Kabuki

Kabuki (Chimp Collection No. 5) is the eldest daughter of Rake and Wisp—and the only girl among their three children. But don’t mistake her for soft-spoken. She’s a feminist, a thinker, and very much in charge. Her brothers may try to test boundaries, but Kabuki draws the line—and holds it.

She studied ethics and carries that lens with her everywhere. She’s observant, confident, and just a little bit judgemental—but in a way that makes you want to check yourself, not challenge her.

Kabuki makes me think of my daughter—also the eldest, and also known for her sharp mind and uncompromising sense of right and wrong. There’s love and strength in that firmness, and it’s something I admire deeply.

Technically, this piece brought me back to checkered fabric, something I once found intimidating to render because of how it shifts with movement and folds. Her blouse, with its silky floral pattern, was a further challenge—elegant but tricky to paint convincingly. And the scarf? I dreaded it. But I reminded myself of something I’ve come to live by: “Trust the process, and paint what you see—not what your brain thinks it sees.”

In the end, it became one of my favorite elements.

Kabuki is grace with a spine. Logic wrapped in fabric. A character who speaks without words and commands respect in every brushstroke.