This website serves as the digital home for Yoshi Ono, a creative teacher and dear friend. The site needed to reflect Yoshi's unique artistic vision while providing practical functionality for showcasing work and selling creative pieces. The design balances artistic expression with intuitive navigation, creating an experience that feels both personal and professional.

Key features

• Animated Interactions - Subtle yet playful animations that respond to user movement, creating an engaging browsing experience

• Project Showcase - A thoughtfully designed gallery highlighting Yoshi's creative journey and artistic evolution

• Custom Shop - Seamless integration of e-commerce functionality allowing visitors to purchase original works

• Teaching Philosophy - Dedicated sections explaining Yoshi's approach to creative instruction and mentorship

• Mobile-First Design - Careful attention to how the experience translates across all devices

Technical approach

The site was built with modern web technologies while keeping the focus on creativity and ease of use:

• Framework: Next.js 10 for fast page loads and smooth transitions between sections

• Content Management: Strapi CMS providing a user-friendly backend for Yoshi to update content independently

• Animations: Custom JavaScript animations triggered by scroll and cursor position

• E-commerce: Custom shop integration with secure payment processing

• Performance: Optimized image loading and animation rendering to maintain smooth experience

The collaboration

Working with a friend on their personal project was a rewarding experience. We focused on translating Yoshi's teaching philosophy and artistic vision into the digital space while ensuring the technology didn't overshadow the content. The iterative design process involved regular check-ins and refinements based on how Yoshi wanted students and collectors to experience the site.