Paintings by Yumiko Kayukawa

Yumiko Kayukawa is a painter based in Seattle, originally from Hokkaido, Japan. Her art draws influence from American pop culture as well as traditional Japanese motifs.

Themes of danger, death and renewal are woven throughout her colorful works, but a playful, lighthearted sensibility is prevalent as well—in one scene the protagonist ferries the spirits of deceased animals to their final resting place, in another she invites her tiger companion to a sumptuous sushi feast.

Throughout all, the artist’s spiritual connection to the natural world is evident. The wilderness of her imagining may be a tumultuous, uncertain place, but her human protagonists’ rapport with its animal inhabitants is unquestionable.

View more of Yumiko’s art at Sweetyumiko.com

Also be sure to check out her blog.