The Process

Atmospheric Oil Pastel: After summiting Mt. Fuji, I descended into the quiet lower forests, where the air grew thick with fog and the sounds of the mountain softened into stillness. The moment felt suspended in time—humid, fragrant, and alive with subdued color. I was drawn to capture this fleeting transition between summit and earth, clarity and obscurity, exertion and calm. Using oil pastels, I built layers of green, gray, and muted light to express the dense, dreamlike atmosphere. The medium’s softness allowed me to blur boundaries between form and air, mirroring the way mist erases sharp edges in nature. The dark trunks and vivid foliage contrast with the diffused background, evoking both grounding and mystery. This piece represents a personal reflection on endurance and renewal—the moment after intensity when the world quiets, and one can finally breathe again. In the shifting light and fog, I found a sense of peace and reconnection, both with the landscape and with myself.