Nature-inspired, hand-crafted cutout and stencil art with a Japanese folk art aesthetic by Mayuko Fujino
I am a self-taught paper cutout and stencil artist from Japan based in Columbia County, NY. Inspired by traditional Japanese stencil textile designs and the Mingei folk art movement, I have been making art since 1999 for clients such as the National Audubon Society, The Nature Conservancy, and Williams Sonoma. (See some of my commercial illustration work here.)
I make natural pigments from invasive plants and weeds gathered in the Hudson Valley, NY, where I live. Learn more about this practice here.
My ideas emerge from interviews with local birders, farmers, and biologists, whose stories and knowledge I translate into visual narratives. I seek to deeply know this place I now live through collaboration with local scientific and agricultural organizations, and to integrate this learning with the cultural heritage I carry. Check out my interviews here.
I present the work in accessible formats, including printed matter such as free educational art zines, note cards distributed through local businesses, and installations in libraries (Kinderhook, North Chatham), nature centers (Acra, Mt Tremper), and public bathrooms.
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Interconnectedness (American Robin), hand-cut and stencil printed on paper with natural pigments from invasive plants: Multiflora Rose, Toringo Crab Apple, Common Buckthorn, Japanese Barberry, Honeysuckle, all collected at Hawthorne Valley Farm’s Biodiversity Trail.
Updates
Williams Sonoma Seasonal Home Scents Sparkling Paloma Series
Seamless pattern illustration for packaging design, commissioned by Williams Sonoma.
My work was introduced on Scenic Hudson's Hudson Valley Viewfinder Magazine.
Feature on Scenic Hudson
Penguin Random House
Cover Illustration Commission
Book cover illustration for Little Wonder: A Novel By Sophie Chen Keller.
Beakuency Zine Vol.2 : Bird-Friendly Farms in Hudson Valley!
From fear to coexistence, bird-friendly farmers are adapting with curiosity, observation and care on working lands. An art zine to highlight local agricultural conservation.
Saturday, September 12: Abundant Birds on Farms at Arthur's Point Farm
Co-leading a morning bird walk! This is part of Arhur's Point Farm's FALL 2026 Stewardship Series which explores the role of native plants in restoring local ecology.
September - October 2026 HARVEST: Three Artists and Rose Hill Farm
Harvest: Three Artists, an art show at Rose Hill Farm features work by Adi Blaustein Rejto, Mayuko Fujino, and Tanya Marcuse.
HAND-CRAFTED STENCIL PAINTING MAKING PROCESS
All of my pieces are hand-printed with stencils which I hand-cut. This means every piece is unique and slightly different from the others.
Workflow (watch the video to see it in action)
1. create a draft 2. cut the stencil 3. paint using the stencil
