Ugly Salamander
I wanted to express the idea of cells. All creatures are made of cells so I looked for a creature to study. I thought about choosing a beautiful creature, but there were so many choices. I finally chose the ugliest one in Japan, the “Great Salamander.” I also chose
The Fighting Cell
A Cell is the Basic Unit of Life A cell membrane separates the cell from the outside world A cell has genes and can leave its own copy to offspring A cell makes energy and substances necessary for the cell to live A cell cooperates with other cells to structure
Light Through a Wooden Screen
Last Fall I visited a Japanese temple to see a beautiful screen called Kumiko-zaiku. This traditional wooden screen is handcrafted and uses no nails. Narrow wood pieces flow to interweave the dense and open areas. To represent this design with cloth I will cut long strips and sew them together
Too Many Buildings
Tokyo seemed a little more lively when I went to a quilt exhibition last Fall. I saw artworks of SAQA Japan members. This was my first Tokyo visit in two years. I still felt like Covid-19 was hiding everywhere. On the train home skeletons of buildings under construction gazed in
Japanese Castle
Visiting old Japanese castle is popular in Japan. My husband and I went on a castle tour of castles building the Warring States Period (15th Century to the end of the 16th Century). Japan was not unified at that time and small kingdoms with castles fought each other. The beautiful
Transparent Specimen
First of all, I decided to go to the library to investigate issues that I had not thought much about “Anatomy” in my daily life. “The Transparent Anatomical Specimens Book” The creations of Iori Tomita, (Japanese ) pioneer in the art of “Transparent Specimens” It’s appearance has a beauty that
Anatomy of a Frog
Everyone at our elementary school remembers a special Science Class. It was a once in a lifetime experience. The homework the night before was to each catch a frog and bring it to school. When It was time to dissect our frogs we all shrunk back in surprised horror. Only
Shining Poison Factory
World War Two is finally over. Japan is in a state of destruction. In my parent’s era, Japan struggles to rebuild society and industry, even hosting the Olympic Games in 1964. There is a period of high growth, big factories are built nearby, some running 24 hours a day. One
“Lost World” People used to here
When I was a kid, I loved my aunt’s seaside house. It was beautiful, but now is abandoned, destroyed and forgotten. The people who lived there are gone. It only exists in old photos and my memories. Only the persimmon trees are still there. More recently I have the opportunity
“Kawaii” The Culture of Cute
“That dress is kawaii.” “Do you like my doll?” “Oh yes, Kawaii.” “That painting is Kawaii.” Everything is Kawaii, kawaii, kawaii. The word Kawaii is now a cultural phenomenon in Japan. It began in Japanese animation as an admiration of Western culture. The girl’s eyes are unnaturally large for the
NOW Ichigo Ichie
一期一会 (Once in a while) Mikiko Takase 5/30/2021 A person passes through a doorway to enter a room. Another person goes through the doorway to exit the room. That moment can never be exactly repeated. The moment is unique. Do we attend to the moment? Do we look or
A Door to the Future
Mikiko Takase When you have the opportunity to open a door and do something new, what do you do? Do you enter right away? Do you think carefully about it first? Do you think carefully and decide not to do it? If I hadn’t decided to jump in right away