Japan Institute of Portland Japanese Garden invites you to deepen your knowledge of the aesthetic essence underlying Japanese art and craft. In December, the third and final installment of this three-part webinar series invites Steve Beimel from JapanCraft21 to speak on the artistry of everyday ceramic vessels that Japanese craftspeople make extraordinary. The first part of this series, held in October, is focused on the craftsmanship invested into Kyoto’s Japanese gardens. The second installment, held in November, looks more deeply at Japanese aesthetics through the nation’s crafts. 

Born from earth and fire, the ceramic arts encapsulate many of the aesthetic principles discussed throughout the series and correspond with  Kintsugi: The Restorative Art of Naoko Fukumaru. This show, running September 28 through January 27, 2025, features master conservator and artist Naoko Fukumaru’s skilled work through the craft of kintsugi, a 500-year-old Japanese method of beautifully restoring broken ceramics with lacquer and gold. 

About JapanCraft21 

JapanCraft21 is an action-oriented, Japan-based nonprofit organization working to reverse the rapid decline of traditional Japanese crafts. By identifying the issues artisans face and implementing solutions for the 21st century, the organization promotes a tuition-free school to train young carpenters in advanced wood joinery; an apprentice program that supports both aged master craftspeople and the young people aspiring to mastery; and a nationwide contest that identifies the best and  brightest craftspeople, awarding them substantial financial and promotional support as well as membership to their Craft Leader Program. JapanCraft21 Educational Outreach aims to raise awareness of the magnificence of Japan’s brilliant yet fragile cultural future through in-depth webinars offered in English to an international audience. 

About the Speaker

Steve Beimel has worked in Japanese culture since the early 1970s and is a longtime resident of Japan who lives in the Kyoto foothills with his wife, Ritsuko, an ikebana instructor. Founding Esprit Travel & Tours in 1992, he produced in-depth cultural tours of Japan. In 2018, he founded the nonprofit organization, JapanCraft21, to save and revitalize Japanese Master Crafts. The organization started a school in Kyoto to teach joinery skills to young carpenters and focused on developing a program to support apprenticeships in vulnerable craft genres such as lacquer work, textile arts, and bamboo basketry. Today the organization holds national contests to provide ongoing support to craftspeople.

Previous Installments

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This program is presented by Japan Institute of Portland Japanese Garden in partnership with JapanCraft21.