Summer Stories series, a suite of drawings from Tomio Nitto's sketch book.
Tomio Nitto is a Japanese artist who has lived and worked in Toronto for 35 years. He has been a very successful illustrator in the last two decades, represented by the prestigious graphic design studio Reactor and working for major magazines in Canada and the United States.
In the Summer of 84, encouraged by photographer friend Maso Abe - an award winning windsurfer, Tomio Nitto went to the Miami Beach only to find the ocean waves were too powerful for a beginner. Instead, he went to an art supply store and bought brushes and paper and started to sketch on the beach. It had become a habit and later on he would take his sketch book to many scuba diving trips to do quick sketches - to Cozumel and Akumal in Mexico (mid 80's) and Grand Cayman in the Caribbean ('87). He recounted the experience with quick simple lines and colours as one would snap with a camera. His wonderful adventures with swimming with dolphins, turtles and sometimes with sharks. Tomio Nitto admires life's simplicity and the essence of staying simple. He loves nature and enjoys all living things co-exisisted in harmonious ways.