Kaori Forward | Illustrator

Kaori Forward lives in Tokyo. She has loved drawing since childhood and has continued to develop her skills independently. In 2022, she began working professionally as an illustrator after a fortuitous encounter that set her on this path.

Her work includes designing product labels and shop cards, but she also creates original pieces. From February 2024 to January 2025, she explored collage as a new medium, different from her earlier works. She has also been involved in several collaborative long-term projects, expanding her creative range. One of her significant achievements includes the creation of the “Wearable Supplement” 12 Zodiac T-shirts.

A key feature of her art is the series of images that do not show faces. This choice is intentional, as she wants viewers to connect with the emotions and moods evoked by the artwork, imagining the expressions that might accompany them. Whether feeling good or bad, all emotions are beautiful, and she hopes to encourage others to appreciate and care for their own feelings. Through her work, she wants people to find beauty in their emotions and cherish it.

Kaori often incorporates motifs of constellations and power stones in her pieces. She carefully selects and combines colors, drawing inspiration from the emotional connection between herself and the artwork as she creates it.