Dana Tanamachi shares how her family history inspires her creative process. Dana defines for us “Gaman”, which is a Japanese term meaning ‘to endure the seemingly unbearable with patience and dignity.'
Images & excerpts taken from “The Art of Gaman: Arts and Crafts from the Japanese American Internment Camps 1942-1946” courtesy of Delphine Hirsasuna. https://buff.ly/2mEzIbG
About the speaker
Dana Tanamachi is a New York City-based lettering artist and designer who enjoys living a quiet life and working with her hands. In 2009, an impromptu chalk installation for a Brooklyn housewarming party landed Dana her first commission for Google and set the popular chalk-lettering trend—and her career—in motion. After working under design icon Louise Fili, she opened Tanamachi Studio, a boutique design studio specializing in custom typography and illustration for editorial, lifestyle, food, and fashion brands. She has been commissioned globally by clients such as Target, Nike, USPS, Penguin Books, Ralph Lauren, Instagram, and West Elm. Named a Young Gun (YG9) by the Art Director’s Club in 2011 and a Young Creative to Watch by HOW Magazine, she has had the distinct honor of creating custom cover art for O, HOW, and TIME Magazines.
Favorite quotes from this talk See all
Creating beautiful things from simple yet unexpected materials is in my blood.
'Gaman' means to endure the seemingly unbearable with patience and dignity.
Art was a saving grace for my family and I hope to carry on that tradition.
I was using literal dollar-store chalk to create elaborate designs for some of the world's most influential people and brands. Creating beautiful things from simple and unexpected materials is in my blood.
I found my muse - it's my family's firsthand pilgrimage through this literal and figurative desert that has taught me so much about the power of beauty and creativity.
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Really appreciated this talk. An example of how Japanese victims of unlawful incarceration established dignity and resilience. As a Canadian I am ashamed of our treatment of Japanese and descendents during this period.
Wish I got to see this one.
This was just beautiful and very needed today.