Yoshi Mizutani was encouraged to take up watercolors at the age of 10. By 16, he was highly skilled in the technique, and two years later, he moved to Europe to study the old masters by traveling in Spain, France and Italy. "When I was 18, I saw a Sargent [John Singer] painting for the first time," said the artist, "I'll never forget. And that was the defining moment. If I never saw his paintings, I wouldn't be an artist." As a portrait painter, Yoshi has become especially well-known for children's portraits, in either oil, or graphite (as pictured above). In addition to portraiture, Yoshi paints landscapes and floral still lives.