“Suiboku-ga” (ink painting) is the art of painting in just one color using “sumi” (ink), not only for painting lines, but also gradation showing contrasting density and lighting. It is especially more difficult to paint on silk than paper, but painting on silk enables a unique expression. Only the painters who knows how to use sumi very well can create expressive works.

Katō Tomo is a painter who can use sumi very effectively. He can use a very dark black sumi, so his paintings on silk are very attractive. (It is very difficult to give the color on silk.)

A profound and mysterious atmosphere of nature is expressed beautifully in this work (Mountains and Clouds). I think Katō Tomo concentrated his mental energy on portraying the workings of mother nature. Katō Tomo painted her living creatures and completed this work. We can see also a high degree of his ability through the fog, which is expressed by the unpainted space. One small bird depicted near the center of the work brings out the magnificence of nature.