Mio Asahi was born in Osaka in 1957. She studied Painting and Printmaking at Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto. She has exhibited extensively internationally and in the US. Asahi is known for her blend of western and eastern influences, working primarily in the western printmaking process of etching with aquatint while drawing from Japanese patterns, compositions, and symbols. She creates tales of dragons, flying fish, travelers, and women warriors interacting with mythical moons, waters, and clouds. With influences from folklore, tapestry design, and musical tradition, Asahi has developed a fantastical world of her own, told one image at a time.