Howard Ikemoto, a second generation, American Japanese, was born in Sacramento, California in 1939. At the age of 4 thru 6, Howard was captivated by drawing. The first drawing, he remembers doing was a landscape. He doesn't recall the actual child like drawing but, he does remember the experience. The drawings left an indelible image of the "Internment Camp" at Tule Lake where his family was imprisoned during World War II.
In 1946, after the war, Howard enrolled at Lincoln Elementary School, in Sacramento. For awhile, "American" school was confusing because he did not speak english. But it was exciting for him. Gradually, Howard began using bits of english and his drawings to communicate. Using art as a way of communicating became a natural way of sharing his thoughts. He credits his first grade school teacher, Mary Machado,, as having a profound influence on his life time interest in art and a deep abiding respect for teaching.
After graduating from Sacramento High School, he went on to Sacramento City College where he earned an AA degree. From there, he transferred to San Jose State College where he earned a BA in Art and a MA in Art with a concentration in printmaking and painting. Following the completion of his graduate work in 1966, Howard began teaching art at Cabrillo College in Aptos, California.
In 1968 he left Cabrillo College for two years and spent one of those years living in Japan. His motive was to learn about his family roots. While researching, he discovered the richness of the Japanese culture and the subtleties of it's aesthetics.
His tenure at Cabrillo College was 34 years before he retired in the year 2000. Since then, he has devoted his attention to his painting. His work is mostly about the evolution of landscapes through the process of painting. They are often abstract and sometime non-objective. Howard's work has been exhibited in galleries and museums.