Welcome!  
 

I'm Yoko Loftis, an artist based in the United States. I was born and raised in Japan and later moved to Oklahoma.
 

My creative journey began in childhood, when I was constantly drawing. I remember being a tomboy who climbed trees and played outside all day, but once I got home, all I wanted to do was draw. Family members living in Hawaii introduced me to many foreign things, which sparked my interest in the world beyond my hometown before I even turned ten. That led me to earn my Bachelor of Fine Arts from St. Gregory’s University, OK in 2006, where I had the opportunity to study abroad and further explore my interest in art. 
 

Over time, oil painting became the tool I use to express thoughts that I sometimes find difficult to put into words. Since then, my creative journey has taken many forms, from illustrating a children’s book and painting murals for local shops to teaching art classes in community galleries. Each project has helped shape the way I see and share the world through art.

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In 2013, I began painting custom pet portraits while working at a locally owned pet boutique, where I witnessed the special bond between animals and humans in everyday life. With two young children at home, I spent evenings and weekends painting after my day job. Over the past decade, I’ve completed numerous portraits and gradually built a steady clientele. Since then, I’ve transitioned into full-time painting, focusing on both commissioned work and personal projects.

There is beauty in life's natural moments, but I’m especially drawn to staging a scene in my personal projects. Staging moments allows me to revisit certain moods or explore ideas visually.  It is a way of giving form to what tends to stay quiet inside me. Much like how I approach life, I need time to reflect and process my thoughts and surroundings. That is how I make sense of what is happening around me. And my need for reflection naturally extends into my painting, where the process itself brings clarity.

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When I’m not making art, I enjoy hiking on nice days, weight training, watching movies, reading, and tackling DIY projects.

I love spending our time as a family, and our life won’t be the same without our two dogs, Marty the hound and Hugo the husky mix. Their personalities are quite opposite, but their love of food is something they share. 

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I love sharing my creative journey through photos and videos on social media, from painting processes to behind-the-scenes thoughts on art and life.

I'm grateful to have you here. 

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