I am inspired to make this body of work, to challenge myself to create beautiful handmade vessels, called Japanese rice bags (komebukuro), which were originally used in Edo period Japan (1600-1868) to transport small amounts of rice as offerings to temples & shrines during festivals. The small treasures in this collection are hand-pieced from humble scraps of fabric that each on its own would mean nothing but orchestrated together create a meaningful whole. That order from chaos can be imbued with beauty. If I could give these textile remnants a new way of being perceived, I have done my job. With the limitation of using only what was recycled, purchasing a few notions, I was not hampered but freed to be more creative with less. Less is more.

I feel this process is a metaphor for the times we live in. With so much available, so much material wasted, can we challenge ourselves to consume less and create more with our hands using what we already have. The average person might not be able to afford new sewing material but could recycle some old clothing, bed sheets, or visit a thrift store.

What does this kind of creating require from us? A shift in mindset, from consumption to creation; curiosity, seeing creative possibilities where others might consider things easily disposable. With finite resources, can we be creative while also being sustainable. Look around you, and you will see there is no lack of supplies to create with. Creativity is the ultimate recycler.

I think this exhibition will give the viewer hope that old traditions from Japan are still being practised, now revived in the West and being carried on by a new generation. The viewer will be surprised by the fact that there is a whole world of treasures that don’t need to end up in the dump. They are waiting to be seen in a new light and transformed. It’s time to reclaim our privilege to create by hand and slow down to enjoy some peaceful moments in our hectic day.