My name is Kaori Nakakohji; I live in Nara, Japan. Since my childhood, I like creative work and crafts making all kinds of things and when I was 15 I started learning drawing and painting. After high school graduation, I enrolled at Japanese University with major of Arts of Visual Communication Design.
From a young age I like watching movies, especially Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror ones; I admire with those creations which never existed in the real world and would love to become a special effects makeup artist. That was the reason I moved to Los Angeles, California where I entered the program for master makeup and special effects.
After finishing my studies and getting a diploma I began working as a freelance film makeup artist and also as a graphic designer. In a few years, I moved to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia where I've lived and worked for many years, and then returned to my home country. So, when I'm asked about my source of inspiration, I say that it comes from all my experience and everything fascinating me as well.
Having a rich creative experience, however, I've never tried to design and make jewelry until several years ago. I received the first push in that when I saw a beautiful lampwork piece I found in a bead shop in Malaysia. It was really amazing, but I had no idea what to do with it, so I went to the closest bookstore and started searching for making jewelry and accessories.
In Malaysia there were so many books about handmaking from all over the world! That got me excited and interested, especially in wirework. I began buying beads and making accessories using artistic wire and enjoyed with my new hobby. Unfortunately, in some time I became very busy and couldn't spend much time for handmade anymore, but in 2014 passion for crafting returned to me!
When searching for custom jewelry in the Internet, I came across soutache embroidery. The moment when I found and saw first pieces of soutache jewelry was really shocking; I was amazed to see such a unique and beautiful jewelry, which I've never seen before. I totally had no idea of how to create that jewelry, but I knew this was what I was looking for.
I immediately started looking for information about soutache embroidery over the Internet and found several books and tutorials. First, I purchased a book "Soutache" by Anneta Valious, which turned out to be a very helpful for me to start learning how to make soutache jewelry. I also I enjoyed all beautiful pictures of Anneta's amazing works.
I started with making small elements and first felt some difficulties to form smooth and nice shapes. No wonder that it took pretty long time to finish just one piece, but I found soutache embroidery very funny. In a while, I already worked with all sorts of materials, sometimes unusual, like zippers and wire mesh ribbons, which are one of my favorites now. I'm still learning and trying to discover new ideas to create something unique.
About Part Of Myself Necklace. This work is my first big piece created when I just started making soutache embroidery jewelry. I was thinking about that story, "Awakening strong passion which was hidden deep inside you, finally bloom big flower on the chest as part of your body along with the great hope." The necklace took me about two months to finish, because I needed to redo some things many times to get my work absolutely as I envisioned. When I didn't give up and finally completed my challenge I felt confident towards my work in that I was able to finish my first big piece! This was a very valuable experience for me.
Making soutache embroidery is soothing partly because of feeling you play with colors. I'm always thinking about design, ideas come to my mind and follow one after another all the time even when I'm taking a shower or when I'm sleeping! When I realize that all my thoughts are about a particular design, I mentally start doing it but the process still takes me long time to get the results I wanted.
My desire is to continue creating jewelry full of originality and uniqueness and to challenge more various designs in the future. I feel ultimate satisfaction and joy when I am able to create a design that allowed me to express thoughts, my feelings and myself. I'm truly happy that I could find soutache embroidery and I can try new things through this work.
As a beginner, I want to challenge to see what I am capable of creating. First, I entered several contests in Japan and then participated in Bead Dreams 2015, which is my biggest challenge early this year. When my piece "Peacock" was chosen as a finalist, I couldn't believe that at first, I was really surprised, but I received confidence in my work. I felt it was a great start for me, the result kept me going.
The story about Peacock Necklace. This work is based on my piece Sunflower Necklace shape. When I designed "Sunflower", I was thinking just of making small sunflowers on both sides of the necklace, but it turned out they looked like small birds instead of sunflower, and I really like it. Keeping in my mind this idea, I made it imaging such a story, "Two small peacocks bring to everyone on their 'wings of happiness' full of joy and great happiness." When making Peacock Necklace, I myself felt happy.
Then I've searched for more contests. When I found "Fashion Colorworks 2015", I strongly felt I needed to give it a try. Working with only three limited colors - that seemed to be so unique that it was going to be another challenge for me! I chose the combination which I saw in my dreams and which could be made in that color palette. When creating a piece I always imagine its look and a story behind my future work, then create a design and start making.
When my piece was announced as the Second Place Winner in Finished Jewelry category, I was really shocked! The win brought me great happiness, also encouraged me to keep challenging. Also Fashion Colorworks Contest gave me a great opportunity to develop and to improve my skills, and I would like to sincerely thank the organizers, sponsors, and all of the judges!
About Aqua Trickle" Necklace. This theme of it is water droplets; I designed the necklace imaging how the water is dripping. I was careful about harmony of the three contest colors, and each of them serves as a design emphasis on movement. I was especially trying to express the movement of the delicate water and to finish the design as simple as possible.
During the process of embroidery, I was thinking about the "color of movement" and enjoyed it, especially when I worked on a necklace part that had to express how water droplets would start falling; it was funny and very exciting. First, I started the center part and made most of it but I realized that it was going to appear too large and the sides wouldn't stand out. If I feel in the process the result is going to be different from my initial thoughts, I'm always trying to redesign and redo - again and again until I get satisfied.
Working on Aqua Trickle Necklace, I've changed my mind about design several times and it took me quite long time to finish. As a result, I think the work is nicely balanced, harmonious and attractive, and all three colors are successfully implemented. When I finally completed my work I felt immense satisfaction.
I believe handmakers share a great joy and happiness of creativity with many people around the world. I am really glad that I found such a wonderful beading world! My long journey of beading just begun. Now I believe my crafting passion will never end! And I will definitely participate in Fashion Colorworks 2016!
My gallery on MyLovelyBeads.com
About author:
| Kaori Nakakohji, Nara, Japan | |
| Email: | kaorina.art@gmail.com |
| Blog: | kaorina-art.blogspot.com |
| Facebook: | facebook.com/kaorina.art |
