NORIKO NAKAMURA: My name is Noriko Nakamura,
and I'm originally from Japan
and my practice has been installation and sculptures,
mainly limestone.
I've been doing limestone carving
and my practice deal with the Japanese Shinto animism.
In Shinto animism we believe everything contain life force,
like mountains, rivers and stones.
We believe they have spiritual force within.
And through limestone carving
I've tried to suggest a life force to the audience.

QUESTION: CAN YOU DESCRIBE A MOMENT IN YOUR CAREER WHEN YOU HAVE FELT PROUD?

The moment I was proud was, I had my solo show at Caves Gallery
in Melbourne last year.
So, that was when my baby was one year old.
Because as a female artist who had just had a baby,
I wanted to prove to the world that I can still do it.
And it was really hard to do this,
but I still did it and I'm quite proud of what I was able to achieve.

QUESTION: WHY DO YOU MAKE ART?

I make art because it's important for me to express my feelings,
thoughts and my experience,
sometimes... my work is a personal response.
But sometimes when people visit my exhibition,
some people say they like it
because they feel safe on the space for themselves.
So, that's why also I make work to create a space for everyone, I hope.

QUESTION: HOW DO YOU SURVIVE AS AN ARTIST?

I actually couldn't survive as an artist in Melbourne.
I was living in Melbourne and I had a baby
and me and my partner didn't have any family support.
And financially it was impossible for us to keep going.
So, we decided to move to Muckleford,
which is across the Castlemaine.
So, even if I couldn't survive as an artist in Melbourne,
I feel like I'm more alive in a country setting
and now I also I started doing a Masters of Visual Arts by Research
at La Trobe University in Bendigo and I got scholarship.
So, now I can survive, but it was quite difficult,
and main needed some change for my life.