By evoking the elegance of traditional Japanese screen paintings, Kubota achieved an astonishingly beautiful wintery scene in Ei/ Unexpected Snow. Delicate snowflakes formed by shibori tie-dye float lightly over much of the design, adding a sense of mystery to the design by obscuring much of the mountainous background. The ink-drawn pines are based on classical images, their trunks drawn with supple twists and turns, their boughs bearing the burden of winter’s first snow with grace and dignity. They form a stunning centerpiece that captures the eye and the mind.