Tag: 木工

Keeping it Simple: New Woodwork by Maeda Mitsuru

Wood Maeda Mitsuru

Woodwork by Maeda Mitsuru will be available on June 22nd->

In today’s all consuming social media age, it feels that people would not pay attention to work that doesn’t look dramatic or eye catching. But often the features that make work stand out in appearance comes at the expense of compromising its function.

Simple and thoughtfully designed wood butter case by Maeda Mitsuru
Maeda Mitsuru’s butter case fits most refrigerator door compartments and carries two sticks of “Elgin-style” butter perfectly. The lid is domed so that it does not warp even in the dry climate of a fridge.

So every time I receive work from Japanese woodworker Maeda Mitsuru, I am reminded about his extraordinary ability to stick to making simple and useful wood items.

It is also clear that Maeda-san spends a significant amount of time considering what might improve the user’s experience.

Coffee measuring scoop by Maeda Mitsuru has a short handle that fits inside the palm for easy scooping
Tray made from Japanese walnut by Maeda Mitsuru. The carving on the surface is not just beautiful, but also prevents the items from slipping during transportation.
Japanese oak kitchen stool by Maeda Mitsuru designed to take up minimal space in the kitchen while providing a little resting space for the busy cook

This fall will mark the 14th year since Maeda-san established his studio called Ki-to-te (which means “wood and hand”) in Tokyo, and I feel that his focus is only getting stronger. If you have a day to spare in Tokyo, I encourage you to visit his gallery, which is open most weekends, to see more of his simple and but exquisitely elegant furniture and to meet him, his wife Yumi, and their adorable Shiba dog Moku.

Ki-to-te gallery in Kunitachi, Tokyo and Maeda-san’s Shiba dog Moku

 

 

Wood vessels by Nakaya Yoshitaka: The Legacy of a Tree

Wood Nakaya Yoshitaka

Woodwork by Nakaya Yoshitaka in our shop ->

Woodworker Nakaya Yoshitaka resides in the sprawling foothills of Mt. Fuji in Shizuoka prefecture. Much of the wood he uses is obtained locally, often from families that needed to fell trees on their properties for safety or other reasons.

These trees often have significant meaning for the homeowners because their ancestors may have planted them or they may have played on them when they were children. Nakaya-san feels that by making vessels out of this wood, he is ensuring that the legacy of these trees live on.

Chestnut plate by woodworker Nakaya Yoshitaka
Japanese oak bowl by Nakaya Yoshitaka

Nakaya-san’s wood vessels are shaped before the wood is completely dry and allowed to shrink and warp to provide their distinctive curves. The foot is created after the wood is thoroughly dried to make a leveled bottom. By creating vessels in this way, Nakaya-san thinks that he is letting the wood to speak, and decide the shape that it wants to be.

Please Use Often: The Philosophy of Wood Artist Maeda Mitsuru

Wood Maeda Mitsuru

Woodwork by Maeda Mitsuru in our shop ->

Wood artist Maeda Mitsuru strongly believes that the special beauty of wood is only achieved after repeated use. He strives to make his designs as simple and utilitarian as possible to encourage continued use by the owner. “I create things that are used everyday so I hope that people grow to love them more as they use them.” He says.

Wood artist Maeda Mitsuru at his studio in Tokyo
Photo courtesy of ki-to-te

As a young boy, Maeda-san spent many hours carving wood at the workshop of his uncle who was a carpenter. His mother also enjoyed making things by hand, so he grew up in this practical and creative environment and it was only natural for him to eventually become a wood artist. Maeda-san has now been working with wood for more than 15 years from his studio in Tokyo.

Maeda-san’s selections of carving knives
Photo courtesy of ki-to-te

Maeda-san’s care for his work is evident in the beautiful lines and slight but elegant curves that he adds to each item with a carving knife. He carves the spoons so they are easy to scoop and extremely comfortable to hold, while the spouts on his bowls never dribble. “Each piece of wood is unique, so I look at their grain and consider their quality before deciding what I make out of them” Maeda-san says.

Carving the spout of the bowls
Photo courtesy of ki-to-te

 

Mini spouted bowl in walnut wood

I have been using one of Maeda-san’s wooden spoons for a while now to taste as I cook. The spoon never leaves my coat pocket as I move around the kitchen and is ideal because the wood does not slip even when my hands are wet, nor does it get hot when I pour boiling sauce on it to taste.

Ai tasting cream soup with a cherry wood spoon by Maeda Mitsuru

Apart from tableware, Maeda-san also makes custom-made furniture at his studio in Tokyo called “ki-to-te”, which means “wood and hand”. I think it is such an apt name for his handmade work and his wish that his wooden creations never leave the hands of their owners.