Unlike many artists who put their egos first, Takemura Ryoko is a rare breed of artist who puts her family first.
Despite all that exposure to the dazzling limelight of the Takarazuka Opera theater, once married, she stayed in her husband's shadow to support him behind the scene. While her husband stays at the pinnacle of mass media and keeps running under the spot light, she stays away from the media attention and maintains a remarkably calm atmosphere around her. Yet she has managed to raise two sons and a daughter.

The most notable feature of Takemura Ryoko's work is, first and foremost, the transparent lightness of colors.
The transparent lightness of her paintings creates "happy atmosphere" that flows out of the canvases as cool and sweet smelling air. If there is such a thing as therapeutic art, this is it.

Takemura Ryoko's bold brush work comes as quite a surprise. One may wonder where in her delicate physique those dynamic touches come from.
Her style varies widely. She moves freely from the graceful orderliness of Sisley, the impressionism founder, to the fauvism of Matisse.
Compiled in a picture diary format, these pages contain the paintings Takemura Ryoko painted while she was overseas with her husband. (Original text: M.Kondoh)

1. Europe
2. Arctic Region/Alaska
3. Australia
4. Travel in Japan
5. Flowers/Still life