Kumi Obata's art appeals to me the way a beautifully crafted sketch does. Her etchings are a perfect balancing act between drawn doodle looseness and sophisticated, refined art. Rich in texture, line, and pattern, her work is no doubt influenced by the quiet beauty and tradition of her home country, Japan. The first day I happened onto her site, I felt like I was transported into someone else's dream and floated around from one beautiful scene to the next, not wanting to leave. A year and a half later, I still feel the same.