Contemplative women search for the unattainable in the paintings of Aya Uekawa. Ominous branches creep upon one woman as she gazes longingly towards the imperceptible ground. Aya often positions a city girl persona in a serene setting drawing attention to the inner turmoil beneath sweet appearances. Aya is an exquisite draughtswoman and painter with a style reminiscent of Renaissance master drawings and Medieval altarpieces. Subtly peculiar facial expressions and exuberantly braided hairstyles interweave secret meanings that are unique and breathtaking in detail. Eyes and lips are distorted in a manner that evokes as many emotions as ethnicities. Her work is a balance between not wanting to completely abandon her traditional upbringing in suburban Tokyo and integrating her new Western identity.