Oki Toshie

It is a joy for me to create my artwork. At the same time, it is painful. Every time I push my creative boundaries, I hit walls of resistance. This makes me realize how incompetent I am and how much there is still to learn. On top of that, it shows a part of me that I want to hide. This process is, however, a necessary part of my life, just as eating and sleeping are.

I chose to work in the Traditional Craft Organization which has many rules and regulations that limit working in more sculptural forms. Despite this, I am very comfortable working within this restrained freedom to express myself.

The sound of bamboo splitting gives me a good feeling, and I am energized when I feel the tension of the bamboo strips. Bamboo is such a wonderful medium for me — I am so fortunate to have found it.

After I completed my initial training, I began to express myself in my work. I try to show in an abstract manner the beauty of the ideas I see in my mind. Over the past two years, I have been thinking about what beauty is and what beauty I can create with this special medium. It is not an easy path to be a bamboo artist, but I will try to push myself further with each new piece.