The photo shows the Osaka Prefectural Flower Culture Garden, a place Kanoa occasionally visits for healing.
Small houses, hills, sheep, the moon, lakes.
Kanoa's works depict a world that seems familiar yet is layered with scenes from the heart. While the composition is simple, the overlapping paints and hand-drawn textures are rich, and gazing at them gently soothes the mind.
Her aim is to create imaginary landscape paintings that resonate in daily life. We asked her about the origins of this vision and the feelings she puts into her work.
When I decided to become an artist
Kanoa began creating art in earnest when she enrolled in an art vocational school.
She recalls being greatly inspired by her classmates, many of whom painted with different sensibilities and methods. As she encountered various forms of expression, her desire to create art herself gradually grew stronger.
Today, creation remains an inseparable part of her daily life—a life's work. She continues to produce art, driven by the joy of painting itself and the happiness of having her work seen by others.
The feelings embedded in "Small Houses"
One theme she wishes to continue exploring is "small houses."
A home is a comforting place. The houses in her artwork are not merely buildings but symbolize a safe place to return to or a place where one can rest their mind.
Houses on hills, houses surrounded by sheep. The small houses in her works quietly evoke individual memories and emotions.
At first glance, the works resemble illustrations from a fairy tale. However, as one gazes longer, a story beyond the depicted scenery gradually emerges.
There's a sense of nostalgia, touching on childhood memories, yet the kindness and warmth felt might resonate more deeply precisely because one is an adult now.
What she seeks to depict is not a direct copy of reality. It's a world shaped in her imagination, based on the sensations of everyday life.
Leaving handprints, a free drawing style
For her creations, she primarily uses acrylic paints, crayons, and colored pencils.
Acrylic paints are appealing because they allow for bold strokes using not only brushes but also her hands. She sometimes uses palette knives, creating while being mindful of the tactile quality left on the canvas, such as the thickness and unevenness of the paint.
On the other hand, crayons and colored pencils are essential for adding a soft, gentle impression. Sometimes she incorporates collage, layering multiple materials to form a single painting.
The composition is kept as simple as possible. In turn, the overlapping colors and hand-drawn marks honestly express the individuality of the work.
This free, hands-on drawing style is partly influenced by picture book author Ryoji Arai.
Kanoa's studio
The joy of drawing and what is gained from daily life
When approaching her creative work, she tries to relax.
Instead of predetermining everything, she paints by entrusting herself to the emotions of the day. She finds natural joy in the act of painting itself.
Inspiration doesn't just come from special places. It can arise while resting at home or walking in a park. Seeds for new works are also found when encountering other artists' expressions in cinemas or museums.
Her inner emotions and the colors and shapes encountered in daily life—both intertwine and transform into Kanoa's unique imaginary world.
A piece that gently accompanies daily life
She says she would be delighted if her work could coincidentally catch someone's eye and heal their heart even a little.
Instead of strongly asserting itself in a room, she hopes it will naturally blend into daily life and be a comforting presence when one happens to look at it.
Perhaps scenes with small houses remind each viewer of a place they want to return to.
Today, Kanoa's works are probably gently unraveling someone's heart, alongside their daily life.
