Erica Ward is a California-native watercolor artist living in Tokyo. After graduating from the department of Japanese Language and Literature at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Ward moved to Japan where she has resided since 2010. She has long been inspired by Japanese designs and imagery, and her work is also influenced by her Tokyo environment.
By combining mundane objects in surreal ways, her works ask viewers to look again at what they see in the day-to-day, and to consider that things that are generally overlooked as mundane can also be things of beauty and symbols of culture. Ward’s visual style is inspired by art nouveau and ukiyoé and by framing soft watercolors with stark ink outlines combines semi-realism with graphic pop.
エリカ・ワードはカリフォルニア生まれ、東京在住の水彩アーティスト。2009年マサチューセッツ大学の日本語学部を卒業、2010年日本に移住する。日本のデザインや「和」のものにインスピレーションを感じ、作品のモチーフとしてよく用いている。
大都会である東京という環境にも影響を受けて、高層ビルや町の風景が作品にも入り込む。
作品の中で日常的な物をシュールに合わせることで、日々の身の回りにある物が美しいもの、そして文化的なシンボルであるのではないかと見る者に問いかける。浮世絵やアールヌーヴォーにインスパイアされた描写で、水彩の優しい色をはっきりしたペンの輪郭に囲むことで、リアルとポップのスタイルが混ざる。
By combining mundane objects in surreal ways, her works ask viewers to look again at what they see in the day-to-day, and to consider that things that are generally overlooked as mundane can also be things of beauty and symbols of culture. Ward’s visual style is inspired by art nouveau and ukiyoé and by framing soft watercolors with stark ink outlines combines semi-realism with graphic pop.
エリカ・ワードはカリフォルニア生まれ、東京在住の水彩アーティスト。2009年マサチューセッツ大学の日本語学部を卒業、2010年日本に移住する。日本のデザインや「和」のものにインスピレーションを感じ、作品のモチーフとしてよく用いている。
大都会である東京という環境にも影響を受けて、高層ビルや町の風景が作品にも入り込む。
作品の中で日常的な物をシュールに合わせることで、日々の身の回りにある物が美しいもの、そして文化的なシンボルであるのではないかと見る者に問いかける。浮世絵やアールヌーヴォーにインスパイアされた描写で、水彩の優しい色をはっきりしたペンの輪郭に囲むことで、リアルとポップのスタイルが混ざる。
Exhibition History
2026
MOTTO Art, Park Hotel Tokyo (Tokyo) "Tokyo, in Layers" Group Exhibition
The BLANK Gallery (Tokyo) "EXPOZED" Group Exhibition
MUMON Gallery (Tokyo) “RAN SHO HOU SHU Vol. 15" Group Exhibition
2025
Daikanyama Tsutaya (Tokyo) Erica Ward Pop-up and Exhibition
Gallery W Kagurazaka (Tokyo) “nekomachi" Solo Exhibition
2024
YOYOGI ART GALLERY (Tokyo) “Yamanote Bonsai" Solo Exhibition
Gallery W Kagurazaka (Tokyo) “Tokyo Kasumi" Exhibition and Original Incense collaboration with Perfumer Ko
2023
BLANK Koenji (Tokyo) “MIYABORI" Solo Exhibition
Gallery Klyuch (Tokyo) “Tokyo Extraction" Exhibition and Fragrance collaboration with Perfumer Ko
Hakata Hankyu ArtShip (Fukuoka) "You're up Next" Group Exhibition
2022
BLANK Koenji (Tokyo) “Senja-e" Solo Exhibition
Atelier 485 Tokyo (Tokyo) "Phantasy" Solo Exhibition
2021
BLANK Koenji (Tokyo) “BONSAI" Solo Exhibition
Ryokan Sawanoya (Tokyo) "Art + Book Project:' Welcome to Engiyado' Erica Ward and Sakai Takao" two-artist exhibition
Atelier 485 Tokyo (Tokyo) Solo Exhibition
Ueno Royal Museum (Tokyo) “The World of Ukiyoe” Group Exhibition
2020
CLOUDS ART + COFFEE(Tokyo) “Erica Ward Solo Exhibition: Engimono”
the Hive (Tokyo) "Erica Ward Solo Exhibition: Decade"
2019
J-Spirit Gallery (Kyoto) "Erica Ward Solo Exhibition: Toshitsuki"
CLOUDS ART + COFFEE(Tokyo) “Erica Ward Solo Exhibition: Rosenzuiro”
2018
Necorepublic Ochanomizu (Tokyo) Solo Exhibition, “Cats in Portrait”
Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum (Tokyo) Group Exhibition, “Junten”
CLOUDS ART + COFFEE(Tokyo) “Erica Ward Solo Exhibition: Ourselves Within the City, the City Within Ourselves”
ego Arts + Entertainment Gallery (Tokyo) Three-artist Collaboration Exhibition, “Shibuiro Mode: Art + Fashion”
2017
CLOUDS ART + COFFEE (Tokyo) Group Exhibition, “SMALL WONDERS”
Ginger.Tokyo (Tokyo) Two-Artist Exhibition, “Futari To-iro: Erica Ward and Miori Nagashima in Kiyosumi”
Artcomplex Center Tokyo（Tokyo）Group Exhibition, “ANIMAL WORLD 10”
UltraSuperNew (Tokyo) Group Exhibition, “Blossom Blast”
“Ino-B Order” town-wide art event (Ino, Kochi)
2016
Bunpodo (Tokyo) Selected for Exhibition in ”Bunpodo×Liquitex×Cat Exhibition
Soto Gallery (Kochi) Two-Artist Exhibition “Amerikajin Futari-ten in Kochi”
Red Raven Gallery (Port Townsend, Washington) Two-Artist Exhibition, “Mirror Cycle”
2015
“Wakayama Salone 2015” Prefecture-wide art event (Wakayama)
M’s Gallery (Wakayama) Solo Exhibition, “Mid Summer Exhibition”
Snafkin (Misaki, Osaka) Solo Exhibition, “Misaki”
2014
Artville Mugyo (Kuji, Iwate) Solo Exhibition, “Erica Ward Solo Exhibition II”
Art House (Osaka) Group Exhibition, “KIMONO”
2013
Switch (Wakayama) Solo Exhibition, “Mikan”
Artville Mugyo (Kuji, Iwate) Solo Exhibition, “Erica Ward Solo Exhibition”
Natural Life Studio (Kuji, Iwate) Two-Artist Art and Atmosphere Exhibition “Nuri-me”