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21.10.13

Summer passed and Autumn has arrived...

It was very hot in London and busy summer for me.
Finally, a big event for this Autumn, the Goldsmiths' Fair is over and I have some time off on weekend to visit some art works outside my studio.

Before the Fair, a photographer, Sylvain Deleu took those fantastic photos for me.





Some of the photos from the Fair.


some new rings, earrings and necklaces...





Of course, my favourites, brooches...




I visited Tate Modern and Britain this weekend. I love paintings. Moreover, I love looking at them with all the background such as the histories and their personal stories. Those galleries are really great in informing those to us. I always really enjoy seeing from their earlier works to the latest work, by reading and looking at how they transformed their passion, interests and techniques into the works. I was very impressed and touched by those paintings. They are not only beautiful but great story-tellers on the paintings and artists. Often, the great works are fresh and have never faded by the time. The enormous amount of works always tells me about their efforts, passions and challenges. I love those conversations wit the art works. It is great to see how they developed their works over the whole period of their career.

I obviously love architecture and geometric shapes, and also natural forms. Why are we always inspired by those things? We have captured many things with the square shapes, lines and frames. Most of the things in this world are made by those shapes, such as pictures, paintings(canvases), buildings, electronics etc. Apparently, those are very reasonable and functional, at the same time, it never stops fascinating us in looking or imaging inside or even outside them. It gives enough space for us to create and imagine things.


LS Lowry (1887-1976)

His paintings show the typical atmosphere which Britain obtained or obtains still now. Also, his paintings tell me lots of stories in them. Not only the buildings but all human figures attracted me and made me smile at the gallery.

"LS Lowry devoted his life to painting the England of the industrial Revolution. 'I saw the industrial scene,' he said, 'and I was affected by it. I wanted to get a certain effect on the canvas. I couldn't describe it, but I knew it when I'd got it.'---- "The streets were gloomy to him, but magnificent. 'I was inspired by their beauty,' he said." (from Tate Britain's pamphlet)




Paul Klee (1879-1940)

"Klee's very personal use of line and colour allowed him to move between images that connect to the outside world and pure abstruction." (from Tate Modern's pamphlet)

His latest paintings had changed dramatically since the earlier works. His innovative and experimental works kept him moving further over the whole period of his career. His process has inspired me a lot in my attitude toward the creation.






Those are some of the photos I took recently. How beautiful they are, when nature meets the manmade objects.
















17.6.13

Art and craft culture in England...

One of my good customer took me to this fantastic event in the east London on Sunday, Artists At Home. This was an even that artists who work from home opened doors, welcomed people and showed their art, craft and also their houses! There were about 60 houses in the area. It was really wonderful welcoming atmosphere and people.

I was really impressed by this event. People knew about this very well, walked around the town, found houses, met people and bought works. The more I stayed in England, the more I am impressed by those local art and craft activities. People feel and enjoy art and craft on daily basis, nothing special, it is a part of their daily lives, which would be very different from Japanese ones.

I also visited some lovely gardens in their houses...
I love plants, so one day, I would like to have a garden...





The beautiful sky on the way back home...



The beauty in nature...

This weekend, I have been to Whitechapel Gallery and Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.I love nature and plants. Those visits made me rethink how beautiful and great nature is.


Karl Blossfeldt (1865-1932)
He was a self-taught photographer and built up the unique collection of photographic plant portraits with his homemade cameras.




Also, he mentioned the relationship between plants and architectural structures.

"The plant may be described as an architectural structure, shaped and designed ornamentally and objectively. Compelled in its fight for existence to build in a purposeful manner, it constructs the necessary to every architect, and combines practicability and expediency in the highest form of art. Not only, then, in the world of art, but equally in the realm of science, Nature is our best teacher."

The plants stand and live in nature as we, human being live in and with nature. His words reminds me of my statement for my jewellery. This is the big reason why I love nature and architecture and am inspired by them a lot.



Also, there is another work which is related to nature theme.
Giuseppe Penone, an Italian artist has examined our relationship to nature.




Romanian-born twins, Gert & Uwe Tobias make collaborative woodcuts, sculptures, collages and drawings. I was fascinated by the huge woodcuts colourful paintings which have brought me their surreal and fantasy world.




At Kew gardens, I was again impressed by nature. I don't have any words in front of those creatures, just beautiful.























6.6.13

Edinburgh College of Art Degree Show 2013

I visited Edinburgh last weekend. It has been 8 months since I left. I think since I saw the photos of Edinburgh in 2008 in Tokyo, it became my special place. I think it would not change forever...


The Edinburgh Castle was still there, like knowing everything that has happened there, or probably, it does not know anything, just sitting there. If the castle could feel anything, I would like to talk to it.







Every corner in Edinburgh could be a nice photo, such a pretty city...








My art school, Edinburgh College of Art...



I studied there only for 2 years and stayed as an artist in residence after that, so this college is my starting point as a jeweller. It was really meaningful and great sentimental visit for me.

Jeweller works this year were really dynamic. I was impressed that the students created much bigger scale works than other years with any kind of materials. 

I personally like those works, really playful with great choices of texture and material.

Sally Morrison

Emelie Westerlund





The sculpture and print work, Davy Forsyth.
They are beautiful prints using this sculptural equipment, "metal salt printing."




It is always inspiring to visit art schools' degree show. They are all fresh talents!



 

26.3.13

some inspirations...






I hadn't been back to Japan for a year and haven't updated my blog for a year either....

Since last year, so many things has changed around me,moving to London, setting up my studio, and getting to know new people

Always, it is really nice to go back home and to relax myself there, seeing my family and good friends.

There is not much sunshine here in London, however in Japan, even in February, I could get the nice and warm sunshine everyday! It was the season of the beautiful plum blossom.






I was inspired by so many things during my short visit. I completely forgot those beautiful sceneries in Japan by living in London.



My favorite parination, light green colour...


Sugitama, a ball made by cedar...

green tea...

 kimono and obi belt...

My favorite again, cracked tree bark with moss...



 My home town, Osaka...