Painter Tomomi Watanabe rediscovered her passion and developed a new abstract style and world-view during a break from the art world.
After graduating from Musashino Art University in 1993, Watanabe exhibited representational oil paintings, but soon found herself raising a family.
In 2006, she attended an acrylic painting workshop that opened her eyes to new possibilities.
Watanabe had a life-affirming epiphany on her 39th birthday in 2008, and contacted a Ginza gallery owner who, by chance, had an opening. In four months, Watanabe prepared her first exhibition in more than a decade.
“I painted as much as I could,” says the Hiroshima native.
Today, Watanabe uses the ink art techniques of smudging and blurring to create abstract acrylic pieces of “eternal energy.”
Since reclaiming the brush, Watanabe has earned international awards and held multiple exhibitions in Paris and Japan.
“I had a chance to reflect,” says the mother of two. “I realized that I needed to do something about my lifelong dream.”
Gallery Exhibition
Feb 6–26
Gallery Reception
Free
Open to adults, invitees and Members only
