The rounded form of a sleeping Nike, held in quiet contrast against coral, ivory, and deep navy. Rather than rendering every strand of fur, the piece is built from broad color fields and worn brushwork that lets the mood of rest linger. A plant in the upper left breathes space into the composition — a single work that holds unhurried time within the wall. Nike sleeps within a quiet contrast of coral, ivory, and deep navy. Instead of describing every strand of fur, the form is built from broad color fields and worn, tactile brushwork. Dark leaves introduce a soft rhythm, preserving the feeling of unhurried rest. SERIES — FAMILIAR FAMILIAR reimagines an everyday companion not as a conventional pet portrait, but as interior art. The model is Nike, a gray-and-white cat. Rather than reproducing fur in fine detail, the series combines broad color fields, weathered brushwork, plants, circles, rectangles, and negative space (ma — the Japanese concept of meaningful empty space), allowing the cat's presence to merge with the atmosphere of a room. Built on warm ivory, the palette shifts through mustard, terracotta, navy, deep green, and blue-gray across each work. From a distance, color and composition come first; up close, Nike's gaze, posture, and quiet personality emerge. Across ten scenes, FAMILIAR explores the understated richness of a presence that is always near. FAMILIAR reimagines an everyday companion not as a conventional pet portrait, but as interior art. The model is Nike, a gray-and-white cat. Rather than reproducing fur in fine detail, the series combines broad color fields, weathered brushwork, plants, circles, rectangles, and negative space, allowing the cat's presence to merge with the atmosphere of a room. Built on warm ivory, the palette shifts through mustard, terracotta, navy, deep green, and blue-gray. From a distance, color and composition come first; up close, Nike's gaze, posture, and quiet personality emerge. Across ten scenes, FAMILIAR explores the understated richness of a presence that is always near. ABOUT RITSUKO NISHIMURA Ritsuko Nishimura creates work from traces of light, air, silence, and the small presences that linger in everyday life. Her practice favors generous negative space, restrained composition, layered color fields, and brushwork that carries a sense of scraping, texture, and depth — with an emphasis on knowing when to stop before the image becomes overworked. Her guiding theme is Light. Air. Silence. Moving between abstraction and representation, she aims to create work that can live quietly in an interior while retaining a clear and lasting presence. Ritsuko Nishimura creates work from traces of light, air, silence, and the small presences that remain in everyday life. Her practice uses generous negative space, restrained composition, layered color fields, and brushwork that suggests scraping, texture, and depth, with an emphasis on stopping before the image becomes overworked. Her guiding theme is Light. Air. Silence. Moving between abstraction and representation, she aims to create work that can live quietly in an interior while retaining a clear and lasting presence.