The Mariko Kitano Collection

At her home in the bucolic countryside of Ehime Prefecture - an old farmhouse she renovated with her husband, Shinya - Mariko Kitano finds inspiration in the botanical wonders around her, from the herbs that grow in her garden to the wildflowers dotting the local hills.

Once the artist has decided to render a natural form into a work of art, she uses a needle to draw her design in soft wax, then carefully carves away the excess to make a finely detailed mold. It is this meticulous process that allows her to recreate the beautiful, delicate structures that populate her world.