marisa randles

THE PHILOSOPHY

The role of a designer is to create things that are functional, and create an emotional response to the viewer, or end user.  The work of an artist is not just to bring beauty to the world, but to help teach others to see and appreciate the beauty in the world around them. My goal is to do both, and I love the concept of Yutori as the driving force behind my art & design work.   

Yutori is a Japanese concept that does not have a direct translation into English, but can be roughly understood as "margin" or "space." It encompasses the idea of allowing oneself or others some breathing room or leisure in various aspects of life. It's about finding a sense of calm and spaciousness amidst the hustle and bustle of modern life, and not always pushing oneself to the limit. Making a deliberate and conscious choice to create space, within the constraints of a busy or demanding environment.  

Yutori is the conscious act of slowing down, to allow ourselves to savor the world around us. The refusal to rush. It's absorbing the world with no goal except to see. Creating a state of inner spaciousness. This can be very difficult for all of us, but sometimes we miss out on the most amazing miracles of life, beauty, or sweet moments when we go through our days constantly rushing, distracted, and exhausted.  

Yutori means leaving early enough to get somewhere, so when you get there, you have enough time to look around.  

It values not only productivity and efficiency, but the space in life to appreciate, reflect, enjoy, and simply be.