Mother also wove growing up

Family that saved her belongings during World War II Thriving art culture at camp Leaving everything behind On the process of making her leaf bowls On the process of creating her Japanese paper bowls From double weaving to microfilament “flat” hangings Marriage to Bob Stocksdale Moving to Cincinnati after Topaz Learning how to weave Mother also wove growing up

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She was a weaver when she was growing up. She didn't tell me this until I was well into weaving and so I was surprised.

But then it turns out that I think every farm household in Japan wove when it came to be the weaving season. They planted rice when it was the season for rice planting and raised cocoons. I know that they sent the good silk to Kyoto but they kept the silk that wasn't ... seconds and they kept that for themselves and they wove fabric for their own clothing.

And my mother actually reeled the silk from four cocoons to make a single thread, and then she actually wove it into a scarf and then she tie-dyed it. And I still have it.

Date: November 23, 2018
Location: California, US
Interviewer: Patricia Wakida
Contributed by: A Co-Production of the Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum and KCET

art artist silk weaving