Wood keeps silent and says nothing, but it is heard. It is nothing but God.

About 35 years ago from now, I went home in Hyogo prefecture, to live along aimlessly, walking a dog, etc. I liked wood roots or stones and used to pick them up on the way, which were enough to lie in a heap. One day, I heard the strong voice, voiceless voice from the inside of my heart Go and create Floral Vases for Ikebana!! Utterly moved with the voice by myself, I exclaimed, It is a good idea. Within the day, I immediately started to create vases , believe me, which is the meeting with Floral Vase with Wood and Soul. I did not notice then, but come to think about it now, I really believe that inner intense desire was the mysterious voice of God beyond me. It is because that until then, I could have not thought about floral vases in my life. Since then it has been my belief that the voice is Heavens Will and an absolute must for me.


I started to make vases somehow or other on that particular day but it was an unknown world to me anyway. Learn from Wood about Wood, Well, what to do with it. Working while talking to Wood, strangely enough, I was able to speed up work progress for wood to gradually begin showing a splendid figure. Rather than that, wood talked to me about its life, history, function, principle ,etc., and stay put in front of me now at this moment, after its life ended.
It talked to me about its solemn way of living. How respectful the soul of wood is! What a noble wood it is! I recall with nostalgia that I proceeded the work with my tears dropping over and over again. How I wished I could have lived like this root though it is impossible. In terms of human, the root was living a silent life without being noticed as if it was playing a role of a foot sole. Those roots kept sending bread of life with heart and soul to the upper trunks and foliages and with no pride, with no rude whatsoever, they just try to fulfill their mission with their heart and behavior strictly disciplined.


My sincere wish、possibly not what they wanted, is that I would polish Kodama to make it bloom once again so that it will permeate deeply into humans heart!! People often talk about and appreciate blessings of nature, but I wonder how they feel and if they well express how grateful and thankful they are for those blessings. When it is only in recent years that people including me, begin feeling life crisis of Mother of Earth, I wish to convey messages of wood to people as their spokesperson, though I have such an insignificant ability.


I will continue to talk to people together with wood roots that we humans are privileged to live by unseen life and human’s wholeheartedness should return to what it should be.
And I will further continue to create Vases until the last flame burns out so that true peace is elicited, greatly harmonized with human and nature. Kindly take my mission for granted as sincere and profound prayer by me and wood roots as well.

Best Regards,
Kasho, Back to Nature type of man

Profile of the Artist

Kasho

Creating of Floral Vase from Wood with Soul

About Raw Materials
Raw materials are driftwood, buried roots, spunk, rough wood, etc. Almost all of the current 300 materials on hand were buried in the mountains and parts of the decayed roots. As it has been several decades since they changed to stumps, quite a few of them can not be classified even by the professional eyes.

As I put a high priority on characteristics of each one of wood, I dare to make it a rule to disregard ranks of Noble Wood. Those pieces of wood are hard and those of good luster are a bit more expensive. Their true value that stay inside are hard to detect before they are, in fact, completely polished.

Work Process
First of all, I begin to work by talking to the wood with my evil thoughts expelled and soul of my own sanctified. All of a sudden , for a certain moment, a complete image of that wood can be seen to my full satisfaction. When my soul gets dark, however, none of its images appear, which gives me the hardest time of it. First, along with its image, a rough lay-out of overall design is made with a chain saw. Next, the decayed or vermiculated parts are chipped off with a wire brush to have its hard core part appear. With powered or air revolving tools chosen out of more than 100 ones, it is polished from coarse to smooth, finally finished with a sand paper of No.300 〜400, and polishing is completed when the detailed parts are cleaned.

For its makeup in finish, oil is applied for further preservation, wiped away, and polished with a buff. In doing so, finally, a floral vase is reproduced ,having a deep complexion which has not recognized yet in rough wood and a stately atmosphere is created by Wabi-Sabi, a Japanese traditional and ultimate beauty.Some of them perform a harmonized unification, combined with a few pieces of them. Root, finally, is restored with a name inscribed.

1941
Born in the western end of Hyogo on January 5, Coming - of - Age Day in the year when World War 2 broke out.

1970 or so
Hearing the sound Wood, I created the first work of Floral Vase with Wood and Soul. Was a dull boy. For the first time, I was praised by my mother for the work, which brought me confidence. After that, continued to create floral vases as a hobby, all of which were sold though ,experiencing the varied twist and turn of life. 200 to 300 works went out into the marketplace before I turned pro.

2004
At long last, I determined to work my way to a woodcrafter. A considerable amount of hardships was anticipated due to an unprecedented road to a woodcrafter. Could ask nothing better for further challenge because of its difficulty, trembling with excitement.

Happy day of 2006
Will never fail to pave the way for this challenge. So inspiring as to raise my followers. Figurative beauty of life of Wood does not look by any possibility as if humans can ever reach. As my role, all I could do is just find out something good about wood and bring out its most valuable forms. The true creator is ,in fact, Life of Nature. To pass its beauty down generations is my mission, I believe.