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Category: Nitta Yoshiko

Nitta Yoshiko’s Trunk Show at the Mingei International Museum Shop in Balboa Park, San Diego. November 3rd and 4th, 2017

By:
Ai Kanazawa
November 1, 2017Glass Mingei Nitta Yoshiko

Blown and etched glasswork by Nitta Yoshiko in our shop ->

I am really excited to be able to show over 100 masterful pieces of work by Japanese glass artist Nitta Yoshiko at the Mingei International Museum Shop in San Diego this weekend.

Blown glass bowls by Japanese artist Nitta Yoshiko

I have known Yoshiko for over 5 years now, and I still remember vividly when I first saw her glassware at a craft fair in Osaka in 2012. I had never seen blown glass as thin and comfortable to hold as those made by Yoshiko, and I excitedly asked if she was willing to work with me to introduce her work in the United States. I was so happy when she agreed!

Japanese Glass Artist Nitta Yoshiko (third from left) at a craft fair in Japan in 2012

Almost every day, I use the glasses that I first bought from her back in 2012. Yoshiko’s works are not just beautiful and simple, but also very sturdy. Yoshiko makes her work exclusively with clear glass that demands the highest skill from the glass blower because any unevenness in the thickness can be obvious at first glance.

Glass blowing tools used by Nitta Yoshiko

I asked Yoshiko why she chose to work with clear glass despite these technical difficulties and she gave me this explanation: “The biggest reason I work with clear glass is because it is my favorite type of glass. In my opinion, the most appealing aspect of glass is its ability to let the light through, and its shadow to fall onto the surface that it is placed on. These effects are maximized in clear glass. I also love the appearance of clear glass.”

Nitta Yoshiko chose to work with clear glass because she thinks that the most appealing aspect of glass is its ability to let the light through, and its shadow to fall onto the surface that it is placed on.
Orange supreme in Nitta Yoshiko’s footed bowl. Yoshiko works with clear glass because it shows the true colors of the objects that it is holding.

She continued: “I also want my work to be the vessel that shows the true colors of the objects that it is holding. Food, flowers, drinks all have beautiful natural colors. I think people want to enjoy the subtle colors of their sake, for example.”

The maker’s regard for the end user can be felt in every piece that is made by Nitta Yoshiko.

Yoshiko was planning to be in San Diego for this show but a family emergency made that trip impossible unfortunately. Nonetheless, she is here in spirit, and her regard for you, the end user, can be felt in every piece that she made and sent. I hope that you will be able join me in celebrating her beautiful work at the most fantastic and appropriate venue that is the Mingei International Museum Shop in San Diego.

A Lifetime’s Yearning: The Fine Blown Glasswork of Nitta Yoshiko

By:
Ai Kanazawa
October 8, 2013Glass Nitta Yoshiko

Glass by Nitta Yoshiko in our shop ->

There is no place to hide for an artist that works on handmade glass.  The delicateness and transparency of the medium means that a maker’s lack of expertise, eye for detail, or even passion and dedication, are very obvious.

A blown and etched glass carafe and cups by Japanese glassmaker Nitta Yoshiko
A blown and etched glass carafe and cups by Japanese glassmaker Nitta Yoshiko

Fortunately, Japanese glassmaker Nitta Yoshiko has these attributes in abundance. She is a master creator of mouth-blown glassware etched with delightful, intricate patterns. Her work possesses a unique contemporary flare that features a compelling contrast between its frosted and transparent elements. Yoshiko points out that “transparency is a special aspect of glass that other medium do not possess. So I want to create work that lets that characteristic shine”.

Cups by Nitta Yoshiko. The beautiful contrast of etched and clear elements emphasize the transparency of glass
Cups by Nitta Yoshiko. The beautiful contrast of etched and clear elements emphasize the transparency of glass

I met Yoshiko at a craft fair in Osaka in the autumn of 2012. She made such eye-catching work that I wanted to find out more about this unassuming but immensely talented artist, and bring her work to the attention of a larger audience in the U.S.

From a very early age, Yoshiko had yearned to make a living as a craftsman. She wanted to follow in the creative footsteps of her father, who was an umbrella maker in Osaka.

When Yoshiko was in high school, she visited a glass art show in Osaka and instantly fell in love with the glasswork of the internationally famous glass artist Iezumi Toshio. After discovering that Iezumi taught glass at Kurashiki University of Science and the Arts, she enrolled in the university to study under him and thus, he became her mentor. At the university, Yoshiko also had the opportunity to take classes with Kodani Shinzo, a well-known Mingei glassmaker from Kurashiki.

Nitta Yoshiko rolls a gather of glass on a marver in her Tokyo hot shop
Nitta Yoshiko rolls a gather of glass on a marver in her Tokyo hot shop

This intensive training profoundly shaped Yoshiko’s views about what she wanted to do and how she would go about doing it. “After four years of studying glass in university, I developed a strong desire to create utilitarian wares out of glass.” Yoshiko has been doing exactly that by making glass objects for everyday use since her graduation in 2000.

empontilling

“I want my work to be used daily, so I pay special attention to the thickness, weight, and size of my work”, Yoshiko explains. Her glass cups have thin rims that feel good on the mouth. They are also lightweight and the etching on the glasses allows for a solid grip that makes them very comfortable to hold. Yoshiko puts considerable thought into the design and engineering of her work, always striving to meet her exacting requirements.

The etching on the glass provides a solid grip that makes it very comfortable to use
The etching on the glass provides a solid grip that makes it very comfortable to use

Yoshiko creates her vessels through the ancient technique of free-blowing, a time-consuming process that adds to the charm of her work. Free-blowing does not use molds and so requires skill and experience to manipulate the shape of the glass using centrifugal force and gravity. The slightly distorted transparency of blown glass and its gentle waviness has an allure that can be found in an old farmhouse window or in quiet ocean ripples. The effect gives a warm appeal that cannot be replicated in mass-produced work.

The charm of a glass bottle made the old fashioned way is its gentle waviness and slightly distorted transparency
The charm of a glass bottle made the old fashioned way is its gentle waviness and slightly distorted transparency

A hallmark that denotes the high quality of Yoshiko’s work is the detailed etching of her glass. She achieves this by drawing fine patterns directly onto the glass surface with a special glue resist, which is then sandblasted. The patterns are time consuming to draw but the results are outstanding.

There is an often-heard argument that the nature of handmade craft requires sacrifices in engineering and usability. Yoshiko’s high-quality work and craftsmanship is an elegant counter-argument proving that this is simply not the case.

 

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