In Memoriam: Kiyoski Otsuka
Painter Kiyoshi Otsuka, who recently passed away, was born in the mountains north of Tokyo, Japan and studied in Paris – but it was in Westchester County that he found a permanent home for his studio. He was a resident artist in ArtsWestchester’s building in White Plains for many years. In his studio, the paint flowed freely. This is evidenced by the Jackson Pollack-esque floor, the sentimental painted door he kept when he moved to a new floor in the building, and the 800 canvases that still live in his studio.
Otsuka’s wife, artist Sue Koch, reminisces: “Kiyoshi was amazingly prolific. He painted nearly every day, even at home when he could no longer get to his beloved studio… He was exploring new [artistic] avenues up until July 2020 when he passed away.”
Otsuka’s abstract acrylic works, in his own words, “speak to the beauty, intensity and mystery of nature and our deep connection to its ever evolving and transformative power.”
He was a member of Silvermine Guild, the Katonah Museum Artist Association, the Carriage Barn Arts Center and Greenwich Art Society and has exhibited in galleries in New York, London, Pennsylvania and Japan.
A version of this article first appeared in the August issue of ArtsNews, ArtsWestchester’s monthly publication. ArtsNewsis distributed throughout Westchester County. A digital copy is also available at artsw.org/artsnews.
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About ArtsWestchester
For more than 50 years, ArtsWestchester has been the community’s connection to the arts. Founded in 1965, it is the largest, private, not-for-profit arts council in New York State. Its mission is to provide leadership, vision, and support, to ensure the availability, accessibility, and diversity of the arts. ArtsWestchester provides programs and services that enrich the lives of everyone in Westchester County. ArtsWestchester helps fund concerts, exhibitions and plays through grants; brings artists into schools and community centers; advocates for the arts; and builds audiences through diverse marketing initiatives. In 1998, ArtsWestchester purchased the nine-story neo-classical bank building at 31 Mamaroneck Avenue which has since been transformed into a multi-use resource for artists, cultural organizations, and the community. A two-story gallery is located on the first floor of ArtsWestchester’s historic building on Mamaroneck Avenue.
For more than 50 years, ArtsWestchester has been the community’s connection to the arts. Founded in 1965, it is the largest, private, not-for-profit arts council in New York State. Its mission is to provide leadership, vision, and support, to ensure the availability, accessibility, and diversity of the arts. ArtsWestchester provides programs and services that enrich the lives of everyone in Westchester County. ArtsWestchester helps fund concerts, exhibitions and plays through grants; brings artists into schools and community centers; advocates for the arts; and builds audiences through diverse marketing initiatives. In 1998, ArtsWestchester purchased the nine-story neo-classical bank building at 31 Mamaroneck Avenue which has since been transformed into a multi-use resource for artists, cultural organizations, and the community. A two-story gallery is located on the first floor of ArtsWestchester’s historic building on Mamaroneck Avenue.