kizuna
Kizuna refers to the enduring bonds between people. This collection was created while I was feeling disconnected from my family and channeled those feelings into stitching together pieces of my Baba's fabrics I had been gifted into some from my own to put my feelings of connectedness into a tangible form regardless of the distance between us.
When we lost Baba in 2025, my continued work on the series grew to a way to tangibly work through my grieve as I continued to give new life to some of the tattered textiles that would have otherwise been unusable. Techniques used in my process range from quilting and applique, to embroidery, and a variety of bookbinding methods.
In loving memory of Mieko (1935-2025)
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clemantis
hand stitched applique
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returning to center
applique patches
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opposite shores, closed
hardbound split cover using the silks from one of Baba's kimono that was tattered
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opposite shores, opened
hardbound split cover using the silks from one of Baba's kimono that was tattered
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finding roots
hardbound sketchbook made using the silks from one of Baba's kimono that was tattered, mesh fabric leftover from a previous project of mine, with a hand embroidered cherry blossom tree.
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three generations
miniature screens made from fabrics from the collections of my Baba (1st generation, issei), my mom (2nd generation, nissei), and myself (3rd generation, sansei)
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baba's kitchen, cover
an artbook designed in an accordion style, telling the story of my Baba's kitchen and her generosity through food
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baba's kitchen, opened
an artbook designed in an accordion style, telling the story of my Baba's kitchen and her generosity through food
