The Artist SACHIKO celebrates local music scene in art collection, “from NEPA”

SCRANTON – The Artist SACHIKO reveals their latest art collection, ‘”from NEPA,” a series of sixteen paintings inspired by the vibrant music scene of NEPA.

The official opening reception for the “ collabor-art-ive ” collection will take place at Bazaar Skateshop on Friday, July 5, from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., coinciding with First Friday Scranton .

The Artist SACHIKO collaborated with sixteen unique local bands and musicians to make this collection (literally) come to life while honoring our rich musical community. The Artist SACHIKO collaborated with the musicians they admire most to create a masterpiece that blurs all lines that separate the arts.

“from NEPA” is the stunning result of a three-year artistic journey for the Scranton-based Queer Asian-American abstract artist who earned their BFA in Design from Marywood University. Each of the sixteen paintings visually interprets an original song.

“This collection specifically felt like an ode to that journey for me, as well as a unique opportunity to highlight the diverse music scene that we have,” said The Artist SACHIKO.

The Artist SACHIKO’s creative process involved listening to each song on a loop until the painting was finished, letting the music guide artistic expression. The collection spans all genres — from rap to pop, from indie to country-bluegrass — and features pieces inspired by The Menzingers, Boaty Blanco, Pucker Up!, Brendan Michael Smith, and others.

“I have been creating art for most of my life, but I realized a lot of the work I was creating at that time — I was listening to music while I was creating and finding emotion in whatever I was listening to,” said The Artist SACHIKO.

The Artist SACHIKO’s journey has been intertwined with various music scenes, beginning with their formative years attending shows in Upstate New York to when they moved to NEPA and spent time as a musician…and working for a lil’ local arts and entertainment paper called The Weekender.

“Music is a common theme where I’ve found connection,” said The Artist SACHIKO. “Growing up Syracuse, I had a lot of ties within the local music community and when I came to this area for college and stayed for professional reasons, I always find myself connecting back to the local music scene, whether it was shooting photography, live shows, promotional photos — ”

A lot of heart and thought went into this expansive project that goes beyond the typical calling of painting a picture. In collaboration with the musicians, accompanying time-lapse videos featuring the creation of the paintings set to their respective songs will also be available to watch. Visitors to the First Friday unveiling can achieve the full experience by scanning QR codes to watch the videos, so bring headphones !

“My creative process involved listening to the song in an endless loop while I was journaling as well as creating. I wanted the audience to be able to experience that type of immersion,” said The Artist SACHIKO.

This approach produced a multi-dimensional art exhibition that provides an interactive lens into the local arts scene. Before painting, The Artist SACHIKO spoke deeply to each contributing act and incorporated all the inspiration and emotion behind the song into the paintings. The song inspires the movement, the color, and the overall feel of each piece.

“I created the collection with the intention for the community to experience the local music scene in a way that’s new and see the connection of emotion between art and music,” they said.

The Artist SACHIKO’s body of work addresses sensitive themes rooted in deeply personal experiences and this new collection embodies all that and more. Their artistic expressions serve as a conduit for sharing emotions and worldviews while stretching the imagination.

“I’d say the common theme within my artwork is being inspired by emotion and experience,” said The Artist SACHIKO. “As an artist, I find myself very empathetic to the world around me and use art as a tool to communicate and express my personal experiences.”

The Artist SACHIKO held their first art exhibit at Bazaar Skateshop two years ago and now returns to display this landmark collection. They said they also used to skate, but they’ve known Co-owners Caleb Hartnett and Tom Hopkins for many years and appreciate everything they do for the community.

Don’t miss this groundbreaking, one-of-a-kind experience to embrace the local art and music scene all at once with The Artist SACHIKO ’s next exhibit at First Friday Scranton.