profile / alumni / illustration
March 13, 2018
BY JAMIE WETHERBE

Master of His Domaine: Meet Multifaceted Artist Dennis Mukai

ArtCenter: What’s your best piece of advice for an ArtCenter student interested following your career path?
Dennis Mukai (BFA 79 Illustration) artist: Find your inspiration and your passion, and never make excuses. I can’t remember where this formula came from, but I have it saved on my desktop: imitation + inspiration + progression = ART

AC: What are you working on right now?
DM: 1. Kurosawa Sake label designs
2. Commissioned paintings for LA and New York collectors
3. Branding for LA linen company
4. Logo development for public relations firm
5. Creative for Drymax Technologies

AC: How do you define success?
DM: Passion and satisfaction of your craft in addition to, quite possibly more importantly, knowing how/when to hit the OFF button.

AC: Do you have any superstitions?
DM: Don’t clip your nails at night – it’s an old Japanese superstition that my mother put in my head when I was a child.

AC: What’s the one tool you can’t do without?
DM: Reading glasses … or maybe a martini shaker.

AC: Who are the most interesting artists working today?
DM: Guitarists Pat Metheny and Robben Ford – finding parallels in other fields of art are far more fascinating as it directly addresses inspiration and discipline rather than subject and medium.

AC: What book is on your bedside table?
DM: The Road to Wellville by T.C. Boyle and Do I Make Myself Clear? by Harold Evans.

AC: If you could have a superpower, what would it be?
DM: Be able to fly for the shear joy or the ability to be invisible for all the twisted reasons.