Overview

Are you ready to pick up your spirits, feel joyful and maybe even chuckle? You really otter smile today! Otter Therapy is a masterfully done collection of Sea Otter art reimagined in famous paintings like Mona Lisa and Girl with a Pearl Earring, or as celebrities by acclaimed artist Edi Matsumoto. The paintings are perfectly paired with lighthearted otter jokes, otter fun facts, and related feel-good stories and inspirations. Edi Matsumoto is a Japan-born, California-based artist known for her realistic portraits and whimsical ""Otter Therapy"" series, which blends fine art with humor and heart. A former nurse practitioner turned full-time artist, Edi draws from her caregiving background to create joyful, healing works that make people smile. Her art has been featured in national publications and galleries, and in 2024, she opened her own studio-gallery in Carmel-by-the-Sea.

Full Product Details

9798999828705

Table of Contents

Reviews

""Edi Matsumoto's book is a treasure trove of Otter Therapy . . . it's a pure burst of dopamine for the mind, spirit, and soul! Rarely does a coffee table art book evoke such otter joy and bliss on every page! Kids and adults of all ages will be immersed in learning about the adorable life of otters, along with Edi's artistic genius of depicting otters as famous historical characters . . . This wonderful book is unadulterated fun, fun, fun! Can't wait to get my copy . . . before they are all sold out!"" -Robert Kramer, founder and president at Visionary Strategic Consulting ""Deeply embedded in all of us, is our capacity to experience . . . joy. The triggers that evoke it vary with our life experiences, yet, as the founder of the National Institute for Play, my research and that of many others confirm Playfulness and Joy as fundamental parts of our evolutionarily retained human biological design and affirm that joy and playfulness are necessary contributors to our personal well-being. The evocative imagery that Otter Therapy induces compels the reader to experience their own joyous responses, which, upon close examination, reveal new dimensions of playful responses awaiting to be sparked as the verbal and image-rich combination unfolds. Experiencing Edi Matsumoto's artistic masterpiece is captivating. Otter Therapy combines unique evocative triggering of our playful natures through her intuitive array of combining a broad array of Otter-Human imagery. We all have favorite celebrities or subjects that Edi has crafted, combining the human and natural worlds into a comprehensive artistic masterpiece."" -Stuart Brown, MD, Founder, The National Institute for Play ""Witty and oh-so adorable, Edi's raft of one-of-a-kind otter paintings is a visual delight. Her memorable works reimagine iconic pieces with Carmel's most popular (and furriest) residents front and center, blending art and nature with a lighthearted touch. Otter Therapy is this sea otter biologist's go-to for a good laugh, and each of its pages promises pure glee. Sea otters are more like us than most know, and thanks to Edi's must-have book, their human-like qualities are being showcased in a whole new, fun-filled way!"" -Samantha Hamilton, Sea Otter researcher and University of Michigan PhD student ""Edi Matsumoto's Otter Therapy instantly made me smile. Her artistic concepts, skillfully executed, seriously create play from serious art. A quick read, even of just one page, will uplift your mood and brighten your day, just as the research she cites promises. You cannot lose with this one!"" -Megan G. Mayer, chair, Network for Impact ""If you haven't yet discovered Edi Matsumoto and her charming otter paintings, you are in for a treat. Some represent famous paintings as well as historical figures and celebrities and of course, just plain folks. There's something for everyone. You'll fall in love and find it hard to choose, so you just might end up with multiple otters to grace your walls. They are great fun to live with and will bring you a great deal of joy."" -Rita Escalante, an otter enthusiast ""Charming! Most of us need some otter nonsense to brighten our days."" -Maria Poroy, artist, author of Art Therapy

Author Information

Edi was born and raised in Japan, surrounded by a family rich in artistic talent. Her maternal great-grandfather was a traditional Japanese artist, and creativity ran deep on her mother's side. Her grandfather was a printer who created his own illustrations, her uncle was a skilled leather craftsman, and her mother could draw and craft just about anything, including a remarkably realistic raccoon costume for her first-grade play. Like many Japanese children, Edi grew up reading and drawing cartoons, and her sister went on to become a cartoonist. But to her, art was always just a fun pastime, never something she considered as a career.Instead, Edi pursued academics, earning a bachelor's degree in anthropology and later a master's degree in nursing. She spent years in the medical field until her husband encouraged her to explore her artistic side more seriously. Looking back, she never imagined she would become an artist, let alone own her own gallery. But life has a way of leading us to where we're meant to be.

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