Cecilie Okada, a pattern designer, illustrator, and graphic designer, represents her life journey in her work. A Norwegian by birth, Cecilie spent the early part of her adulthood setting up orphanages for disadvantaged children around the world. It is through these experiences that she manages to bring an angelic whimsy to her pieces allowing the viewer to be transported to a childlike wonderland.

 Cecilie uses soft colours and clean patterns from her Nordic heritage and blends them harmoniously with Japanese shapes and themes to pay homage to her adopted home in Kobe, Japan. The little Norwegian girl is there to remind the viewer of Cecilie’s journey to this cultural fusion but the focus of the piece is the Japanese elements. She further enhances the modern computer illustrations with a classic Japanese technique of adding gold and copper accents. Cecilie’s mastery of illustration is most evident as she takes us through a fantastical journey that transcends the boundaries between childhood and adulthood, Scandinavia and Asia.