I don’t consider myself as a “skilled” Sashiko artisan. Yes, I am a professional

I don’t consider myself as a “skilled” Sashiko artisan. Yes, I am a professional, so I am as good as I should be. However, the Sashiko artisans I grew up with always make(made) me feel that it is far away to be the “skilled” one. At the same time, the artisans weren’t special people. They were just ordinary Japanese who happened to be masterful in Sashiko. I believe the same people exist(ed) all over Japan. So… I hesitate to say that I am a skilled Sashiko artisan. Similarly, there are many talented people in Sashiko. Some may be good at designing the pattern. Some are genius to combine vintage fabric & Sashiko. There are many others who are masterful Sashiko, which I do not practice. It took a lot of guts to offer Sashiko Class & share our Sashiko online.

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However, there is one field that I am very confident in. It is the field of “Thinking about What Sashiko is”. I hated Sashiko in my childhood. In order to hate, I had to know what Sashiko was. Since my childhood, I have been thinking, learning, and then thinking about Sashiko – why’s. Therefore I have so many words to share. Therefore, my stories are “comprehensive”. 30 years of my thinking as Sashiko is my life… Isn’t it natural for me to feel pain when someone minimizes my 30 years? I went through a lot. I am here to share everything. I am aware of the discomfort by writing occasional strong statements. If you disagree with what I say, please read what I write first. This account isn’t something I came up with out of ideas. This is a summary of my 30 years. 

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今日は米国では感謝祭です。入植時、アメリカ大陸の原住民の方々から教わった農耕で飢餓を乗り越え、その収穫に感謝をする日とされています。同時に、インディアン（原住民）の方にとっては、略奪の始まりの日とされていたりします。事実は一つなのですが、それをどのように伝え、見る角度を変えることによって、様々な解釈（意味づけ）ができます。僕は、この歴史を学んで以来、小売業のセールの一週間……という感謝祭だけではなく、想像力の大切さを思い出す一週間にしています。

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2020-11-26 09:05:54

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