Yuko Shimizu is a New York-based Japanese illustrator and instructor at the School of Visual Arts. Newsweek Japan chose her as one of “100 Japanese People The World Respects.” Her first self-titled monograph was released from German publisher Gestalten in 2011. The first children’s book will be out from Abrams in 2013.   (BTW, she warns, she is not the Yuko Shimizu who created Hello Kitty)   Above: Japan Earthquake relief charity drawing.

BLOW UP 2: Storm Forming, exhibition at Society of Illustrators

From Adventures of Little Red Polka Dots and Other Stories (personal drawing series)

New York City Subway Poster

Illustration for the Japanese rescue story, The Man Who Sailed his House, in GQ

Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother: Time magazine cover

Yuko Shimizu melds facets of the art and corporate world, as well as a Japanese and U.S. culture, in her work. She began her career in public relations, but after 11 years moved into art. Her work has appeared on The Gap T-shirts, Pepsi cans,  VISA billboards, Microsoft and Target ads, as well as on the book covers of Penguin, Scholastic, DC Comics, and on the pages of NY Times, Time, Rolling Stone, New Yorker and other publications.

Yuko Shimizu’s website, here.

Her blog, with lots of interesting progress shots, here.

Her Facebook, here.

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• Majestic Ukiyo-e inspired illustrations from the gifted Yuko Shimizu (itsnicethat.com)