Paper Demon Jewelry Blog

Location

I've been collecting Japanese washi and working with washi since my first trip to Japan in 1985, when I lived in a small town that was blessed with an old and esteemed washi shop, WashiYakata Shimayu (http://www.shimayu.co.jp). It was run by a man and wife who were accomplished paper artists. They were kind and generous enough to share their love of washi and their art with the young curious foreigner who lurked endlessly at their shop. There is nothing like a real, old-fashioned washi shop. The mind-blowing colors, the feel--smooth, rough, knobby, fibrous, silk-like, tissuey--of the different kinds of washi, and above all, the indescribable smell... these fascinated me then and fascinate me still. What I love most is bringing a modern aesthetic to this most traditional of materials. I find the colors that work best with current trends--right now, for example, browns and aquas, purples and lime greens--and highlight the highly stylized, geometric, often assymetrical patterns of washi, to create jewelry that instantly attracts the eye. I look forward to sharing my love of washi and all facets of the fascinating world of Japanese paper and fabric arts with all of you.