Kazuko Shiihashi
Kazuko Shiihashi is a Tokyo-based artist whose work bridges traditional Japanese craft and contemporary fine art. After years spent designing kimonos using the Yuzen dyeing technique, she discovered natural pigments and the materials integral to traditional Japanese painting.
Kazuko works with handmade Japanese paper, which she crushes, gilds, and paints before mounting it onto wood panels. These panels, when assembled into large compositions spanning up to three meters, reveal a textured and luminous quality. Her use of natural mineral pigments lends her works a jewel-like radiance. Through her practice, Kazuko celebrates the enduring beauty of natural materials and techniques.
Painting materials.
Japanese paper and mineral pigments are gifts from the natural world.
Iwa-enogu is a crushed natural stone. Some of the colors obtained are Malachite (kujakuishi), Azulite (randoukou) Lapis Lazuli (ruri), Cinnabar (shinshakou) and Jasper (kihekigyoku) etc. Iwa-enogu can be mixed into more than a thousand colors.
Gold and silver leaf are often used as well especially for giving the moon a true to life color.
Iwa-enogu is made by using your fingers to mix the paint (powder form) with a type of glue until the mixture liquefies and produces the desired color.
Using washi, Japanese Paper
Washi is a traditional material with 1400 years of history. The secret of washi's strength lies in the length of the fibers it is made with.
It's resistance to tearing, flexibility and resistance to water are the characteristics derived from the length of the fibers. Washi can last for more than 1000 years.
Washi has many uses such as shoji screens, lanterns, lampshades, for paintings, and crafts like Origami.
It's resistance to water also makes it ideal for umbrellas or raincoats. There are different types of Washi;
Kozo (made from Mulberry tree bark), Mitsumata and Gampi (both made from Cypress tree bark) The process of completing the art works.
Cherry Blossom
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SPRING DREAMS
ARTIST - Kazuko shiihashi
TITLE - Spring Dream
YEAR - 2022
SIZE - 35 x 70 Inches
MEDIUM - Natural Mineral Pigment on Japanese Handmade Washi Paper
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A MOONLIT NIGHT
ARTIST - Kazuko shiihashi
TITLE - A moonlit night
YEAR - 2022
SIZE - 35 × 71 Inches
MEDIUM - Natural Mineral Pigment on Japanese Handmade Washi Paper
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![UNDER THE MOON]()
UNDER THE MOON
ARTIST - Kazuko shiihashi
TITLE - Under the moon
YEAR - 2022
SIZE - 35 × 24 Inches
MEDIUM - Natural Mineral Pigment on Japanese Handmade Washi Paper
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IN THE WAKE OF A SPRING STORM
ARTIST - Kazuko shiihashi
TITLE - In the wake of a spring storm
YEAR - 2022
SIZE - 24 × 35 Inches
MEDIUM - Natural Mineral Pigment on Japanese Handmade Washi Paper
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![THE NIGHT AIR]()
THE NIGHT AIR
ARTIST - Kazuko shiihashi
TITLE - The nigh air
YEAR - 2022
SIZE - 35 × 71 Inches
MEDIUM - Natural Mineral Pigment on Japanese Handmade Washi Paper
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![FOR THE LONG AUTUMN NIGHTS]()
FOR THE LONG AUTUMN NIGHTS
ARTIST - Kazuko shiihashi
TITLE - For the long autumn nights
YEAR - 2022
SIZE - 35 × 71 Inches
MEDIUM - Natural Mineral Pigment on Japanese Handmade Washi Paper
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WIND IN THE LIGHT
ARTIST - Kazuko shiihashi
TITLE - Wind in the light
YEAR - 2022
SIZE - 35 × 71 Inches
MEDIUM - Natural Mineral Pigment on Japanese Handmade Washi Paper
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PASTEL SPRING
ARTIST - Kazuko shiihashi
TITLE - Pastel Spring
YEAR - 2022
SIZE - 35 × 71 Inches
MEDIUM - Natural Mineral Pigment on Japanese Handmade Washi Paper
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THE WILD DANCE OF FLOWERS
ARTIST - Kazuko shiihashi
TITLE - The wild dance of flowers
YEAR - 2022
SIZE - 35 × 71 Inches
MEDIUM - Natural Mineral Pigment on Japanese Handmade Washi Paper
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LATE AUTUMN
ARTIST - Kazuko shiihashi
TITLE - Late autumn
YEAR - 2022
SIZE - 35 × 71 Inches
MEDIUM - Natural Mineral Pigment on Japanese Handmade Washi Paper
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FLUTTERING WIND
ARTIST - Kazuko shiihashi
TITLE - Fluttering Wind
YEAR - 2022
SIZE - 35 × 71 Inches
MEDIUM - Natural Mineral Pigment on Japanese Handmade Washi Paper
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WALTZING
ARTIST - Kazuko shiihashi
TITLE - Waltzing
YEAR - 2022
SIZE - 35 × 71 Inches
MEDIUM - Natural Mineral Pigment on Japanese Handmade Washi Paper
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THE VIOLET NIGHT SKY
ARTIST - Kazuko shiihashi
TITLE - The violet night sky
YEAR - 2022
SIZE - 35 × 71 Inches
MEDIUM - Natural Mineral Pigment on Japanese Handmade Washi Paper
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DREAMS OF THE TROPICS
ARTIST - Kazuko shiihashi
TITLE - Dreams of the tropics
YEAR - 2022
SIZE - 35 × 71 Inches
MEDIUM - Natural Mineral Pigment on Japanese Handmade Washi Paper
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LATE SUMMER
ARTIST - Kazuko shiihashi
TITLE - Late summer
YEAR - 2022
SIZE - 35 × 24 Inches
MEDIUM - Natural Mineral Pigment on Japanese Handmade Washi Paper
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A DREAMS REQUIEM
ARTIST - Kazuko shiihashi
TITLE - A Dreams Requiem
YEAR - 2022
SIZE - 35 × 71 Inches
MEDIUM - Natural Mineral Pigment on Japanese Handmade Washi Paper
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REFRESHING BREEZE
ARTIST - Kazuko shiihashi
TITLE - Refreshing breeze
YEAR - 2022
SIZE - 35 × 24 Inches
MEDIUM - Natural Mineral Pigment on Japanese Handmade Washi Paper
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AZUL AIR
ARTIST - Kazuko shiihashi
TITLE - Azul air
YEAR - 2022
SIZE - 35 × 24 Inches
MEDIUM - Natural Mineral Pigment on Japanese Handmade Washi Paper
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SOLITARY LOVE
ARTIST - Kazuko shiihashi
TITLE - Solitary love
YEAR - 2022
SIZE - 35 × 24 Inches
MEDIUM - Natural Mineral Pigment on Japanese Handmade Washi Paper
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THE SCENT AND WIND
ARTIST - Kazuko shiihashi
TITLE - The scent and wind
YEAR - 2022
SIZE - 35 × 71 Inches
MEDIUM - Natural Mineral Pigment on Japanese Handmade Washi Paper
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WIND PASSAGE
ARTIST - Kazuko shiihashi
TITLE - Wind passage
YEAR - 2022
SIZE - 35 × 71 Inches
MEDIUM - Natural Mineral Pigment on Japanese Handmade Washi Paper
