A show of her own

Artist embraces abstracts in her new exhibit

Her first name may remind people of John Lennon's widow but her artistic style is all her own.

Yoko Kondo Konopik's paintings are now on display at the Charleston Heights Art Center, 800 Brush St.

Konopik was born in eastern China, raised in Tokyo and studied art in Paris as well as Washington, D.C. Her Bachelor of Arts is from the University of Tokyo.

Her husband, Marvin, had a career with the state department, which kept the two of them hopping the globe.

"I always liked to do art so since I got married and we were living in a foreign country (France), I wanted to do something other than be a housewife," she said.

So while her husband was at work, Konopik took art classes after locating a teacher who spoke English. She learned the basics there, how to paint florals that captured the eye, how to make landscapes look inviting.

For a short time she dabbled in acrylics but returned to oils because she said, "I like the feel of the colors."

She also likes to paint abstracts, something she took up in the 1980s. That is the style for which she is best known.

"At first I was worried," she said. "I'd ask myself, 'Am I doing this right?' or 'Am I stupid?' but gradually I made up my mind (that it was OK) so this is what I'm doing."

Konopik's art is mostly on large canvases. Some of the 11 pieces in the Charleston Heights exhibit are 8 feet by 5 feet. She commands prices ranging from $200 to $3,000.

"Ideas cook in my mind before I know what I want to do," she said. "Once I put it on canvas, it (may change). It takes a couple months to finish. Sometimes I change my mind and do it again."

She added she works on more than one piece at a time.

Her artwork has been exhibited at numerous galleries and museums in Japan, including the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum, and in Egypt and Indonesia as well as throughout the United States. Critics call her colorful, minimalist abstractions "purely lovely and austerely playful."

"I've seen her work before and it's striking," said Catherine Borg, with the city of Las Vegas Arts Commission. "Her style is contemporary, beautiful in its simplicity, and it draws from her exposure to Eastern art."

Now in her 50s, Konopik and her husband retired to Las Vegas in 1995. They live near The Lakes and part of her home is dedicated to her studio. Konopik is a member of various art groups in town, including the Vegas Artists' Guild and the Contemporary Arts Collective.

She takes an annual trip back to Japan and, while there, likes to visit the museums and art galleries. Often her travels inspire her next work.

The Charleston Heights exhibit, one of several that the Cultural Affairs Division of the city of Las Vegas Department of Leisure Services is presenting in its Centennial Artist Series featuring Las Vegas artists, runs through Sept. 11. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Admission is free.

Call 229-4674 for more information.