Past Exhibitions
SAKURA smile
Venue
Vancouver, Canada
June 1st - 30th, 2023
debuts new original artwork and prints showcasing her unique blend of nostalgia and kawaii.
📍 Location: kinder BOOKS, Quayside, New Westminster B.C.
Let’s Meet Under the Cherry Tree
Venue
Vancouver, Canada
April 7th - May 8th, 2022
The long-awaited sunshine is here.
Somewhere, a sweetly powerful melody drifts—a girl’s mandolin echoing the spirit of the cherry blossoms.
This year, let’s meet again on the hill where sakura petals dance with light, day and night. 🌸
Somewhere, Not Here
Venue
Tpkyo, Japan
October 25th - 30th, 2021
Created and presented during the COVID-19 pandemic, Somewhere, Not Here was an exhibition shaped by distance — both physical and emotional.
Traveling from Canada to Japan at a time when movement itself was uncertain became part of the exhibition’s story.
This body of work imagines a quiet place slightly removed from reality — a space to pause, breathe, and step away from the weight of the present moment.
In a world facing unprecedented challenges, the exhibition invites reflection on our gentler nature and the ways we might heal, both ourselves and the world around us.
人生の中で、この不思議な時間に立ち会い、
人との関わり方が大きく変わっていく中で、
絵を通して世界の人と繋がれていることを、あらためて嬉しく感じています。
いつも少し夢見がちで、どこか浮遊しているような感覚を大切にしながら。
作品の中には、もう少ししたらまた自由に、どこへでも旅ができる世界になりますように、というささやかな願いを込めています。
この時期、バンクーバーから日本へ渡ることは決して簡単ではありませんでしたが、
スペース・ユイでの初個展として開催できたこと、
そしてどんな出会いが待っているのかというドキドキとワクワクも含めて、
この展示は私にとって特別な時間となりました。
📍 Location: Space Yui, 3-4-11 Hayakawa Bldg 1F, Minami-Aoyama, Tokyo
Exhibition at Parthenon Market
Venue
Vancouver, Canada
July 9th - 30th, 2021
During these times when gathering is difficult, it felt especially meaningful to have my work on display at Parthenon. The shop, full of Greek takeout, groceries, and unique goods, offers more than just art—it’s a place to explore and enjoy. I was touched to see couples quietly pausing to take in the illustrations, savoring a gentle, slow moment. 😊
I hope that through these artworks, even in small ways, people’s hearts can feel connected and a little more peaceful.
📍 Location: At Parthenon 3089 W Broadway, Vancouver B.C.
Drifter
Venue
Vancouver, Canada
June 1st - 30th, 2021
We’re on the verge of summer as I launch my June art exhibition, Drifter.
After over a year of being carefully cooped up, it felt especially wonderful to welcome visitors again—albeit with some capacity limits. The shop in Gastown was full of new faces, curious and excited to explore the artworks. Seeing people pick up the prints, smiling, and sharing their thoughts reminded me why I keep creating.
On the final day, when I told the owner, “Today’s the last day,” she exclaimed, “What!? Has a month already passed?!” It really did fly by, packed with so many meaningful encounters. There was even a gentleman who seemed to know my work better than I do and showered it with praise—such a touching moment.
Watching my prints leave my hands and imagining the stories they’ll create in new homes is always a delight. Even during a time when distance is felt more than ever, receiving emails from people sharing how the art moved them made me feel quietly connected.
I’m excited to see what stories unfold, and how they continue to travel and grow…
– Kao, June 2021
暑い中、たくさんの方が足を運んでくれました。
ガスタウンのお店では、新しいお客さんとの出会いがいっぱい！
作品を手に取ってくれた方の笑顔や生の声に触れ、アートを続ける意味を改めて実感しました。
最終日、オーナーに「今日で終わりだよ」と告げると、
「え！もう1ヶ月経ったの！？」というびっくりリアクションが返ってきて。
あっという間だったけど、出会いがぎゅっと詰まった1ヶ月。
私のアートを私より知っていて（笑）、いっぱい褒めてくれるおじさんもいて、なんだか感動…！
作品は手から離れると、それぞれの場所でまた新しい物語を奏でるんだな、と感じます。
私の絵を見て感じたことをメールで教えてくれる人もいて、
コロナで距離を感じる時期でも、違う形でつながれているんだなと思うとほっこり。
どんな物語が生まれ、どんなふうに広がっていくのか…これからも楽しみです。
📍 Location: Out & About, Gastown Vancouver B.C.
Tsumugu 紡 ぐ
Venue
Vancouver, Canada
April 8th - May 8th, 2021
Tsumugu 紡ぐ — meaning “to spin thread” — is an exhibition born during a time of uncertainty and quiet reflection.
Through this body of work, Sleepless Kao weaves together personal experiences, gentle emotions, and small moments of warmth drawn from people and nature.
Created in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, these illustrations reflect a desire to hold onto love, gratitude, and the beauty of ordinary life. Each piece gathers delicate inner threads and transforms them into images that resonate softly, offering comfort and connection.
Due to the circumstances of the time, the exhibition unfolded slowly — inviting visitors to experience the works individually, over the course of a month.
Tsumugu became a quiet tapestry of returning to the world, one step at a time.
「紡ぐ」とは、糸を撚り、物語をつくること。
本展 Tsumugu 紡ぐ は、不安定な時代の中で生まれた、心の奥にある感情や記憶を丁寧にすくい上げた作品群です。
コロナ禍という静かな時間の中で、人や自然から受け取った温もり、愛情、感謝の気持ちが創作の原点となりました。
日常の中にあるささやかな瞬間を、そっと心に触れるかたちで描いています。
状況をふまえ、展示はひとりひとりがゆっくりと作品と向き合えるかたちで開催されました。
それは、世界へと少しずつ戻っていくための、静かで優しい一歩でもありました。