About the Artist
Tomiko Bailey
Oil Painter
As a child in Japan Tomiko loved collage, drawing, watercolor while receiving awards in local art competitions. To this day she holds a fond memory of the artist who taught her classes. In her mid twenties, she moved to San Francisco and met her husband who was raised in the art world, together they visited many museums and art events in the U.S. Europe and Japan. She had eye opening experiences immersing herself in amazing art.
They moved to Tokyo for eight years to live Japanese art and culture. She studied the aesthetic style of Zen cuisine for four years with a temple Abbess along with occasional tea ceremonies in magnificent settings and places.
On returning to California, she taught at a Buddhist temple in Mountain View and her students loved this artful cuisine of health, taste and beauty. Her desire for art arouse again. She picked up again her art skills of oil and watercolor painting. Not long after, she got selected for various plein air competitions and juried shows mostly in California. Tomiko considers herself a self taught painter.
California offers numerous beautiful places to paint with intense light from the sky accentuating the earth tones. Plein air painting is naturally her favorite way to paint.
Tomiko says: “Nature never reveals the exact same scene again: light, colors, shapes constantly shift in time. It is thrilling and satisfying to paint outdoors, tiptoeing around the canvas to capture fresh impressions of the landscape while realizing I am part of it. Every scene exalts feelings and creates a state of mind. My intention is to paint a scene so open and unlimited by the frame that the viewer feels free to enter.”
Tomiko participates in many events actively. Of all the juried events, she particularly enjoyed the Carmel Art Festival plein air competition for five consecutive years. She was one of sixty artists juried in from all over the U.S. During the Plein Air Shows, the Mountainsong Galleries in Carmel approached. She had many successful solo and group shows for four years until the gallery closed.
Her works are in galleries as well as corporate and private collectors across the U.S., Japan, Sweden and France. She has received numerous awards. She is a signature member of the Society of Western Artists in the Bay Area and a member of California Art Club.
GALLERIES:
Kerwin Galleries
Society of Western Artists
www.societyofwesternartists.com
AFFILIATIONS:
Oil Painters of America
California Art Club
Society of Western Artists Signature member
EXHIBITIONS & EVENTS:
95th Annual California Landscape Exhibition 2026
Society of Western Artists 76th Annual Show 2026. 1st place award
Society of Western Artists 75th Annual Show 2025. 3rd place award
Society of Western Artists 74th Annual Show 2024.
Society of Western Artists 71st Annual Show 2021. 3rd place award
89th Annual Statewide California Landscapes Exhibition 2019. honorable mention award
Society of Western Artists 68th Annual Show 2018. 1st place award
Society of Western Artists Group November Show 2016. 1st place award
Society of Western Artists 66th Annual Show July 2016. 3rd place award
Society of Western Artists Group March Show 2016. 3rd place award
Santa Cruz Statewide Landscape Exhibit 2015.
Society of Western Artists Group Show April 2015. honorable mention award
Society of Western Artists Group Show February 2015. 1st place Award
Santa Cruz Statewide Landscape exhibit 2014
Society of Western Artists 64th Annual Juried Show 2014. honorable mention award
Saratoga Rotary Art Show 2014.
Society of Western Artists 63rd annual exhibition July 2013. 1st place award
Salon International 2013, Greenhouse gallery, San Antonio, TX. 2013.
Coastside Land Trust gallery show. Half moon bay. 2013.
California Heritage. The California Art Club. Los Angeles 2012.
Plein air art in the garden. Gamble Garden, Palo Alto, Ca. 2012.
Carmel Art Festival plein air competition. 2012.
Salon International 2012, Greenhouse gallery, San Antonio, TX. 2012.
Mountainsong galleries. Group show 2012.
The California Art Club. A Century of landscapes. San Francisco historical society. 2011.
Plein air art in Gamble garden, Palo Alto, Ca. 2011.
Triton Museum midsummer art celebration 2011.Santa Clara, Ca.
Carmel Art Festival plein air competition. May 2011. honorable mention award
Salon international 2011, greenhouse gallery, San Antonio, TX. April 2011.
Mountainsong galleries in Carmel, Ca. Solo miniature show December 2010.
Los Gatos Art Association: annual juried show 2010 at the Los Gatos art museum.
Midsummer Art Fair. Triton museum of art. Santa Clara, Ca. 2010.
Santa Cruz museum "plein air affaire". July 2010. honorable mention award
Filoli Center peninsula plein air art exhibition, Woodside, Ca. 2010.
Los Gatos plein air 2010
Carmel Art Festival plein air competition & show. 2010.
26th Los Gatos annual juried show. 2010.
Mountainsong galleries: solo show. October 2009.
Portola Art gallery: "impressions of the land and sea". September 2009.
Alameda 2009 frank bette plein air show honorable mention award
Santa Cruz museum of art & history: “plein air affaire june 2009”
Carmel Art Festival plein air competition & show. May 2009.
Tahill galleries solo art exhibition. November 2008.
Portola art gallery: allied arts guild paint out & exhibit. 2008.
University Art exhibition in San Jose, Ca. September 2008.
Frank Bette Plein air competition July 2008. quick draw best people’s choice award
Santa Cruz Museum of art & history: “plein air affaire 2008”
Santa Cruz Art league: “poems without words” juried show. May 2008.
Carmel Art Festival plein air competition & show. May 2008.
Los Gatos Art association: annual juried show april 2008 at the los gatos art museum.
Los Gatos Art association: annual juried show october 2007 at the los gatos art museum.
Los Altos 2007 plein air painting competition & show: awarded 2nd place.
Committee for green foothills: “nature’s inspirations” exhibit. September 2007.
Morro Bay Art Association gallery: central coast national fine art competition 2007.Frank Bette Center for the arts: plein air 2007 paint out, Alameda, Ca.
Santa Cruz museum of art & history: “plein air affaire”2007.
Los Altos cultural association 2006 plein air painting competition: awarded third place
Filoli center peninsula plein air art exhibition, Woodside, Ca. 2006.
Los Altos history museum “Los Altos impressions” exhibition 2006.
Sonya Paz fine art gallery, Santa Clara, Ca. 2006.
Foster City art gallery, Ca. April 2006.
Hidden Villa paint out competition, Los Altos, Ca. 2005.
Pacific Art league, Palo Alto, Ca. August 2005.
Sobi gallery, Burlingame, Ca. from October 2003 to December 2004.
