Tokyo-born Mamiko Ikeda is a cultural educator, artist, and animator. Early in her life she began studying shodo (Japanese calligraphy) with her mother, master calligrapher Shotei Miura, as her guide. Drawn to the American West to study Native American culture and storytelling, Ikeda earned a Master's Degree from the University of Denver in Liberal Arts, specializing in American Indian Studies. Mamiko's art and animation movies have appeared in a variety of Colorado venues. http://www.mamikoikeda.com