Photograph by Kathy De La Torre
This month's featured artist at Gallery Saratoga, Chie Kurahashi is exhibiting part of her 'katazome' collection.
Artist brings ancient art form to life in her work
By Shari Kaplan
In titling her exhibition of katazome pieces at Gallery Saratoga "Beyond Tradition," artist Chie Kurahashi shows how a very old art form can be used to express new creative ideas by a modern-day person.
Katazome, according to Kurahashi, is a traditional Japanese technique that has been in use for some 500 years. Its name combines kata--stencil-like patterns on rice paper; and zome--which means to dye.
To make her katazomes on silk, other fabric or paper, Kurahashi brushes a rice-based paste called nori over the stencils. A purist, she concocts the nori herself and hand-cuts the designs and patterns of all her stencils. After using the nori, she then dyes and washes the fabric or washi paper--think very gentle hands, not washing machines! All dyes come from natural plant sources or minerals. The final result is a delicately colorful, finely detailed piece of katazome art.
One of Kurahashi's greatest challenges, and also greatest pleasures, comes from crafting her stencils. Because all the curves, lines and shapes are connected, it requires a good deal of forethought.
"You have to think about the connections all the time. You have to think and plan a lot of things whenever you make a piece. You have to use positive and negative space and think in both ways," she explains.
She also likes the technique because it reminds her of the interconnectedness of people. "These connections are kind of like our society. Everyone is connected," adds Kurahashi, who studied the art form under professional artists in her native Japan.
The images in her current exhibit take shape from many inspirations, including the natural world, Greek mythology and Kurahashi's own vivid imagination.
One of the more striking is Follow the Right Steps, which depicts two white horses ascending an ethereal winding staircase. Surrounding them on all sides, in beautiful pastel hues, are images of trees and leaves, as well as abstract Cubist-like shapes. Kurahashi says she created this piece to symbolize the multidimensionality of life and the need to be in control of one's mind. The two horses are symbolic of men and women, who in ideal circumstances harmonize and balance each other, leading to peace and happiness.
One of her katazomes inspired by myth is Footprints of Goddess, which depicts a dainty white food descending from the sky and walking on clouds and ground. Wherever it lands, violets spring forth.
Kurahashi happens to be a flower fancier who grows them herself, sometimes for use in her artwork. Not all of her current katazomes are homegrown, but all are very pretty. Among these are poppies, daffodils, narcissus, gladiolus and a beautiful rendition of iris flowers surrounded by peach, periwinkle and lavender hues that actually sparkle.
A public reception for the artist takes place on March 18, from 1 to 4 p.m. Gallery Saratoga is at 14531 Big Basin Way in the Saratoga Village. Hours are Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, call 408.867.0458, or visit www.gallerysaratoga.com on the Internet.
Saratoga, California Since 1955
