work by sakurabayashi


Kiyoko Sakurabayashi


The 2001 Knitting & Stitching Show: exhibited work	'Courtesan'	'Autumn Countryside'

Description of my knitting: My methods:	Whilst I am knitting I try to follow my instincts at each stage, at one moment trying to achieve a polished finish with a neat appearance or at another trying to intentionally leave some parts unfinished so that the space in the work can breathe. Therefore, my decisions are irregular, and I work as the mood takes me. I stay most intensely focussed on the colours I am using, but I am very relaxed about how the other factors develop. Following my instincts, and without rules, I manipulate the movements of the yarn into a variety of directions - laying threads on top of the stitches, jumping several stitches, stretching threads across several stitches at once without knitting, and so on. My knitted fabrics are simply the end result of these processes, and I see them more as being 'by-products' of my enjoyment than as finished pieces.
Sources and inspiration:	Colour is the most important element in my work. I am particularly fond of delicate shades of colour, and in this I was influenced by the surroundings at my grandmother's house, located in a small village among the mountains, where I spent so much time during my childhood. It was a rich environment for me to experience, with every breath of nature - the movement of the seasons, fresh air, the blast of spring wind, wild flowers, various games to play amid nature, the sounds of wind, and more. My favourite sight was always the mountains in early spring, when the two seasons struggle with each other for supremacy. During this period, the aspect of the mountains changes dynamically from moment to moment. When mist arrives, all the sharp tension of the dark blue mountains suddenly melts away, and their colours change from pale white to ivory to pale pink. When a hint of egg yellow begins to appear around the edges of the mountains, I feel as if they have grown bigger and taller. Then a moment can arrive when the colours of the mountain change from yellowish green to darker shades of green in rapid succession. On closer inspection, one can see many colours, not just green, such as purple, yellow, dark brown, red, and others. I realized these spots of different colour made the shade of the mountain green deeper and more delicate. These are the experiences that formed the basis for my colour selection. Just to hear the word -'mountain' brings the vision of them rushing back to me.
Message:	I have found it very stimulating to exhibit my pieces, allowing me to look at my work from a different point of view and to reconsider various elements. Sometimes it has even let me discover things in my work that I wasn't aware were there. Although I am thrilled by the idea of exhibiting at the 'Knitting & Stitching Show', in such a different part of the world, it makes me nervous to wonder whether British people will really enjoy our work. I am full of anticipation and excitement.