In the spring of 2023 I spent one very special month in Tokyo at Almost Perfect researching, exploring, and creating a body of work titled “Cat Lady.” During my time there I focused on the intrinsic beauty of the place, people, and culture that I was surrounded by.

The neighbourhood I stayed in is called Kuramae. This place is a beautiful mix of past meets present, and a wonderful blend of vibrant daily comings and goings with a safe and comfortable atmosphere.

Outside the hundred-year-old single pane windows of Almost Perfect I watched everyday moments unfold in the warm spring light. Kuramae is home to many artisans, small businesses, and suppliers of materials and notions. One such place is Kakimori, an ink and writing tool shop that became the source of my main medium for this project. There I made a custom sketchbook for planning my pieces, and collected ink in a limited palette to illustrate the images of Cat Lady.

Listen here to the Almost Perfect Podcast episode that we made about my stay.