Born in Nagoya, Japan, Nori Shirasu began painting at an early age. In 1997, after receiving a degree in Architecture from Chubu University, he moved to California. He earned a Masters degree in Studio Arts from California State University, Los Angeles in 2004. Nori has participated in numerous studio and commercial projects in Los Angeles, including exhibitions throughout Southern California, and most recently, the 2010 Los Angeles Art Show at the LA Convention Center. His commercial work includes painting murals for various businesses, including building-sized installations at American Apparel retailers in Los Angeles and Boston and the Pacific Asia Museum Garden Hallway Mural in Pasadena. Nori is also a teacher of Japanese calligraphy and sumi-e, and leads workshops in these traditional Japanese Arts at many area museums and schools. Nori is also an accomplished dancer and performance artist. He draws on his nationality, experiences in America and love of jazz music and dance as an inspiration for his fine art.