Captivating cat carvings: the artistry of Makoto Nishi

Hiromi Kanekita

"Cat carving" is the art of meticulously carving wooden statues of cats that capture their attractive gestures, poses and expressions. The adorable cat statues created by woodcarving artist Makoto Nishi are sure to captivate anyone.

One cat statue stares intently as if pleading for something. Another one amusingly fits into a narrow box by curling up its elastic body. A third cat looks surprised, with its mouth wide open. Looking closely at Nishi's works, you cannot help but smile at the intricate depictions of their behaviors and expressions.

Nishi was born in 1955 in Tokyo and majored in Japanese painting at the Tokyo University of the Arts. After graduating, he began carving wood after teaching himself the craft.

His unique cat carving techniques were born out of a chance encounter with a kitten 31 years ago.

One day, Nishi went outside his apartment to see a friend off and found a tiny kitten at his feet. The kitten hopped up the stairs leading to his apartment. When Nishi opened the door, the kitten slipped through and into his room. It curled up on a cushion as if to say, "This is my place. You understand?" and fell asleep. Nishi immediately began sketching the sleeping kitten.

"I felt like this kitten came to my home to tell me, 'Sculpt a statue of me,'" he said, recalling that time.

The cat slept while blowing snot bubbles. They reminded him of a lantern, so he named it "Chochin" (Japanese lantern). The cat lived until the age of 23. Nishi currently lives with two cats that are under his care until they find permanent owners.

For Nishi, cats are precious models for his art and companions in life. His affectionate gaze at the animals forms the foundation for his vibrant creations.

"Cats are cute, but they're also a bit mysterious," Nishi said. "When carving cat statues, I pay the most attention to finding the right balance between their movements and expressions."

Nishi shares his work on Instagram (@catcarving), among other platforms. He also displays his work at events, including a recent solo exhibition at the Suiha Gallery in Ginza, Tokyo.

Expressing each strand of fur

The wood that Nishi uses for cat carving is Jelutong, a soft Indonesian wood.

To create a cat statue, Nishi first whittles the rough shape using chisels and carving knives. He then uses a grinder to create the texture of the fur and a wood burning pen to draw lines that express each strand.

For statues of brown cats, lines in scorched colours created with a wood burning pen are sufficient to depict their fur. However, when making statues of white, black or patterned cats, he also uses acrylic paints in the respective colors.

The eyes are finished with gloss varnish applied in many layers, giving them the sparkling, marble-like beauty of a real cat's eyes.