KIMONO AS ART

HURRY AND FAST to see the Kimono As Art: The Landscapes of Itchiku Kubota exhibit at the Canton Museum of Art! This exhibit will end on April 26, 2009.

Standing next to my friend, Ellen, on my first visit looking at the 30 piece Symphony of Light kimono display, I said to her in a cracking voice "this is too much". Later Ellen commented "how often do we say this is too much beauty"? Can you remember the last time? I had to return to this exhibit to see and feel this beauty once again. I was not disappointed.

The exhibition is not large by many metropolitan museum standards but the quality, craftsmanship and beauty seen in these kimonos is unbelievable. There is a video and displays showing the dyeing techniques and the immense amount of work that goes into each kimono creation which I highly recommend if you are a textile nut.

Master Kubota's vision of the Symphony of Light originally consisted of a collection of 80 kimonos depicting the Four Seasons, a traditional Japanese theme. Unfortunately, Master Kubota did not complete the series for we saw only 30 kimonos. At the age of 60, the autumn of his life, Master Kubota started the collection and thus began with autumn and completed through to winter. The landscapes, colors and textures float from one kimono to the next in a subtle yet intricate design forming a giant masterpiece.

If you decide to take a few moments to see this exhibit you will not be disappointed. For more information go to: www.cantonart.org

Healing Art on Glass-BOTANICA

This is a follow-up with great color from yesterday's post with much detail about Botanica. The Botanica collection offers a peak into the many new technologies that Skyline Design has brought into their manufacturing. Skyline Design is the largest etcher of glass in North America. Looking for decorative glass for any project? Please visit www.skydesign.com.

HEALING POWER OF NATURE SHOWN ON GLASS

Skyline Design has deliberately brought together three inspirational artists to display their organic art onto glass for a new collection called Botanica. I had the pleasure of traveling with the very cool woman from Skyline that helped to compile this collection. The mission here is to aid interior designers and architects in designing spaces that motivate the healing process whether it be a scary hospital or a stressful corporate conference room. Please check out the artists below to see how their art inspires meditation, healing and stress relief in places that often create fear and stress.

The three featured artists:
Henry Domke was a physician for 25 years before he decided to focus solely on nature photography that inspires healing. Skyline Design purchased three of his nature photographs that can be manipulated in innumerable ways to create new designs. To view his creations, learn about the artist, see the land that he is preserving and feel his passion for nature visit his website at http://www.henrydomke.com/.

Zeva Oelbaum is a New York-based still-life photographer and executive producer for an award winning documentary film. For the Botanica collection she demonstrates the Victorian era's photographic cataloguing technique called cyanotype. It appears much like a blueprint of organic items. To see the three cyanotype images go to Skyline's website at http://www.skydesign.com/. To learn more about Zeva, her crisp still-life photos, or the documentary visit http://www.zevaphoto.com/.

Steven Meyers spent 30 years as a medical x-ray technologist and is a native resident of Washington state. He now uses radiographs to expose organic life forms such as flowers and leaves. The translation of his photographs onto glass can look like soft, flowing fabric. Please visit Steven's website to investigate an interesting and creative new art form at http://www.xray-art.com/.

Skyline Design has truly brought together an amazing tool for architects and designers through Botanica. They can now use glass as art to inspire calm, stress free areas .