talking japanese

By the way, if anyone wants an invite to the Private View at Roseberys in South London on Thursday 26 Nov, 6-8:30pm, do email me your address (my email is here) & I will send you one. (more here)
 
You can see my work alongside other local contemporary artists, plus view the Dec 1/2 Fine Art Auction. It’s a great idea, mixing old and new, fine art and objects. I’ve bought silver, ceramics and furniture at Roseberys.. my best buy being 11 solid silver salt cellars (all different) for £135.
 
Back to Japan. This week I’ve been finishing a set of matcha (green tea) bowls, for Lalani and Co, who sell specialist tea online. Tea bowls are very special in Japan, have been for centuries, with many being cherished and mended in gold – see my kintsugiblog post for more on this. So it’s been interesting making a new shape, one to work with the bright green colour of matcha tea. The blisters from the rubbing back are not so great, but a reminder that art’s about application as well as inspiration…
 
Kintsugi is mending ceramic, sashiko is a japanese techique for mending and reinforcing textiles. Like kintsugi, it’s developed into an art form of its own. I wrote about it in golden mending, and finally bought a sampler kit to learn the technique myself. Not finished yet, but there’s something about the simple basics – all running stitch, big strong needle that I really like. Then, one you get going, there are infinite mathematical variations. The thinking is interspersed with lots of plain doing – very restful. It reminds me of Fair Isle in that respect.
 
The kit is from Euro Japan Links, as is the origami box kit on the left. So cute! They also have the most wonderful textiles: from plain, indigo dyed, to fantastic kitch waving cats. I can see it becoming my go-to site for treats!
 
There’s lots about sashiko mending online, like this US blog. Sashiko suits denim, which is the modern version, I suppose, of the japanese workwear that used sashiko. And indigo based, originally, too.