Sanae Yamada is a Japanese artist based in Malaysia. Born in Ehime, Japan, in 1972, she graduated from Kyoto City University of Arts with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Sculpture in 1996. She completed a Master of Fine Arts in Western Painting at Kyoto University of the Arts in 2025. Since moving to Malaysia in 2003, she has been inspired by the country’s rich tropical environment and biodiversity. Her paintings and mixed-media works explore the relationships between plants, animals, and people, with a particular focus on coexistence and conservation. Combining Japanese aesthetics with Malaysian natural and cultural elements, she works with materials including washi paper, watercolour, acrylic, coloured pencils, and collage. Her work has been exhibited in Malaysia, Japan, Korea, Indonesia and other international art exhibitions. She also illustrates books and creates art products inspired by Malaysian wildlife and nature. My work explores the relationships between humans, animals, and plants, inspired by the rich tropical nature of Malaysia, where I have lived for more than 20 years. Through painting and mixed media, I observe the quiet connections and balance within nature. I am particularly interested in how different living things coexist and depend on one another. I often depict tropical plants and wildlife, not simply as subjects, but as part of a larger living environment. As a Japanese artist living in Malaysia, I combine my Japanese sense of beauty with the colours, forms, and natural and cultural elements of Malaysia. I work with materials such as washi paper, watercolour, acrylic, coloured pencils, and collage. Through my art, I hope to share the beauty of biodiversity and encourage a deeper awareness of our connection with the natural world. I continue to explore how art can contribute to a more harmonious relationship between people and other living beings. Within The Tree is a reflection of a moment when I encountered a magnificent tree at the Sarawak Botanical Garden in Kuching. Many different kinds of plants were growing together on and around the tree, sharing sunlight, water, and nutrients and creating their own small community. I stood before the tree for a while and took a deep breath. I felt as if I was receiving its positive and refreshing energy — the energy of life that comes from living together in harmony. Through this painting, I hope to capture the beauty and strength of coexistence, and the quiet yet powerful energy I experienced from this living community.