Author biographies (in alphabetical order)

  • Earl R.

    R. is an art print label centered on abstract modern art. It develops quiet compositions born from color, shape, negative space, and overlap, in a form that can be easily incorporated into everyday spaces. It proposes an expression that lies between the presence of a painting and the lightness that naturally blends into an interior.
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  • Kayo Aoyama

    After graduating from Osaka University of Foreign Studies, she moved to Europe and studied textile design at HDK-Valand – Academy of Art and Design. After gaining experience at a local wallpaper manufacturer and mina perhonen, she now works as a freelance designer. Her delicate brushwork, which utilizes the bleeding colors of various art materials and the subtle wavering of lines, combined with her warm style, has gained her considerable popularity.Click here for an in-depth column
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  • AD Makiko Watanabe

    An artist who loves living creatures. While studying at Tokai University's School of Animal Science, they spent a short time in Kenya to engage in wildlife conservation. Thinking about what they could do for animals, they began their creative activities. After graduating, they worked as a commissioned employee at Kumamoto City Zoo and Botanical Garden, and continue their activities today, seeking to express the relationship between humans and animals and the nature of life itself. Click here for the in-depth column
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  • Ayano Ichiyanagi

    Born and residing in Shizuoka Prefecture. Majored in graphic design and began her artistic career as a painter. After studying traditional dyeing in Kyoto, she began developing textiles and apparel with the theme of "wearing paintings." Her watercolor paintings, which depict nature and plants, are like a diary cut from everyday life and are regularly presented in solo exhibitions. Click here for an in-depth column
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  • Yoko Inoue

    Graduated from Kyoto University of Art and Design, Department of Oil Painting. She presents the landscapes she has seen while traveling the world and the everyday scenes of Japan, filtered through her own perspective, as drawings and collages. In addition to her regular creative activities, she is active across various boundaries, including providing artwork for book covers and CD jackets, and publishing her own books. For more details, click here for the column.
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  • Elisa Defossez Kikuchi

    Elisa Defosse studied industrial design at La Cambre in Brussels and textiles at Aalto University in Helsinki. After working as a designer for Hermès, she is now based in Finland and Japan, creating designs that bring warmth to everyday life through delicate colors and materials inspired by nature.Read more in-depth here
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  • Elementi Art

    Completed graduate studies at Musashino Art University. During her studies, she visited Northern Europe and was greatly influenced by its diverse crafts, beautiful cityscapes, and nature. Subsequently, she spent many years in the creative division of a company, gaining experience in design planning and production for European and American markets, undertaking numerous business trips abroad, and encountering a wide variety of art. These encounters and the experience she cultivated form the foundation of her current creative work.Click here for an in-depth column
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  • Nanako Okawa

    Born in Shodoshima, Kagawa Prefecture. Graduated from Musashino Art University Graduate School, Printmaking Course. A woodblock print artist who expresses traditional techniques with a contemporary sensibility. She depicts everyday objects and landscapes as warm works using soft, ambiguous colors. She primarily holds solo and group exhibitions at galleries in Tokyo, regularly showcasing her works.
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  • Rieko Oka

    Textile designer. Born in Hokkaido in 1981, currently residing there. Graduated from the Hokkaido Tokai University Graduate School of Art and Design. Presides over the textile brand "Ten to Sen Moyou Seisakujo." Her works, which draw inspiration from the changing seasons and weather, sounds, and memories, are highly acclaimed in various fields, and collections of her work have been regularly published since 2012. Click here for a deeper column
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  • OBUSUMA × Rika Kawato

    OBUSUMA is a wooden product brand launched by the Obusuma Fukushikai Hanno branch, a social welfare corporation located in Hanno City, Saitama Prefecture. Rika Kato has been appointed as art director, and art activities are carried out to create a new space for self-expression for people with disabilities who support OBUSUMA's product creation, and to discover and nurture their talents.
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  • Kanoa

    An artist from Osaka Prefecture. They use a combination of art materials such as acrylic paints, colored pencils, and crayons to depict imaginary landscapes that spontaneously come to mind in daily life. Hoping to soothe the hearts of viewers through their works, they irregularly hold events at cafes and galleries. Click here for an in-depth column
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  • Natsuki Camino

    Illustrator. Textile designer. In 2018, she won the Bronze Award in the Graphic Design category at the A' Design Award, an international competition in Italy. She is an artist with promising international potential, having been featured by the German art publisher TASCHEN as an illustrator to watch globally.
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  • Kishin

    An artist who creates quiet, inclusive works that allow viewers to reset their minds as if taking a deep breath, without forcefully imposing emotions or ideas. Through solo exhibitions and other events, the artist continues to steadily create two-dimensional and sculptural works, disseminating highly catalytic pieces that challenge the sensibilities of the viewer.Click here for an in-depth column
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  • Jin Kitamura

    Illustrator and picture book author. Studied art and design at Tokai University's School of Liberal Arts. Specializes in animal drawings using crayons, and her style, which utilizes scuffs and distortions, along with her skillful use of modern layouts and color schemes, has gained widespread popularity. In addition to creating picture books and holding solo exhibitions, she also serves as a part-time lecturer at Kobe Design University, dedicating her efforts to nurturing young talent.
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  • Quarter Report QUARTER REPORT

    A textile manufacturer that produces and sells interior fabrics under the concept of "appreciating, enjoying, experiencing, and manipulating fabric." In addition to providing materials and designs to fashion brands and product manufacturers, they also undertake numerous collaborations with other industries, such as book cover designs and graphic advertisements.
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  • Aki Kurihara

    Oil painter. After graduating from Joshibi University of Art and Design with a degree in oil painting, she studied VFX at Digital Hollywood. She gathers information on landscapes of places she's never visited and objects that intrigue her, then collages them in her mind, intentionally creating works with unbalanced compositions. Her style evokes a comfortable sense of unease and detachment, making viewers feel as if they are in a space between reality and unreality.
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  • Asami Sato

    Born in 1977 in Sapporo. Asami Sato is the representative of Sato Asami Design Office and Ascendada Inc. Her designs, which reflect a unique sense of timing and style, have been incorporated into various spaces and media both in Japan and internationally, ranging from artwork for stores and public spaces to magazine editing and the creation of collaborative products with famous brands. Click here for an in-depth column
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  • Naoko Shimagami

    After graduating from Kyoto Seika University with a degree in fine arts, she began her career as an artist. She has won numerous awards and recognitions at various exhibitions, and in recent years has held solo exhibitions both in Japan and abroad annually. Believing that travel is the source of her creativity, she projects the stimuli and discoveries born from shaking up her environment and stepping away from reality into her works. She aims to create paintings that do not restrict the viewer's imagination, but rather encourage free thought and engagement of all five senses.
    Works 

  • Joy Stream

    We are a creative company that handles various design and production projects, with a focus on web development, and also provides direction for visuals and audio. While we work with clients on a wide range of platforms both domestically and internationally, we also leverage the unique skills and talents of our members to showcase their creative works.
    Works 

  • 鈴木マサル Masaru Suzuki

    Textile designer. Professor at Tokyo Zokei University. After graduating from Tama Art University's Textile Design Department, she worked at Hiroshi Awatsuji Design Studio. After becoming independent in 1995, in addition to her own brand, she has participated in projects for various domestic and international manufacturers and brands, including designing for Marimekko, Camper, and Uniqlo.
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  • Yumi Takimoto

    Born in Tokyo. Abstract painter who "paints paints." Completed the oil painting course in the Department of Art at Musashino Art University Graduate School. While still a student, her works were selected for numerous exhibitions, and she has held regular solo exhibitions since 2016. Using a palette knife, she converses with the paints, pursuing their individuality and charm through patchwork-like blends and layers of color.Read the in-depth column here
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  • Masanao Taniguchi

    A chef and artist based in Fukuoka Prefecture. While cooking along the coast of Itoshima, she creates abstract paintings with the sea as her theme, superimposing images onto the landscapes she observes. Pursuing a harmony between the expressions of nature and lines, she values the commonality between painting and cooking—"seeing, feeling, and experiencing"—and aims to create works that resonate with viewers.
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  • TANSAN DESIGN STUDIO

    Established by textile designers Tomoaki Mizuno and Wakana Ino. With a studio located in the nature-rich land of Shiga, they are expanding their activities both domestically and internationally, including year-round illustrations for Takashimaya stores, exhibiting at the "150 Years of Japonisme" exhibition at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, providing design guidance in Mongolia, and developing products in Taiwan and Hong Kong.
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  • Satomi Tanji

    After graduating from university, she worked as a flight attendant for a foreign airline, then began her artistic career after giving birth. She is active both in Japan and internationally, including holding her first overseas solo exhibition in Taiwan in 2021. She primarily creates abstract paintings using alcohol ink and acrylics, often incorporating foil as an accent to produce works that evoke a sense of light.Click here for an in-depth column.
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  • Kuniko Nagano

    Embroidery artist. Representative of accessory brand ga.la. After graduating from Saga University of Arts, she worked as a copperplate engraver and textile designer before joining her family's embroidery business. Her unique embroidery works, which make use of the organic lines of plants, are loved by celebrities, and since the brand's launch in 2015, she has been presenting her works at solo and group exhibitions held throughout the country.
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  • Hiroko Hashimoto

    A watercolor artist from Ehime Prefecture, residing in Kagawa Prefecture. After graduating from Nara Art Junior College, Department of Fine Arts, Western Painting Course, and gaining experience as a web designer, she began her artistic activities in 2020. Fascinated by the unique bleeding and transparency of watercolors, and the accidental contours of colors created by their interaction, she is currently based in her hometown, presenting her works through solo exhibitions.Click here for the in-depth column
    Works 

  • HAyU.Manabu Ogawa

    A wire artist who has gained attention for their unique style of wire animal heads, creating delicate yet bold works. They debuted as an artist at the Omotesando Art Fair in 2017 and currently work on designs for goods, starting with displays for public facilities and textiles. Their wire works are so popular that they are sold by lottery.
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  • ムラタトモコ Tomoko Murata

    Under the theme "A little happiness for your heart," I translate scenes that capture my attention in daily life into designs, expressing them through textiles and drawings. I create original textiles and paper products, provide designs to companies, and also illustrate a series for Magazine House.
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  • Jurianne Matter

    After studying interior design in Amsterdam and working as an IKEA stylist, she launched her eponymous design studio "Jurianne Matter" in 2008. She only sends designs that she deems "beautiful," including considerations for environmentally friendly materials and sustainable production, to over 30 countries worldwide.Click here for an in-depth column
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  • Yumi Yoshimoto

    Textile designer. Faculty member at Tokyo Zokei University. She creates patterns that leverage hand-drawn touches, such as textures produced by etching and dynamic line art. Based in Nishikatsura-cho, Yamanashi Prefecture, a weaving production area, she is active both domestically and internationally in a wide range of fields, from planning and designing fabric products to collaborations with companies.Click here for an in-depth column
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  • Yusuke Yonezu

    He began his career as a picture book author after being selected for the 2005 Bologna Children's Book Fair in Italy. Since then, he has created many picture books, which have been published worldwide in Asia, Europe, and America. He has also expanded his activities as an illustrator, developing stationery goods in Japan.Click here for an in-depth column.
    Works 

  • Kenichiro Watanabe

    Representative of the furniture workshop "STANDARD TRADE." Part-time lecturer at Kanagawa University, Department of Architecture. Utilizes high-quality oak wood and traditional techniques to design and produce furniture and spaces for homes, stores, and more. Also handles the repair, restoration, and reproduction of historically significant furniture, such as those from Frank Lloyd Wright's Imperial Hotel and Jiyu Gakuen Myonichikan, as well as the desk and chair beloved by Lafcadio Hearn.Read more in-depth here
    Works 
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