Continuing with the autumnal vibes, this week’s projects is a comb – or kushi – that features bright yellow chrysanthemums. I’ve done a few kushi in the past, most recently my Queen of the Night hanagushi (“flower comb”).
For me, this piece is a little simplistic. I prefer the more complex kushi that are entirely covered in tsumami zaiku. But, in a way the simplicity is nice; I didn’t have to worry about managing drying time. For larger pieces, like hanagushi, which are all of one piece – rather than being several flowers created separately then combined – the main concern is completing the work in as few sessions as possible. Doing it all in one going is the best, of course.
While nori paste (rice glue) has a long drying time, once it is dry it’s difficult to make adjustments to the piece – which means the more complex a single piece is, the longer you’ll need to work to complete the piece without having to worry about it drying out. It can be a little trying to sit there for a four hour long session. So, even though this piece was not particularly complex, it was nice in that my on real concern while making it was placing things evenly.
This piece was part another of the projects required to complete my tsumami-zaiku certification course – which was made possible by support from SK Arts.
SK Arts supports artists, writers, and craftspeople of all kinds, throughout Saskatchewan, providing funding that allows creatives like me achieve greater heights. If you have a chance to check out their website, I hope you do!
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