Japan Revisited in the U.S.

I have had a week or so off because of an acting up computer.  Nothing would bring it back so I'm getting used to a brand new Mac.  Still a ways to go getting it all set up.  During the interim I've been planning our ikebana exhibition for JapanFest next weekend.   This is an event for everyone!

Held at the Gwinnett Center on the weekend of September 27-28 JapanFest celebrates the very best of every aspect of Japanese culture; bonsai, ikebana, sumie, calligraphy, dancing, Taiko drumming, amine, Japanese cuisine, fashion show, etc, etc.  It is the highlight of the year for me and 20,000 other people.  To know more Google JapanFest, Atlanta.

My group of ikebana students will present an exhibit of numerous arrangements as well as

being on hand to show people face to face how it is done.  I'll do a demonstration on both Saturday and Sunday.  

For anyone who might not know much about ikebana, let me explain that it is an ancient floral art of Japan which has captured the attention of people throughout the world because of its beautiful, graceful lines and pleasing forms.  We learn how to do both traditional forms which emphasize the beauty of nature and contemporary forms which focus on the personal creativity of the arranger.  People who study ikebana are fascinated by the art, continuing their study for many years.  It becomes a way of life as do many of other Japanese arts.  Some people develop into top level teachers, others put their emphasis on exhibiting, and others for a form of personal growth.

My new computer is not setup yet to allow me to include pictures, but if you would like to know more about ikebana, please go to our website at www.ichiyoart.com.  I'll talk more about ikebana in a later blog.

I almost forgot a very important thing.  We'll also have a booth at JapanFest to sell our washi paper and miscellaneous gift items.  Gift items include things like chop sticks, tea cups, sake sets, wind bells and much, much more.  The washi will include silk screen yuzen which has beautiful scenery.  These papers can be beautifully hung as interior decoration in the home.

The Greenville Show Was A Home Run!

Getting settled back into Atlanta has taken time but the memory of the Greenville show is still very fresh in our minds. The attendees were so eager to learn new techniques and to see new

products. This was good for us because we have not been to this area for many years, so everything they saw at our booth was new to them.

Not only did those enthusiastic, happy rubber stamper friends run for our papers, but they stayed on base with our rubber stamps, too. The three most popular were the line drawing Bride and Groom, Peaceful Crane, and Cat #l. Here are the images and I'm sure you can understand why they liked them. All three of these stamps were designed by a young Chinese woman who was in art school in Atlanta. She has gone on to bigger things now and we have lost touch but her designs remain among our most sought after.

Bride and Groom Stamp

Brushstroke Cat #1 Stamp

Peaceful Crane Stamp

Three Thoughts for Three Days

If you love paper like I do, and especially washi, you will understand the passion behind these quotations taken from "Washi The World of Japanese Paper" by Sukey Hughes.

A painting, a poem -
How paper reveals a man's (person's) soul.


It is said that papar is made by people, but it
would be better to say that the blessedness of
nature produces paper....Those who study washi
study at the same time the depth of nature.
Soetsu Yanagi


Dying things are kept alive by thinking
of them. So it is with washi.
Bunsho Jugaku

We're all ready for the Greenview show

I think we have just broken a record! Here it is only Wednesday and we are already prepared for the Greenville Rubber Stamp Show. All we have left to do is close up the boxes and pack the car. This is definitely a first.

During the past couple of days I have prepared 45 paper potpourri packets, taking lots of hours to get the paper selected and cut. There are nine combinations and each one has 12 sheets of paper, size 5" x 6". The popourri packets are in great demand by people who do not need the larger sheets so it is important to have a large supply.

When we get back from Greenville on Sunday we will turn our attention to JapanFest at the end of the month. This is one of our favorite events. We not only set up a booth to sell our products, including gift items which we used to have in our store, but I present an ikebana demonstration and my students present an exhibition. Tonight we will go to the Gwinnett Center for an orientation. JapanFest draws 20,000 over two days and is very exciting.

More about JapanFest and ikebana later.