Inside Mirror in the Woods #4: “Finding Her Voice Through Art”

"From solitude to self-expression, a young artist discovers the transformative power of passion."

During Miho’s lonely childhood, frequently missing school due to illness, she struggled to make friends and often spent recesses alone. Participating in gym class was difficult, so she would watch her energetic classmates running around. Whenever she glimpsed the local rice fields or abandoned coal mines, a sense of ominous dread—almost terror—would wash over her. Nightfall was especially difficult; Miho intensely disliked the rural darkness, finding it painfully solitary.

What changed the frightened Miho was the joy of learning art.

After finishing her school lessons, Miho obtained a bicycle license to make the forty-minute journey to Teacher Abe’s studio four days a week, braving all kinds of weather. There, she endlessly sketched plaster busts of Brutus, studying how the light transformed their expressions minute by minute. These exercises honed her drawing skills, and learning to manipulate charcoal and erasers completely blew her mind. As the seasons changed, she began exploring oil painting. Layering colors created captivating depth and dimension, and each new work brought fresh discoveries. Miho became utterly engrossed in painting.

One day, the studio held a contest. Despite the advanced students’ impressive technical skill, Miho’s slightly distorted drawing of a frying pan won first prize. Teacher Abe announced to the stunned class: “Learn from this painting. While not technically perfect, it is painted with passion, and the object bursts with life. Art is not about technique—it captures the artist’s soul.”

Miho herself, not fully comprehending the situation, stood bashfully, embarrassed and overwhelmed.