Minako Ota

This drawing of a cat playing with Obijime (decorative string, one of the essential items for wearing a kimono) from my Aizuri-e (indigo prints) series. The inspiration for this series came from Japanese indigo prints in the Edo period. When Prussian blue, artificial pigments of vivid blue hue, was imported from Europe in the 18th century, many artists, such as Hokusai and Hiroshige, were inspired to create many masterpieces. While they used woodblock techniques, I drew directly on paper with acrylic ink.