Hiroko Masamune grew up in the Canadian Rockies, and early on, the magic of the outdoors became her joy and obsession. She loved to be outdoors, hiking and camping in the wilderness, where the sheer majesty of the mountains spoke to her and continue to speak to her soul as an artist. Although she did not initially pursue any formal art education, she was inspired by her mother, a gifted artist, who provided an atmosphere of creativity and beauty.

After pursuing a career as a chemist for some time, she enrolled as a full time student at the Lyme Academy, College of Fine Arts in Old Lyme, CT, immersing herself in the curriculum. Upon completing two years, she decided to put her formal art education on hold, and pursue painting full time on her own. This has been a time of great discovery. She had four very successful shows in 2001-2002, including shows at the Hoxie Gallery in Westerly, RI, and at the Pacific Street Gallery in New London, CT. In the spring/summer of 2003, she decided to focus her painting energy on her original source of greatest inspiration – the outdoors, particularly mountain vistas.

At this same time, another wonderful avenue of creativity opened up for her. Another childhood love, also inspired and nurtured by her mother, is baking! And what better blend of chemistry and painting is there than decorated specialty cakes? Currently taking classes at Johnson and Wales University and other culinary schools, she has expanded her business to include the design and creation of specialty cakes. The exploration of this new artform is yet another exciting twist to this interesting journey.