Portraits of important people in his life depicted as individuals of high social status and power show Shimoyama’s humbled approach to art and his humility as an artist. It is very clear how much of himself he puts into his art. You can find pieces of his life in every part of his works, from the tarot-influenced essences to the animals to the embellishments. With art that pulls from every aspect of Shimoyama’s skill set, there’s no wonder his exhibition is gaining traction – it was fate.