Ari Tomita has exhibited extensively in Hawaii, Los Angeles, Santa Fe, and Vancouver Canada. She has been featured on CBC National TV, and given workshops and lectures internationally.

Tomita creates her art in a Zen-like mind space and paints in a solitude she identifies with her spiritual mentor, the haiku poet Basho. She has also been strongly influenced by jazz, especially the music of Dave Brubeck, Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Chet Baker, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, and Keith Jarrett.