Okubo Hisashi

Okubo Hisashi was born in Tokyo Prefecture. She was a member of Kanna-no-sato, a welfare facility (run by Social Welfare Corporation Kannakai) in Fujioka, Gunma Prefecture, and she began drawing at age 46 when the facility set up a painting club. With photo albums as references, she used crayons to create uniquely-distorted works. The vigorous lines and shapes may seem the result of a bold, decisive hand, but they actually emerged through trial and error, with lines drawn over and over again. She apparently worked very slowly, moving just the tips of her fingers.