With a formal background in oil painting, Akio Harada depicts human emotions in the shapes of animals in his endeavor to explore the gap between everyday life and fantasy with poeticism and delicate tenderness. He used to draw only large paintings of subjects, like faceless dogs, which were somewhat violent and out of place. However, after having a child, Akio began to approach painting with the mindset of creating art for others. As a father and a painter, Akio enjoys immortalizing his child’s reactions through art. His keen observation allows him to condense and reflect the nuances of human emotions on animals, breathing life into his works and brightening his audience’s days.