Kenny R.K. primarily works with pastels, while occasionally creating oil paintings on canvas. He grew up in a rural area in northern Japan, where an award at a national children’s art competition during his elementary school years first awakened his passion for painting. However, due to a chronic health condition, he chose to pursue a career in business and academia rather than in the arts. Alongside his professional path, he also practiced equestrianism for nearly 19 years, competing in national tournaments.

At the age of fifty, he decided to devote himself fully to painting. A turning point came when he painted the gentle smile of the Virgin Mary and realized that painting could be a powerful means of expressing emotions. Since then, he has infused his works with the wide spectrum of human feeling—pain, hope, joy, and gratitude.

Selected Exhibitions & Awards

• Art Award Exhibition, Art Complex Center, Tokyo (2024)

• “Painting the Nature of Japan,” Ueno Royal Museum, Tokyo (2024)

• Museu Europeu d’Art Modern (MEAM), Barcelona, Spain (2024)

• Art Shopping Paris, Carrousel du Louvre, Paris, France (2024)

• Red Dot Miami, Miami, USA (2024)

• Artexpo New York & Interconnecting Lines exhibition, New York, USA (2025)

• Independent Tokyo 2025, TAGBOAT, Tokyo (2025)