working as a team

A School of Herring (etegami collage)

In my pursuit of Etegami, I've had the pleasure of supporting and being supported by artists and crafters in all fields. Some of this interaction is organized, and much is not.

I've frequently mentioned the "Group of Four," an oddly nick-named group of etegami artists in Sapporo that I meet with once a month. When my enthusiasm for experimentation takes me too far from my orthodox etegami roots (which happens a lot these days), they are the ones who gently remind me what makes Etegami etegami, and not graphic arts, illustration, western-style watercolor, or even sumi-e and haiga. I confess that I continue to experiment (the collage above, for example), but I do it with one hand grasping the end of a safety line that is firmly anchored to traditional etegami.

I am also a member of the Japan Etsy Team, a group of Esty shop owners who either work from Japan or have strong ties here. The team has a blog as well as a Facebook page. This month, a fellow Japan Etsian, Erinn from Off on a Whim Jewelry, honored me by featuring my work in her monthly newsletter. You can sign up for her free newsletter by going to her blog.