Subtle Emotions through Watercolor.

Short Version

I paint watercolor portraits that capture subtle expressions that often go unnoticed. Growing up as a gaijin (outsider) in Japan, I learned kuuki wo yomu 空気を読む (to read the atmosphere), becoming hyper-aware of unspoken emotional cues as a way to navigate my surroundings. That sensitivity, deepened by years living in Singapore, Beijing, Hong Kong, Munich, and now Washington, guides how I see and paint.

I returned to watercolor in 2021 after the birth of my son, whose quiet expressions inspired me to begin again. Toddlers especially move me — they feel so much before they have words, and watercolor allows me to capture that mystery.

I continue to learn from artists who inspire me, attending workshops with Agnes Cecile, Kelogsloops, and Aine Divine, while also drawing influence from painters such as Christian Hook and Ali Cavanaugh. My own style has grown into rendering “unseen” tones in skin and delicate emotional details in the eyes — inviting viewers to pause, lean in, and connect more deeply with each other’s inner worlds.

Explore my paintings here

I’m currently open for commissions — both Full Watercolor Portraits, and a new offering: Vibrant Watercolor Portraits, painted on Yupo A4 paper at a special price, focused just on your child’s face. Details here.

Long Version

I get caught up in people’s subtle expressions — the way someone’s eyes hold something back, or how a mouth reveals what words won’t say. This obsession with reading unspoken emotions guides everything I paint.

Growing up as a gaijin (outsider) in Japan, I learned kuuki wo yomu 空気を読む (to read the atmosphere), becoming hyper-aware of unspoken emotional cues as a way to navigate my surroundings. That heightened sensitivity to what lies beneath the surface became the foundation of how I see and paint.

I first discovered my love for art at 17 during my International Baccalaureate studies, but life took me down another career path. In 2021, after the birth of my son, I returned to watercolor with a renewed focus. His subtle expressions became my greatest inspiration — painting him helped me notice the small shifts that reveal so much of our inner world.

My experiences living in Singapore, Beijing, Hong Kong, Munich, and now Washington have only deepened this sensitivity. In places where I didn’t always speak the language fluently, I learned to tune in to atmosphere and emotion first — a way of seeing that continues to shape my art.

Along the way, I’ve continued to learn from artists who inspire me. While living in Munich, I attended workshops with Agnes Cecile, Kelogsloops, and Aine Divine (in Scotland), experiences that influenced how I approach watercolor. I also look to artists like Christian Hook, Ali Cavanaugh, and Nicolle Florian for inspiration, while taking baby steps shaping my own voice.

I work in two ways: sometimes I approach a portrait with careful, deliberate brushstrokes, layering color to unveil what’s veiled. My great-grandmother was from Amami, daughter of a kimono shop, and I often feel connected to that lineage as I tint and color the paper — searching for the exact hue that fits the portrait, the feeling, the expression I’m trying to capture. Other times I start loose — covering the whole paper with leftover gouache or watercolor, then letting the painting guide me toward hidden discoveries.

Each portrait becomes a meditation, even a reflection of the past. While painting, I often revisit emotions or moments I couldn’t fully grasp at the time — trying, in a way, to repair them. Just as water takes the shape of its container while keeping its essential nature, my work flows between understanding and mystery. Through watercolor’s unpredictability, I invite viewers to slow down, look closer, and discover empathy in the quiet details.

Explore my paintings here;)
I’m currently open for commissions — both Full Watercolor Portraits, and a new offering: Vibrant Watercolor Portraits, painted on Yupo A4 paper at a special price, focused just on your child’s face. Details here.

Need my official bio, photos, and information for press or exhibitions? Download my Press Kit here.

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Beyond the Studio

I'm often asked about my creative process—especially through my YouTube channel, where I document watercolor experiments, material tests, and my journey as an artist.

Whether I'm painting a portrait or comparing watercolor mediums, my philosophy is the same:

Experience comes first.

I believe artists learn best through genuine experience—not perfectly polished answers.

Every painting, experiment, review, and conclusion I share comes from my own observations. The surprises, frustrations, failures, and discoveries are all part of the process, and I believe they're worth sharing honestly.

Technology—including AI—is simply another tool in my creative workflow.

I use it to organize ideas, improve writing, assist with research, brainstorm, and reduce repetitive work so I can spend more time painting, experimenting, and creating educational content.

Occasionally, I also use AI to create reference images when I'm looking for a very specific pose, angle, lighting, or emotional atmosphere that I can't easily photograph or find elsewhere. These references help me explore ideas and plan compositions, but the artistic decisions, drawing, painting, and final artwork are always created by hand.

Likewise, when I investigate watercolor materials, AI doesn't conduct the experiments or form the conclusions. It may help me organize my findings or research why something happened, but the observations, interpretations, and opinions are always my own.

My goal isn't to replace the creative process.

It's to protect more time for it.

Because I believe the most valuable thing I can share isn't information alone—it's the genuine experience of another artist exploring, discovering, and learning in the real world.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you use AI?

Yes—but intentionally and selectively.

I use AI to help organize ideas, improve writing, brainstorm, assist with research, and occasionally create planning references or educational support materials.

It helps me communicate my work more clearly and spend more time in the studio.

Are your paintings AI-generated?

No.

Every painting is created by hand using traditional materials.

Sometimes I create or combine reference images—including AI-generated references—when I'm looking for a very specific pose, angle, lighting, or emotional atmosphere that I can't easily photograph or source elsewhere.

Those references are part of my planning process.

The artistic decisions, drawing, color choices, brushwork, and final painting are entirely my own.

Are your watercolor experiments AI-generated?

No.

Every experiment is designed, performed, photographed, observed, and interpreted by me.

AI may help me organize my notes or research possible explanations, but it never replaces the process of testing materials or forming my own conclusions.

Why watch your videos instead of just asking ChatGPT?

Because information isn't the same as experience.

AI can summarize what other people have written.

It can't experience watercolor.

When you watch my videos, you're joining me as I test materials, make mistakes, change my mind, discover unexpected results, and share those experiences honestly.

I believe that's where the most meaningful learning happens.