Introducing Sasaki Shoko: Making Original and Elegant Kiln Formed Glass

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July 31, 2012Glass SASAKI Shoko

Sasaki Shoko is one of the exciting new talents in Japan’s glass making community. This young and energetic glass artist has a creative vision that is reflected brilliantly in the tasteful combination of shapes and colors that distinguish her kiln formed glass works.

Studio KotoKoto came across Shoko’s work in a show at a prominent department store in Tokyo in October 2011. The show featured handcrafted items for contemporary tea ceremonies and was organized by an artist collective called Enishi.

Kiln formed glass plates by Sasaki Shoko

Shoko explains her approach: “I always try to bring out the best in the ability of glass to create interesting expressions by layering colors”. She strives to bring out the beautiful yet subtle Japanese colors such as gunjyo (ultramarine), sumire (violet), and kurenai (crimson) into her fused glass. Shoko’s exquisite works instantly attracted our eyes.

Fused Glass Plate Diagram — Glass artist Sasaki Shoko’s base drawing and design of her plates
(Photo courtesy of Sasaki Shoko)

Scoring glass with a glass cutter (photo courtesy of Sasaki Shoko)

Sasaki Shoko using glass runner — A running plier is used for breaking the glass along the score line
(photo courtesy of Sasaki Shoko)

An interesting twist is that the colored glass that Shoko works with is produced in the U.S. by Bullseye Glass Co., which has been providing fusing compatibility tested glass to artists around the world since 1974. By layering, sandblasting, and firing and re-firing this glass to precise temperatures in the kiln, Shoko masterfully allows the glass to express the delicate and sometimes slightly muted colors that are uniquely Japanese.

Kiln with slumping mold — Placing the glass on a slumping mold in the kiln
(Photo courtesy of Sasaki Shoko)

Shoko grew up in Niigata, a prefecture in the island of Honshu on the coast of the Sea of Japan. After moving to Tokyo to attend Musashino Art University, she was instinctively drawn to glass as a medium because of their transparent and colorful nature. During her formal training at the university for a Masters of Fine Arts, she was especially drawn to kiln-formed glass because it allowed her to accomplish numerous expressions by understanding and manipulating the kiln temperatures.

“My work may not be flamboyant, but I design them to have a distinct presence when people use them”, Shoko points out. The work she creates are stunning and elegant indeed!

A selection of kiln-formed glass plates made by Sasaki Shoko is available from our shop.

Visit to Saratetsu Dye Studio Part 3 – Butterflies and Fern: Bringing Back the Magnificent Stencil Patterns of the Past

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Ai Kanazawa

July 17, 2012Textiles Saratetsu

Saratetsu linen furoshiki with vintage stencil pattern in our shop ->

Saratetsu, the last yuzen wrapping cloth (or furoshiki) dyer in central Tokyo, has accumulated a treasure trove of stencils since opening for business in 1910.

KotoKoto was especially fascinated by the design of old paper stencils that Saratetsu used before switching to computer generated screens 22 years ago. These old paper stencils are called katagami, and are made by layering multiple pieces of Japanese paper glued together with persimmon tannin. Kimono and other fabric dyed with these waterproof paper stencils were extremely popular in Japan from the mid Edo (around 1800) to the early 20th century.

We wanted to pick two stencil patterns to be used for our new linen designs. But with such rich choices available, making a decision was incredibly difficult.

Many were not just beautiful but had special meaning to the Japanese people. For example, the ‘feather of arrow’ pattern had the power to ward off evil. It also was often used on gifts to a bride to wish her a happy marriage. As an arrow never came back once it was shot, the gift senders wanted to wish that the bride would not return home because of a broken marriage.

After taking many pictures of the old stencils, countless hours were spent back in California contemplating all these attractive patterns and the meanings they convey. We are finally happy to announce the selection of the butterflies and fern patterns!

According to the book “Symbols of Japan – Thematic Motifs in Art and Design” by Merrily Baird, the butterfly is a symbol of joy and longevity. It is also a symbol of rebirth, a sentiment that we strongly wish for the Japanese people as they continue to recover from the devastating earthquake of 2011. We also thought that it was appropriate for KotoKoto’s launch in our hope to be an ever changing and exciting website for people to discover new things. The butterfly motif has enjoyed widespread popularity in Japan since the Nara period (710-794).

The fern is a symbol of long life and family prosperity because of the numerous spores on its leaves. We especially liked this pattern because the fern represents elegance and hardiness, characteristics that we seek in the skill and craft of artists. The fern motif has been popular in Japan since the Heian period (794-1185) and has also been fashionable in the West since the ‘pteridomania’, or a craze for ferns, struck Victorian Britain in the 19^th century.

Exif_JPEG_PICTURE — Color Testing on Linen

We are now testing colors with Saratetsu and will be starting to print these fabrics very soon!

Read all of the previous postings about Saratetsu here.

How are these used? Read our furoshiki blog post ->

Visiting the Old Pottery Town of Bizen and Kurashiki Craft Show in Okayama

By:

Ai Kanazawa

July 3, 2012Bizen Travels

If you are a traveler interested in Japanese crafts and like to visit places that are not major tourist destinations, we suggest that you travel to Okayama prefecture in Western Japan. In May, Studio KotoKoto visited Okayama, home to the famous Bizen pottery and also known for glass, Japanese paper, and other local crafts.

Bizen vases filled with water to test for leakage
Ichiyo Gama Bizen

You can get to Bizen from Okayama station by taking the Japan Rail (JR) Ako line and getting off at the sleepy station of Imbe, about 40 minutes east of Okayama. We were excited to visit this famous pottery town with more than 1000 years of history because we have great respect for what Bizen stands for: crafts that are close to the earth. We also love the natural and modest beauty of these unglazed and unadorned pots.

The starting point for any visit is the Bizen Pottery Art Museum where many Bizen masterpieces and works of art from Japanese artists deemed to be living national treasures are on display. After feasting your soul on this splendid artistry, walk around the streets to see how pottery is at the core of this town’s life and identity.

We strolled along the main street and noticed that many pottery shops are right in front of the kilns that produce their wares. While visiting one of the most established kilns in Bizen called Kimura Ichiyo-gama, we had the fortune to meet its owner, Mrs. Kimura, who gave us a thorough tour of her studio and noborigama kiln (“climbing” kiln.)

Kurashiki is another delightful town in Okayama that we were able to spend time to uncover its charms. The town is dominated by stunning old wooden storehouses (or Kura) built in the 17^th century with white plastered walls and black tiles. The storehouses are built along a beautiful canal where you can watch colorful Koi fish swimming gracefully.

night kurashiki — Kurashiki Bikan Chiku and canal by night

Bikan1 — Kurashiki Bikan chiku and canal by day

Some of these storehouses have been converted into museums. The most famous is the Ohara Museum of Art, the first-ever Western art museum in Japan. But our favorite was the Japan Folk Toy Museum where hundreds of handmade and antique toys from different parts of Japan are displayed in a converted rice storehouse. The museum’s owner Ohga Hiroyuki is listed in the 1983 Guinness Book of World Records for spinning a large handmade top for an hour and 8 minutes!

Photos: Ohga Hiroyuki spinning a top; A top on a tightrope, Folk Toy Museum, Kurashiki, Okayama

We enjoyed wandering around the back alleys of Kurashiki, especially in the Honmachi and Higashimachi districts that are full of old houses, cute shops, and wonderful sake shops.

Sake shop — A sake shop
Honmachi Kurashiki, Okayama

If you are going to Kurashiki, we highly recommend going in May when the town hosts one of Japan’s best annual craft shows called “the Field of Craft Kurashiki”. This high-quality show is hosted by the town and features more than 70 artists. This year’s event took place on 12-13 May and we had a fascinating time enjoying and being impressed by the rich offerings on display!

Our Itinerary

Day 1 Tokyo-(3hrs 30mins)-Okayama-(40 mins)-Imbe-(1 hr)-Kurashiki
Day 2 Kurashiki craft show
Day 3 Kurashiki museums and sights-(20 mins)-Okayama-(3hrs 30mins)-Tokyo