The Fine Art of Kimono Embroidery

Shizuka Kusano is one of the most admired and recognized textile artists in Japan today. With the publication of The Fine Art of Kimono Embroidery, readers in the West will come to know and appreciate her work for its great beauty and grace. Kusano's canvases are kimono, obi (the sash used to tie the kimono) and tapestries, on which she creates extraordinary compositions in brilliant color and subtle tones, with a rich contrast in textures. Her themes are drawn from Japanese poetry, literature and art, and feature such seasonal motifs as trees, flowers, birds, and streams, designs which are uniquely Japanese in sensibility and expression. Working exclusively with silk threads and fabric, and delicately balancing the use of space in her composition, Kusano's designs achieve the sophistication for which the best Japanese art is known.
Selected works are shown here in full color with explanatory captions, while a separate section covers the primary techniques used on each piece. In addition, Kusano writes about how she developed her art, providing commentary on her themes and sources of inspiration. She also includes an essay on the history of embroidery in Japan from the time it was introduced into the country from China in the sixth century up to the present.

Shizuka Kusano's work has been featured many times in women's magazine and she can be seen on two nationwide TV programs, one of which is broadcast on the educational channel NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation). She teaches at more than five different places, including the Tokyo American Club. She had been part of at least 30 major exhibitions in the last 5 years, and has had one solo show. Kusano is the author of five books in Japanese; this is her first in English.