MUSUBU - San Francisco

MUSUBU! The San Francisco version!

If you've been following along you will recall we first exhibited MUSUBU at the Urawa Art Museum in Japan.

Now it is traveling to the American Bookbinder's Museum in San Francisco. Same artists, and mostly the same work. A handful of artists have created new work for the San Francisco exhibit including Kenneth Wilkes, Howard Munson and myself who have made pieces inspired by our trip to Japan to see MUSUBU in Urawa.

If you need a refresher you can read about the inception of this exhibit here, and a report on my trip to Japan to see the exhibit here.

Additionally, you can see photos taken by r.r. jones at the MUSUBU exhibit at the Urawa Art Museum here (I was fortunate to have my photographer traveling with me!)

Many people have worked very hard on this exhibit so I hope that you can visit if you are in the area.

Here is exhibit information:

American Bookbinder's Museum 

7 April - 19 May 2018

Opening Reception 7 April 2018, 5:00 - 8:00 with a

Curators' Talk at 6:30

(Hisako, Myself and Keiko Fujii will be speaking)

Hope to see you there!

Tokyo and Urawa, 2017

I've just returned from Japan where I gave talks at the Urawa Art Museum and at Blue and White in Tokyo, and I wanted to give a quick report.

Shinjuku, Tokyo

I traveled to Japan to see the exhibit, MUSUBU, that I co-curated and to give a talk. Read more about MUSUBU in my previous post.

The exhibit space in the Urawa Art Museum was beautiful and the show was thoughtfully installed. We had a good size crowd that first day and visitors seemed genuinely interested in the work.

After I had made travel plans I was invited by Amy Katoh to give a talk at her iconic Tokyo shop, Blue and White. 

Such a beautifully curated shop that celebrates items handmade, hand dyed, and hand stitched in Japan.

I was only in Tokyo a week but packed quite a bit in. If you would like to see more photos please go on over to my Instagram account or my Facebook business page. 

Nezu Museum, Tokyo

Arigatou Gozaimasu to everyone who made our stay in Japan a fabulous one!

Later this week I re-pack my bags as I head to Taos, New Mexico to co-teach with Diane Ericson at the Mabel Dodge Luhan house. More on that when I return, or follow along on Instagram!

Wishi Washi Studio in Japan

What a wonderful time I had in Japan! It almost seems like a really really really really good dream now. One that I did not want to end.

Sakura in Kyoto

I posted lots of photos on Instagram and then shared a portion of those on Facebook - so check out those links if you would like.

But, I also wanted to include some here for those of you not connected to IG and FB. 

We started our trip in Tokyo and visited book artist Yo Yamazaki's atelier for tea, snacks and book arts sharing.

Japanese-English dictionary rebound by Yo Yamazaki

Yo is a talented, generous and kind bookbinder and teacher. He will be teaching at the Minnesota Center for Book Arts this summer.

Yo Yamazaki's atelier

Later that day we visited Jimbocho - an area in Tokyo filled with book stores

Rare book store in Jimbocho, Tokyo

The next day we visited Amuse Museum that has a large collection of boro textiles.

...where you are not only allowed to photograph the collection but are also encouraged to touch!
 

Next stop Kyoto where we stayed at an apartment in the Nishijin area and this was our view...for a week!
 

One day in Kyoto we shopped - guided by my friend and talented book artist, Kyoko Matsunaga:

paper store in Kyoto

needle store in Kyoto

needles at needle store in Kyoto

Some of my purchases that day: fabric to make a dress, handmade thread snips and paper thread
 

While in Kyoto we visited numerous temples, the Toji Temple flea market, and the Arishiyama area. On our last day in Kyoto we visited Orinasu-kan - a foundation for the promotion of hand woven textiles.

Orinasu-kan

Master weaver at Orinasu-kan

We took the train back to Tokyo just in time for me to give a talk to the Tokyo Bookbinding Club at the Hibiya Library and Museum. What a wonderful group of people - and they took us out for a delicious meal later that night - we ate the kind of food that we would have had no idea how to order or eat without their guidance. Such a treat!

Hibiya Library and Museum in Tokyo

 
On our last day in Tokyo we found ourselves shopping, again...
 

Sekaido art supply store - Shinjuku

Sekaido art supply store - Shinjuku

It was hard to say goodbye but I hope to return again.

Arashiyama area, Kyoto

Arigatou gozaimasu, Japan!

Wishi Washi Studio Goes to Japan

I'm going to Japan!

I bought a bunch of travel books

 

And, my really really really great friends sent me things to help me prepare for my trip

And, I even took a "Japanese for Travelers" class offered through my local parks and rec department!

This trip is 100% made possible by the Rydell Visual Arts Fellowship that I received.

This is a picture of Roy and Frances Rydell

Roy and Frances bequeathed their entire estate to support the arts in Santa Cruz County and appointed the Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County to administer the fund. I am eternally indebted to Roy, Frances and the Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County.

Roy’s vision was “beauty in the home, in the garden and in the community.”  Thank you Roy and Frances. I'm taking you to Japan along with me...

I'm not sure if I will create a blog post while in Japan but be sure to join me on Instagram if you want to follow along...