KAJIWARA Aya
(b. 1941)
Kajiwara is the first and only female bamboo artist to become a full member of the Japan Craft Arts Association. She became interested in the genre while helping her husband, Kajiwara Koho, with his work. When her youngest daughter entered grade school, she enrolled at Beppu Occupational School, the premier bamboo arts training institution in the country, and graduated in 1980. Encouraged by her teacher, she and 15 other women formed a bamboo craft association that organized its own exhibitions.
Shortly thereafter she began winning awards for her baskets, including the Beppu Mayor's Award at the 22nd Bamboo Craft Arts New Work Exhibition. She was first admitted to Japan's esteemed Traditional Craft Arts Exhibition in 1992, and thereafter numerous times, and is the recipient of the President's Prize, the highest honor bestowed by this organization. ÊHer work is part of the San Francisco Asian Art Museum's collection.
"Many bamboo artists must take part-time jobs, which keeps us from our craft art work," she says. "You cannot become rich as a bamboo artist even if your work wins awards of excellence. But you know I love working with bamboo. I am still weaving and plaiting in the middle of the night. You cannot create that wonderful curved line with any other materials and the feeling when you have achieved what you imagined is unforgettable."
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