Biography

Mari Inukai was born in Nagoya, Japan.

In 1995, Mari came to the United States to pursue her studies in art. She first attended Santa Monica Community College (Mentor program), Santa Monica, California, then Associates in Art, Sherman Oaks, California, and lastly, California Institute of the Arts, Valencia, California, where she received her BFA in Character Animation in 2004. Her short animated film, Blue and Orange, has been an official selection at numerous national and international film festivals, including the Sundance Film Festival 2003, and was the Japan Grand Prize winner at the Short Shorts Film Festival EXPO 2005. Her professional works include Duckstudios, Santa Monica, Walt Disney CP, Glendale, Sanrio,,co. LTD, Japan, Cartoon Network, Burbank, Nickelodeon, New York, Nylon Motion Inc., Los Angeles, Oishii Productions, Los Angeles and NGTV, Los Angeles. Along with her animation works, Mari regularly exhibits her paintings and drawings, as well as designs clothes, toy figures, and other fun products. She currently lives in Beverly Hills, CA with her daughter, Sena.

Mari’s paintings are an expression of her desires, ambitions, and hopes for the future, starting from where she stands now. Like water flowing, seeking its path, Mari channels her direction naturally, finding her importance as she travels forward. Discovering how her dreams and memories relate to her relationships with others from the standpoint of an artist and person, her paintings reflect all these feelings.