20 May RISO Artist of the Month Yoko O.K.
Meet RISO’s May’s Artist of the Month
What is your name and the name of your organization/location?
Yoko Oji Kikuchi, aka Yoko O.K. — I am an independent artist originally from New York City, now living and working in Portland, OR.
How long have you been in the art industry?
I’ve been making and selling prints of my drawings since 2019 and zines of my comics since 2020. Years before that I received a BFA in Photography from a small art school in New England, then returned to New York; dedicating the next decade and a half to playing music, working in the service industry and traveling. In the middle of that time I moved to California (where I returned to a steady art practice) and eventually settled down in Portland a couple of years ago. I have never had an “art job” other than working for myself. I am lucky to have creative parents who understand what I’m doing with my life.
How long have you been using RISO duplicators and the method of RISOGRAPHY?
I first took a RISO class in February 2020. I was living in the Bay Area at the time. Max’s Garage Press in Berkeley was offering a workshop, so I encouraged my dad to sign up with me, and a few of my friends. That was so fun! However, the lockdown happened not long after that, so I didn’t really start using the RISO for my prints until the spring of 2023. And then I got obsessed with it! Max’s was my first studio, then I moved to Portland and became a regular at Outlet and a member of the Independent Publishing Resource Center (IPRC).
What are some of your favorite colors to use with a duplicator?
Lately I’ve been really into printing with red and seafoam green, sometimes with black as a third layer, but not always. Teal is fabulous, especially combined with fluorescent pink. And teal goes great with light lime, too! I enjoy using three layers of colors to make something like a full spectrum print, essentially like CMY without the K. I usually use blue, sunflower yellow and fluorescent pink to achieve this, though teal can also work (instead of the blue). And how can I not talk about fluorescent orange? That’s gotta be the best color, it’s so versatile – when you use it at low density it’s a light salmon pink, whereas at high density the intense orange blows your eyeballs away… It’s sublime. Wait! How could I forget?? Metallic gold on black paper is also the best combination.
Why RISOGRAPHY?
It’s fuuuuuuun. And addictive. And cheaper than getting tattoos. And less messy than screen printing. And there are no fumes so it’s good for you! Many art forms (painting, relief printmaking, darkroom photography, arts that involve a lot of screen time) are bad for your body in some way. RISO is pure goodness. Also it brings a lot of joy, to you and the people who buy it from you.
What would you tell people who are just finding out about RISO Duplicators and the artform of RISOGRAPHY?
Get into it! You won’t regret it. Find a studio offering a workshop in your area, and let the magic begin! Also, you don’t have to be a person who draws. You can make collage images or combine text with photos. It’s so versatile and fun. There is software (one is called Spectrolite) that can color-separate pre-existing full-color images, too! The sky’s the limit!
Feel free to plug any events that you have coming up.
I’m tabling Olympia Zine Fest in Olympia, WA on May 30th, and Summer Story Fest in Portland on June 27th.
I will also be leading two zine workshops at the Sebastopol Center for the Arts in Sebastopol, CA on August 15th & 16th.
Website Links:
Website: yoko-ok.com
Instagram: @yoko_okay