A lasting contribution to the study of Japanese textiles and to the cultural history of the Inland Sea region, this volume presents a historical ethnography of the fishing villages that produced the sashiko no donza, or fishermanÕs coat. It provides as well an in-depth analysis of regional textile production, the sashiko tradition in the village of Hokudan, and the iconography of the eloquently stitched designs that appear on the coats. Sharon Sadako Takeda is senior curator and head of the Department of Costume and Textiles at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Luke Roberts is an associate professor of Japanese history at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

"The Grove Encyclopedia of Materials and Techniques deals with all aspects of materials, techniques, conservation, and restoration in both traditional and nontraditional media, including ceramics, sculpture, metalwork, painting, works on paper, textiles, video, digital art, and more. Drawing upon the expansive scholarship in The Dictionary of Art and adding new entries, this work is a comprehensive reference resource for artists, art dealers, collectors, curators, conservators, students, researchers, and scholars." "Similar in design to The Grove Encyclopedia of Decorative Arts, this one-volume reference work contains articles of various lengths in alphabetical order. The shorter, more factual articles are combined with larger, multi-section articles tracing the development of materials and techniques in various geographical locations. The Encyclopedia provides unparalleled scope and depth, and it offers fully updated articles and bibliography as well as over 150 illustrations and color plates." "The Grove Encyclopedia of Materials and Techniques offers scholarly information on materials and techniques in art for anyone who studies, creates, collects, or deals in works of art. The entries are written to be accessible to a wide range of readers, and the work is designed as a reliable and convenient resource covering this essential area in the visual arts."

Tom Klobe, founding director of the University of Hawai'i Art Gallery and emeritus professor, draws upon three decades of award-winning design work to produce a definitive text on what makes for compelling and unforgettable museum exhibitions. Exhibitions: Concept, Planning and Design presents the basics—the elements and principles of design, use of space, budgets and resources, lighting and wall labels, and more—as well as the inspiring.

Spanning decades of research, this compelling social history tells the stories of ordinary people in modern Japan. Tatsuichi Horikiri spent a lifetime searching out old items of clothing—ranging from everyday kimono, work clothes, uniforms, and futons to actor’s costumes, diapers, hats, aprons, and bags. Simultaneously he collected oral history accounts to shed light on those who used these items. Horikiri reveals not only the difficult and sometimes desperate lives of these people, most from the lower strata in early twentieth-century Japan, he illuminates their hopes, aspirations, and human values. He also explores such topics as textile techniques, the history of fashion, and the ethnography of clothing and related cultural phenomena. Having been wrongly accused and tortured by the Japanese military police in China during World War II, Horikiri takes a deeply empathetic view of all those who struggle—from peasants and coal miners to traveling salesmen and itinerant performers. This personal connection sets his account apart, giving his writing great power and immediacy. Students and scholars of Japanese history, as well those interested in material culture, labor history, and feminist history, will find this book deeply illuminating.

Let an expert teach you the traditional craft of Japanese country quilting, “the perfect simple, low-cost hobby to get you off your phone” (Slate). Sashiko, the traditional Japanese technique of needlework quilting, uses a simple running stitch to create beautiful patterns ideal for patchwork, quilting, and embroidery. Sashiko, pronounced shash-ko, means “stab stitch” and refers to the small running stitch that is worked to build up hundreds of distinctive decorative patterns. This book begins by exploring the origins of the technique: to strengthen clothes and to make them warmer. The “Getting Started” section describes everything you need to begin stitching, including selecting suitable fabrics and threads, marking out patterns on the fabric, as well as the stitching technique itself. Ten project chapters show how easy it is to use sashiko patterns to make beautiful items for the home. The sashiko patterns are described in step-by-step detail in the pattern library, showing you exactly how to achieve each individual pattern with ease. Finally, a gallery of work by contemporary Japanese textile artists provides extra inspiration. “A book I would suggest anyone getting started with sashiko would benefit from having in their library . . . Susan Briscoe writes with an obvious fondness for Japanese culture.” —The Ardent Thread