Hiromi Watanabe
Hiromi Watanabe (a.k.a. Yuriko) is a contemporary artist from Tokyo, Japan. She mainly paints watercolors on paper, specializing in improvisational paintings that are close to her emotions. She has also long been a watercolor croquis artist, and her unique color palette has been well received. She has participated in more than 120 group exhibitions, including 17 solo exhibitions and shows abroad in four countries. She has exhibited her work internationally. Hiromi is also a poet and the author of a book of poems, "Songs for That Person," which includes the poem "Thank You for Being Born," available at ePhoenix.co. A recurring theme in her paintings is "smiles," which for her represents painful experiences in the past. The artist has three incurable diseases, including myasthenia gravis (MG), and has faced death in the past. It is also related to bitter memories from her school days when she was not allowed to express her feelings. It was a very painful experience and she seemed to despair of living at the time. After going through treatment and rehabilitation, Hiromi began to think positively, saying, "If I can help others who are going through the same painful experience as I did," and she is now able to create art that provides healing. In 2022 NextPublishing Authors Press published her art book "Watercolor Croquis: Painting with Free Colors". Hiromi illustrated picture book. too. Hiromi has published three picture books with illustrations, and has also worked on a total of 16 books with illustrations and poems.
