Kumiko Making Workshop
Kumiko Making Workshop
Instructor: Craig Vandall Stevens
October 3 - 24, 2024 6pm - 9pm (4 Thursday evenings)
Part of the charm of many Japanese homes are the sliding shoji doors which serve as room partitions, providing privacy and creating an even, gentle light. Shoji doors are often beautifully decorated with Kumiko, a lattice-work of carefully fitted, narrow pieces of wood that create repeating patterns. An amazing array of designs have traditionally been used in Kumiko work, ranging from simple rectangular patterns to very complex designs that truly test the craftsperson's skill, patience, and imagination.
Our Kumiko workshop instructs students in the techniques, tools, and jigs involved in accurately making Kumiko. Participants will learn to make the exacting cuts required to create traditional patterns such as the hemp-leaf (asa no ha) and the four-leaf pattern (yotsuba izutsu tsugi), both shown here and frequently used in shoji making. The course provides an excellent foundation for creating additional patterns at home and for future PFW classes that will use Kumiko as a decorative technique, such as our Andon - Traditional Japanese Lamp class. For folks who have already taken our Andon class, this workshop is an opportunity to add decorative kumiko patterns to your lamp.
To make Kumiko with the needed accuracy requires special jigs to achieve the precise angles, so PFW will supply each student with the needed jigs for use in the classes. These jigs are available for sale should students wish to take them home.
We’ll be providing a small frame that is 4”x4” to hold the Kumiko pattern that is made in class. Students have asked for ways they can display their Kumiko project, and we thought this would be a nice way to showcase your work.
Cost includes all materials.