"Nana's mother" Painting

I reside in New York City, but I am originally from Japan.

As I paint and draw more, I have found myself returning to my elusive fascination with the figure - the figure as a “figure” and the strokes that make up that figure. Sometimes the strokes are very fast and carefree; sometimes they are bold, even violent. Sometimes they are like touching the forehead of a sleeping baby. I simply enjoy the rhythm of that process.

I was influenced by my mother, who was an amazing calligrapher, but I am not a calligrapher. My grandfather and great-grandfather were also practicing calligraphers. Why am I a painter and not a calligrapher? That I don’t know.

Over the last decade, I experienced the hardships that everyone has to go through as an adult. As I overcame the pain little by little, I started to appreciate that I’m still alive, and this realization increased my desire to paint people’s emotions more. I did not necessarily want to go through these experiences, but I felt they have made me a better painter than I was before.

I more and more want to capture the momentary beats of life.