A Cat By My Side

After giving birth, life at home often felt lonely. My cat was always there beside me. This painting is of a kitchen mat and a cat. I still remember the slightly cool touch of its fur.

出産後、家で過ごす日々は、ときどき孤独でした。キッチンに立つたび、猫はいつもそばにいてくれました。これは、キッチンマットと猫の絵です。今でも、少しひんやりとした毛並みの感触を覚えています。

Measurement: 34cm x 34cm 

About the artist:

Kanako Okamoto is a Japanese illustrator and picture book author born in Kyoto. Based between Tokyo and Malaysia, she creates picture books, editorial illustrations, and commissioned works for publishing, museums, and brands. Her notable projects include illustrations for UNIQLO Sustainability’s The Power of Clothing: The Journey of Clothes and a large-scale mural for the Insect Exhibition at the National Museum of Nature and Science in Tokyo. In 2022, she published her picture book Swim Back Home (Oyoide Ie ni Kaeritai). Influenced by years of swimming and artistic swimming, her work captures the gentle flow and quiet rhythms of everyday life.