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.

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!