AS AUTUMN APPROACHES
ACRYLICS ON CEDAR W/RED OAK FRAME
SUMMER 2021
     Japan is world-famous for kawaii, the culture of cuteness.  If you’ve ever seen a Hello Kitty product, then you can see what I mean.  The kawaii aesthetic is strong in popular culture and can be seen in the entertainment industry and many products such as clothing, food, and toys.  Although it really became popular in the 1970’s, kawaii iconography goes back to the Edo Period and earlier, which leads me to a design element that I have loved for many years:  the Chidori or plover.  Chidori is seen as a symbol of perseverance as it overcomes strong winds and high waves during its migration. Chidori is a very common motif seen on textiles (especially kimono) and ceramics.  They are traditionally classed as a winter motif, but often show up on other seasonal items to evoke the approaching winter.  Inspired by several Japanese textile designs, I have combined Chidori, waves and a crescent moon in this autumnal composition with an eye to winter.  I made the frame out of red oak using pegged, hand-joined, mortise-and-tenon construction methods.  I used the Japanese technique (shou-sugi-ban) of charring and oiling the oak to finish the frame.
 
DIMENSIONS:          HEIGHT 21 inches
                                  WIDTH:  15 inches

                                                           PRICE $500
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Nakamura Hochu: Plovers & Waves
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Japanese textile design with chidori
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kimono with chidori and waves
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Japanese textile design with plovers & crescent moon