Meet our Instructors: Manami Fukuda Stokes-Rees

Manami is a painter based in Saint John and Rothesay though she originated from Yokohama, Japan. There, she studied art and environmental design. After she got a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Woman’s Arts College, she worked as an interior designer in Tokyo until she moved to Canada.

She has been creating crafts and jewelry since her first stage of motherhood and decided to try her hand at oil painting in 2010. She has had an opportunity to show her oil paintings at local art galleries, art events/ exhibitions and at the Saint John Arts Centre as well. Manami has been teaching an Introduction to Oil painting workshop since 2015 until now.

Her work is recognized for its vivid and colourful subjects that have a realistic style. Most of her paintings are oil on canvas. As much as she loves painting with her ideas, she also takes commission work which has more of a personal touch and meaning for the clients. She offers group art classes for youth and adults as well. It has been a great success and is well received. She says she is grateful to share the experience with people who love art.