bentenlaughing

Jan.s:   Chisayo, in our last interview you mentioned the influence both your grandmother and mother had on you with your sewing...can you tell us more... Chisayo: Janice, I don't know where to start...Let's try to remember my grand mother first ....My grand mother was born in 1912 in a wealthy Bushi (Samurai) family. My grand mother talked a lots of stories about her childhood but I thought they were all made up stories because many of them were so unreal in many ways such as Monsters,Ghost and trick animals... .   Her family adopted a few  Sumo wrestlers. It was a big mistake of their family... They lost all their money at the end.     My grand mother  and grand father were arranged married. They both married before and had a child each. My grand father was born in a rich Shoya ( Village headman ) family in Nara. He was well educated  and good at various sports. Especially ...

Jan.s: Chisayo, you create objects which are whimsical and yet vivid...so full of life!  How & where did your interest for creating your art  begin...? Chisayo: My grand mother was a kimono dress maker. She gave me lots of off cuts and taught me how to make simple bags. My mother loved  sewing and knitting also.  I always watched them. It was amazing to see how a flat piece of material was turned into a bag, a dress, a flower, decorations...I started sewing when I was about 10.  I learnt sewing at highschool then I went to kimono dress making school and learnt how to make Kimonos. When I had my first child 10 years ago,  I started making  soft toys for my daughter.   One day, I made a felt cake for my daughter and she loved it very much and I was happy too, so I made another felt cake the very next day. Then I made a hamburger, a hot dog, sushi...and I ke...