This series maps a spirit of place. 

A shared landscape delivers diverse experiences and illuminates inner features. 

Navigating each crack, fold, tear and shadow gradually reveals a sense of it-self. 

Attributes of ash and water gathered from the local area connect these works to their particular place of production. 

Sumi and ash on shoji paper.

Clay is lifted from earth to paper in a celebration of Takeo city's rich relationship with this material. 

Industrial porcelain production has 'sacrificed' a part of this landscape, by quarrying entire mountains to make beautiful and useful objects. 

Just as it can be moulded by hands and tools, the spirit of its place of origin leaves an impression on the clay too. 

Produced in situ at naturally occurring clay deposits. 

Wild Takeo clay and shueki ink on washi and shoji.

Urbanisation fractures this community: the population falls, buildings crumble and land is lost. 

Now, Nature reclaims with roots, rust and rot. 

Komoro is a town transforming, patiently watched over by the fallow hills. 

Sumi, shueki ink, ash and natural pigments on shoji paper.

Works created over successive visits to Iwate’s countryside during Spring and Winter.

Natural dyes created from locally gathered bamboo grass (sasa) and dandelion were combined with ash and sumi on shoji paper. 

The purity of Iwate’s satoyama landscape filled this process with gratitude and reverence.

Prepared during residency at Togattaonsen for international group exhibition:

'Works on Shiroishi Washi'. 

Materials included in these pieces were carefully selected to acknowledge the quality of the natural sources and the communities of Shiroishi and Zao-Togattaonsen.

These works are comprised of:

• Shiroishi washi with kozo bark fragments

• Aizome indigo dye cultivated by local permaculture farmer Masafumi Sato 

• Warabai straw ash from Manpugama Ceramic Studio

• Matsugawa river water and onsen water 

• Mineral pigments

• Sumi