Kumi Obata (Japanese, b. 1966) was born in Kanagawa and lives in Tokyo, Japan. She started creating etchings in 2000. Obata uses etching to create original works, picture books, illustrations, and more. She has participated in exhibitions and competitions in Japan and internationally including in Spain, France, and the UK.

“I don't [always] know what I want to draw or what I want to express. [The imagery] may be triggered by only one [scratch] or stain on the copper plate. From that opportunity, [I] gradually approach the completion by adding things that have been seen little by little. And when I stare at the finished picture, words suddenly come to mind. That word will be the title. [Then], I realize what I was feeling and what kind of thoughts I [had] trapped inside me.”

- Kumi Obata

Read more from Kumi Obata's Artist Feature here.