Studio 88 Artist Residency is pleased to welcome Natsuki Kagawa, an emerging Japanese artist whose practice bridges mindfulness, neuroscience, and the art of self-healing. For Natsuki, art is not confined to a finished work but is a living, evolving practice of inner connection and awareness. Joining our residency in November 2025, she aims to deepen her understanding of healing art through psychological, emotional, and somatic perspectives, while immersing herself in Thailand’s rich spiritual and natural landscape.
Born in Kagawa, Japan, Kagawa discovered her love for drawing at a young age. After several years working in apparel sales and as a personal stylist, she encountered texture art in 2023—a meeting that profoundly shifted her path and marked the beginning of her full artistic journey. She describes this moment as a turning point, when she began listening to the quiet voice within that says, “This is what I truly want.”
For Kagawa, art is not confined to finished works but is a living practice—a way for the creator to realign emotionally and spiritually. She views art as a therapeutic process that nurtures balance and joy. Her workshops emphasize intuitive expression over technical skill, helping participants access their unconscious emotions and discover self-acceptance through creativity.
Her collaborations have included artists working with unconventional materials such as industrial scrap and natural plants, and she plans to continue building interdisciplinary connections across yoga, meditation, architecture, and music. Through this integration, she aims to create “healing spaces” where art becomes a natural part of daily life—accessible to all, regardless of background or experience.
Now based in Osaka, Kagawa integrates mindfulness, self-love, and the study of the human mind into her creative process. Her art explores the invisible energies that move through people, society, and the world—inviting the viewer into a gentle moment of reflection. Her guiding concept, “Bring color into daily life, and carve out time to face yourself,” embodies her belief that art can reconnect us with our inner truth. Since her first solo exhibition in 2023 at CUE Horie, Osaka, her work has been shown in exhibitions both in Japan and abroad, and she continues to hold workshops and commissions that focus on healing through artistic expression.
During her time at Studio 88 in Chiang Mai, Kagawa will explore the theme of “Healing Across Cultures.” Seeking to deepen her understanding of healing art from psychological, emotional, and somatic perspectives, she will engage with Thailand’s rich spiritual and natural landscape.
Her research will include visits to sacred temples such as Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, Wat Chedi Luang, and Wat Phra Singh, to study Buddhist rituals of purification and meditation practices. She also intends to experience local healing traditions influenced by Taoism, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Ayurveda. Time spent in nature—observing the transitions of dawn and night—will serve as a grounding practice throughout her stay.
Through this residency, Kagawa hopes to weave her personal and cultural insights into a deeper artistic understanding of healing. The experience will inform her future workshops, exhibitions, and installations—spaces that not only reflect the human heart but also invite others to rediscover peace and authenticity within themselves.
More about Natsuki Kagawa.
Studio 88 is accepting applications on an on-going basis. Check out our residency program and apply now.
Studio 88 Artist Residency 