Exhibit and Artist Talk by Yuki Toyooka Smith

Publish Date: Nov. 17, 2022

Artist, writer, and Crafton Hills College (CHC) Visual Arts professor Yuki Toyooka Smith held an artist talk and reception for her exhibition SKIN X BONE, currently on display at the CHC Art Gallery. Providing insights into the overlap between science and visual art, the talk was part of the 2022 STEM Speaker Series presented by the CHC STEM Center.

Toyooka Smith talked about her background in medical illustration and how it led to her art being published in multiple medical illustration books, such as The Neuroscience of Emotion, by Dr. Ralph Adolph, used as part of the curriculum at Cal Tech, and Current Surgical Therapy, by Andrew M. Cameron, MD, PhD, used as part of the curriculum at USC Keck School of Medicine. Toyooka Smith’s detailed medical illustrations allow readers to visualize key concepts and better understand complex surgical techniques and procedures. After the talk, guests walked over to the CHC Art Gallery, where Toyooka Smith answered questions from attendees.

The exhibit is a coalescence of Toyooka Smith’s artistic trajectory thus far. Displayed on the gallery walls are pieces drawn in colored pencil on wood and a series of classic vinyl records that look unassuming but, on closer inspection, illustrate detailed human anatomy drawings in ink on the actual vintage record covers. Among the favorites is a wall of iconic photos and famous magazine covers turned into black ink dissected triptychs, illustrations that include three views to show different elements of the same subject matter.

Toyooka Smith’s exhibition and talk was an exciting start of this STEM Center program.