct connection between this process and her approach to painting, describing it as a similar act of harmonizing shapes and colors in her abstract works.
