Yukawa is an artist who mostly paints birds, and she is also an accordionist who performs with a band.
As a dedicated bird lover and watcher, Yukawa only paints the species she has actually observed in their natural habitats. Her artistic style uses realism along the lines of Nihonga (Japanese style painting), yet with a twist of convincing anthropomorphism. This comes from her imagined narratives based on her keen observation and deep understanding of each species' habitual behavior, natural environment and life cycle.

In recent years, Yukawa has widely exhibited her series Birds in Drawer Boxes. The grain lines of vintage wooden drawers are incorporated into her work, so that they can be imagined as ripples in water, or the effects of rain and wind. Depicted in life size in their habitats, these boxed birds lead viewers into the inner lives of each bird, offering a different kind of birdwatching experience.

Similarly, Yukawa’s pop-up bird greeting cards are based on the actual behavior and movements of each species. First published in 2010, these popular cards won Yukawa a commission by MOMA New York for a Christmas card.
Yukawa has exhibited extensively in Japan and abroad since 2008, and has published several books. If you are interested in her drawing diary, head over to her Instagram account @atsuko_yukawa.