Today we’d like to introduce you to Keiko Nishijima
Hi Keiko, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
When I was a kid I saw my sister draw a comic. It was only then, after seeing someone I knew so personally draw like that, that I realized something:
“Wait…comics are drawn by…people?!”
And now I’m 24 and drawing comics professionally.
My past is probably more complicated than that, but that’s about how simple it feels most of the time. I tend to overthink questions like this, wondering if I should start with my birth or some kind of metaphor for my entire life story. I’ve never been great at writing all fancy like, so I’ll stay simple. I’m a 24 year old Queer Japanese American woman working in comics.
The basics of how I got to where I am now were pretty succinctly summarized in sentences 1-3 above. Of course there were times of struggle, grief and pride much like any other creative’s life. But push comes to shove- I end up here, in Savannah, following in my sisters shoes drawing comics. After spending my childhood with my nose in a sketchbook, I get to spend my adulthood with my nose in my drawing tablet but…Professionally. Somehow. Honestly, I feel quite lucky.
I like to think I worked hard to get to where I am now. It could be called hard work, or just a strange obsession with putting that pencil to paper. I honestly can’t imagine a life where I don’t draw for at least a couple hours a day. It’s routine now, a habit that feels as necessary as air. Pick up a pencil, breathe in, break some lead.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
A Smooth road? Maybe. I think I had it easier than others, I think that’s important to acknowledge. I’ve had struggles sure, we all have- but I try to focus more on those around me when it comes to questions like these. And I’ll admit, being only 24, it feels a bit foolish to call my journey a road at this point. Feels like I’m barely out of my parking lot, I haven’t even looked both ways. Left maybe- but not right.
In terms of art there was a huge struggle with direction for me. I honestly hadn’t decided to go into comics until my first week of classes in college. Before that I still felt a bit lost in where I wanted to go with what I had worked so hard to train.
Socially the biggest struggle I faced growing up was a sense of isolation. I didn’t spend a lot of time with family for a variety of reasons. Reasons that are probably a lot less dramatic than what you’re imagining, but reasons nonetheless.
It resulted in me hanging out with friends a lot more. Going over to their houses until I came home nice and late. It was fun at the time, but I think one of my biggest regrets is not going on more grocery trips with my mom.
(She’s doing great by the way. She’s in our guest room right now visiting!)
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I love drawing so much. So much I had to make it my career or face dire consequences. Those consequences? No clue, I didn’t have to face them.
I draw comics! Professionally in some spheres, foolishly in others. I love writing about families and identity. What makes you, you? Your memories? Or what you do in the present?
My comics focus on concepts like this. A story I’ve been working on called “Lycorine” follows a family with complex relationships that get even more tangled when necromancy is discovered to be an inheritable skill within it.
What does success mean to you?
I’d say it’s when you can think to yourself, “What should I do today?”
Contact Info:
- Website: https://cak3oart.wixsite.com/portfolio
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cak3o/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keiko-nishijima-816421176/
- Other: https://bsky.app/profile/cak3o.bsky.social
