Mari Araki considers herself as both an artist and storyteller. In her artwork, the characters become protagonists in an imaginary world. Obsessively intricate and painstakingly crafted, Araki’s subjects are drawn from a variety of places and inspired by a need to release her honest reflections of real life visions and fears. Deliberately flat, emotionless, and employing an adventurous palette, her imaginative vision showcases an ability to balance beauty and repulsion evenhandedly. In many ways, her work is an intimate psychological self-exploration of character. Through unclear circumstances and pictorial riddles, the viewer is invited to discern their own interpretation of her work. It is her belief that the viewer’s perspective changes and time seems to slow when something is truly observed. The creative process offers Araki some strange relief to the relentless, anxious weight of expectations and judgment. Through this is where she finds her entertainment and peace.