December 2011 Boston studio news
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I was very honored to be invited to the Emperor's birthday party at the
Massachusetts State House that was hosted by Counsel-General and Mrs. Hikihara. I met many new friends and enjoyed the food and festivities of the evening. |
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It also reminded me of my father who died 27 years ago. I remember the special private ceremony to display the Japanese flag that he held at our home every year to honor the Emperor's birthday. Of course he was proud. And I think that he would be very proud to know that his daughter was invited to this special ceremony in 2011. |
| I am especially happy that I finished piecing the quilt top for my next
project. I was working at least 10 hours every day for the past several weeks to meet my goal of finishing this step before the end of the year. My fingers are very swollen and sore. I was icing and using other medicine to keep going, and also thinking of Daisuke Matsuzaka, the Red Sox pitcher, and gaining energy from thinking of him, as he was icing his shoulder after every game so that he could continue on to the next game. |
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| To celebrate this step, I will now enjoy spinning some of my wool until
the start of the new year. I am using some of the wool that I dyed at my studio in Japan last summer, as well as the wool from the Wachusetts Meadows sheep that I love to spin. Then I will continue with the next steps in preparation for my next exhibition in the new year. I am also proud to announce that my musician friend Noritake Ito, along with 20 other musical artists in Japan, will host a charitable fund raising event on December 26. Every musician is donating their services and will pay their own expenses so that every yen collected can go directly to help the victims of the March earthquake. More details can be found on his website, http://noritakaito.fc2web.com/ |
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| My end of year statement Although my next exhibition was delayed by one year because of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, I am fortunate that I did not suffer any damage at my studio or loss of family. I can still move forward with my goal of preserving the textiles of my Japanese heritage for future generations to study and enjoy. I appreciate the support of 4,000 unknown weavers and dyers who worked more than 150 years ago to make the fabrics that I am using today to create my textile art that I hope will also be used by future generations to study and preserve our rich Japanese textile heritage. I am fortunate that some of my works are already in museum collections for this purpose, and I am working to do my best with my new projects so that they may also be worthy of becoming part of future museum collections. I am looking forward to the continuing recovery of Japan, and moving forward with my own projects, in 2012! |
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| W.M,Sanctuary Farm. Colored Sheep wool |
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