Kakimori first collaborated with abstract artist Kayo Nomura in 2019 to create a series of letter stationery and workshops. Having spent her childhood abroad and worked in multicultural environments before turning to art, Nomura has used her creative practice to explore ways of connecting and expressing that transcend language and cultural boundaries.
While artists are often associated with self-expression, central to Nomura’s practice is the art of dialogue — with herself, with others, and with spaces, society and nature — capturing and translating the energy from the interactions into her work. Her work becomes a devotion to the spaces and people she encounters, whether through live drawings that celebrate a moment in time, or through Dialogue Drawing®, a form of portraiture through intentional conversation.
Six years have passed since our first collaboration, and about two years ago, we started discussing a new exhibition. This year, we’re delighted to finally bring it to life, along with a new range of designs.
Despite her extensive body of work, Nomura proposed creating original works exclusively for this collaboration, inspired by the spring/summer season and personal introspection.
From these works, we selected two pieces to feature on our notebook covers and cards.
Sound of Life
Spring rushes into Hokkaido after a long winter — cherry blossoms, lilacs and tulips all racing to bloom at once. The sudden burst of colour feels almost unimaginable from the snow-covered world just days before.
But the moment I cherish most comes a little before the dramatic change — when the melting snow quietly reveals last autumn’s leaves, or when weeds begin to shoot up from the bare earth. They may not be bright or colourful, but to me, those scenes embody the spirit of life.
It’s just before spring reaches full bloom that the melody of life begins to sing. This work captures those miraculous bundles of life, becoming one precious bouquet.
Melodious Days
This piece was painted on a rainy day.
Heavy drops soaked the earth in an instant, and the greenery seemed to come alive, transforming the landscape before me into something mystical. As I closed my eyes and listened to the sound of the rain, its rhythmic beat on the roof felt as though it was cleansing everything, while the birds’ calls sounded almost joyful.
These are the sounds of life that go unnoticed on a clear day — a gentle reminder that although life brings us all kinds of weather: sunny, rainy, and the clouds in between, each day has its own beauty. The sounds and colours of that day became this work, and the belief that we can take flight on any day we choose.
These two works are featured on our new cards and order-made notebook covers. Like Nomura, we embraced the design process as a form of dialogue to capture their original essence.
The finished cards feature an all-over print with a blank interior, ready for your personal message, illustrations or photographs. For the envelope, we chose a lightly textured paper to complement the warmth of the artwork.
Each order-made notebook cover features a section of the two artworks, making them unique in texture and colour — inviting you to peruse and savour each one-of-a-kind piece.
We’ve also created a series of postcards, available exclusively for this exhibition. Each one features a small artwork, carefully chosen to convey the feel of the original piece.
Nomura’s art evokes the aurora — constantly shifting in colour and movement, with each day or perspective revealing something new to the viewer. We hope that this collection, inspired by the spirit of dialogue, continues to bring moments of personal connection through writing and gift-giving.
