I was born in Fukuoka, Japan, in 1971. I grew up surrounded by many pets and developed a deep understanding of animals. As a teenager I was a gymnast and received several sports scholarships. I was also enthusiastic about contemporary dance. I entered dance competitions and won three awards. After graduating from Komuin Business College, I felt the need to expand my horizon. I travelled extensively around the world, visiting almost thirty countries in seven years. During that time I kept a travel journal, made sketches, and took numerous photographs. Several of my travel reports and drawings were published in Japanese newspapers.

I always tried to experience different cultures not from a Japanese but from a neutral point of view. I spent a few years in New York City and at that time I began creating drawings and paintings inspired by children’s books and the Naive Art of Eastern Europe. Last year I moved to Sarasota, Florida, with my husband, artist Daniel Petrov. I began writing and illustrating my own children’s books featuring an autobiographical rabbit character in an imaginary world filled with my personal aesthetic of color and beauty. I have now completed several picture books in a collection entitled “The Adventures of Moppi and Poppi”. My pictures and words come together to create meaning, emotion, and personal expression. I am now trying to find a wider audience for my work and get my books published.

all images and text copyright © 2007-09 Yumiko Tateishi Petrova | web design: Daniel Petrov