About

About Michiyo Art Studio

Michiyo Art Studio was founded in 2009 in Tribeca, New York, with a dedication to thoughtful watercolor education. After years of in-person teaching and welcoming more than 2,000 painters from across the United States and abroad, the Studio transitioned to an online format.

Through online courses and live Zoom Studio sessions, the Studio continues its commitment to clear instruction, careful observation, and individual guidance, extending the Studio experience to painters wherever they are.

Teaching experience

Michiyo taught for more than a decade at both the New York Academy of Art and The Art Students League, alongside teaching at other respected New York art schools.

Studio in the Media

Selected media featuring Michiyo Art Studio

Fine Art Publications

Selected publications featuring Michiyo’s work

Fine Art Connoisseur

Pratique des Arts

American Artist

Splash 18

International Herald Tribune

The Complete Painter's Handbook

Our Teaching Philosophy

Discipline into Freedom

At Michiyo Art Studio, strong foundations are not the final goal—they are what make greater freedom and individual expression possible. Through disciplined observation and a deep understanding of watercolor, painters develop clarity, sensitivity, and confidence in their own decisions.

There are no rigid formulas or imposed styles. Each painter is guided to see more clearly, understand what their work needs, and develop an individual voice through thoughtful practice and exploration.

Slow down. See clearly. Paint with intention.

Fine Artist · Instructor · Founder & Director

Michiyo Fukushima

Michiyo Fukushima is a New York City–based fine artist and watercolor instructor originally from Japan. Before dedicating herself to watercolor, she worked as a professional photographer, developing an eye for light, composition, and observation that continues to shape her painting and teaching.

For more than 25 years, Michiyo has devoted her practice to watercolor. Her work has been exhibited in the United States and Japan, received numerous awards, and been widely published. Her nearly two decades of teaching include long-term positions at the New York Academy of Art and The Art Students League, as well as teaching at the New York School of the Arts. She also taught an MFA-level course at the New York Academy of Art.

Her photographic eye informs the way she helps painters see clearly, trust their decisions, and paint with confidence in a way that is distinctly their own.

Explore Michiyo’s fine art portfolio and follow her work through the links below.