My art merges a traditional Japanese sensibility with a structured exploration of paper. For nearly 30 years, I worked as an IT systems analyst, transforming manual workflows into automated systems. That analytical mindset naturally follows me into the studio, though my current practice leaves digital technology completely behind.
Today, my focus centers on the Paper Sashiko series—a process that is entirely manual, slow, and labor-intensive. Working on sheets of grid paper, I use a pencil and ruler to map out geometric patterns, marking the exact intersections where lines meet. Using an awl, I pierce hundreds of precise holes at these intersections to transfer the design onto watercolor paper. I then roll small rectangles of delicate calligraphy paper between my fingertips to form koyori (fine paper cords), systematically inserting each koyori into a hand-poked opening.
While my early pieces relied on traditional Japanese geometric designs, my recent works feature original patterns of my own invention. Through this quiet, rhythmic repetition, I translate rigid systems into a tactile dimension, balancing meticulous planning with the patience of the human hand.
Hiroko Lancour is a Japanese-born mixed-media artist based in Michigan. She holds a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) from Wayne State University. Her contemporary studio practice is deeply informed by her cross-cultural perspective and her prior nearly 30-year career as an IT systems analyst. Her works have been widely exhibited across prominent regional institutions, including the Scarab Club, Galerie Camille, the Detroit Artists Market, the Charles L. Freer House, the Detroit Historical Museum, and the Alden B. Dow Museum of Science and Art. Lancour maintains her private studio in Michigan, where she continues to develop original tactile paper works by hand.
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS & PROFESSIONAL HISTORY
2025 — Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Celebration (Pop-up Exhibition), Great Hall at the Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit, MI
2025 — 40th Our Town Art Show & Sale, The Community House, Birmingham, MI (Bronze Award Recipient)
2025 — 44th Michigan Fine Arts Competition, Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center, Birmingham, MI
2022 — Gilda Snowden Memorial Exhibition, Scarab Club, Detroit, MI (Honorable Mention Recipient)
2019 — Looking for America, Detroit Historical Museum, Detroit, MI
2019 — Reverberations, Galerie Camille, Detroit, MI
2019 — Summertime Pleasures, Grosse Pointe Artists Association, Grosse Pointe Farms, MI (Best of Show Recipient)
2017 — Artist in Resonance: Hiroko Lancour (Solo Exhibition), Charles Lang Freer House, Detroit, MI
2015 — Integrated Patterns: Structured Abstraction, Alden B. Dow Museum of Science & Art, Midland, MI
2014 — Unbound: Wayne State University MFA Thesis Exhibition, Art Department Gallery, Detroit, MI
2013 — Annual Scholarship Awards and Exhibition, Detroit Artists Market, Detroit, MI (First Place Recipient)
EDUCATION
Master of Fine Arts (MFA), Wayne State University, Detroit, MI