PORTFOLIO
My work in glass is deeply shaped by my upbringing in Kanazawa, Japan, where my mother dedicated herself to the meticulous craft of hand-painting one-of-a-kind kimonos for special occasions. While she adhered strictly to traditional Japanese aesthetics, I was drawn to the more vibrant, unpredictable aspects of the world around me. I was specifically obsessed with the bright polka-dot color tests my mother painted on silk—unexpected colorful abstractions that showcased her hard work but also her expressiveness.
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Wanting the freedom to explore fine art on my own, I enrolled in the Haystack School of Crafts in Maine where I discovered glassblowing—a process that was mysterious and physically demanding. Glass itself was the opposite of the fabric my mother painted on—rigid and unyielding. I challenged myself to defy these qualities, creating pieces that appeared soft, organic, and fluid, infused with the bright colors and whimsical side of Japanese culture.
As my technical skills developed, I began working as a fabricator for high-end lighting designers and artists. Without realizing it, I'd stepped into my mother's shoes meticulously crafting to precise specifications. I lost sight of the creative spark that first drew me to artmaking and glass. In 2015, I created Goose Egg, a body of work with one objective: to work without plans or rules and push glass beyond its expected forms and functions. I exhibited these pieces in a solo show at Urban Glass.
Recent works, like my Droplets series, explore the sensual limits of glass, while Rock Cups challenge the notion of glass as purely functional, allowing purpose and aesthetics to blur. In my latest work, I’ve been developing a technique of creating organic shapes, slicing them apart, and reassembling them. I see my newest work as a negotiation between tradition, craftsmanship, experimentation, and organic form—fully embracing both my fabricator and artist selves as one.
I think of my body of work as a Japanese rock garden, always in progress, meant to be experienced as a whole. Every object holds meaning, revealing a part of my story.
As my technical skills developed, I began working as a fabricator for high-end lighting designers and artists. Without realizing it, I'd stepped into my mother's shoes meticulously crafting to precise specifications. I lost sight of the creative spark that first drew me to artmaking and glass. In 2015, I created Goose Egg, a body of work with one objective: to work without plans or rules and push glass beyond its expected forms and functions. I exhibited these pieces in a solo show at Urban Glass.
Recent works, like my Droplets series, explore the sensual limits of glass, while Rock Cups challenge the notion of glass as purely functional, allowing purpose and aesthetics to blur. In my latest work, I’ve been developing a technique of creating organic shapes, slicing them apart, and reassembling them. I see my newest work as a negotiation between tradition, craftsmanship, experimentation, and organic form—fully embracing both my fabricator and artist selves as one.
I think of my body of work as a Japanese rock garden, always in progress, meant to be experienced as a whole. Every object holds meaning, revealing a part of my story.