The prequel book of the Otori collection, written by Lian Hearn, inspired this series of 12 watercolor paintings. This book is called Heaven's Net Is Wide, in which the life of Mr. Shigeru is told from the age of 12. It begins with the murder of Kikuta Isamu, Takeo’s father, and includes Shigeru’s training with Matsuda Shingen, the battle of Yaegahara, the role of Muto Shizuka, the meeting with lady Maruyama, and other events that foreshadowed the Nightingale. The paintings are a particular representation of the life and feeling of this character. It is my first time exploring the particularity of Japanese life. The pictures are painted in watercolor and in some cases anchored with copper tones, gold and silver. The formats of the pieces are diverse.
