Glen Kaufman
2017: Tools for Cheap
December 30, 2017
Big Canoe, GA
New Year’s Greetings:
December 8, 2017 10:00 am Big Canoe, North Georgia Mountains
A light snow has been falling since midnight and now appears to be about 4 inches deep and continuing to fall. The view from the window wall is a “Winter Wonderland” in the true sense of that image. The contrast between the stark tree trunks and the snow create a dramatic study in black and white. There is a feeding frenzy at the bird feeder with constant comings and goings. Chickadees, titmice, nuthatches are all competing for access. This is a most unusual early December snow, even in North Georgia, with most of these snowfalls occurring in the early months of the year. Joyful!! Of course, I am happily entrapped here in the mountain house until my uphill driveway finally melt,s long after the roads are clear.
The early months of 2017 were spent mostly in the mountains with essential time in Athens as necessary. There was snow and sleet in Big Canoe in January but nothing like the snow described above. I was in Athens to prepare for and present several groups of Japanese costumes to the Athens Fibercraft Guild and Andrea Trombetta’s Fabric Design class at UGA. The focus was on juban (under kimono) with many examples in the Textile Collection in the Hargrett Library and boro boro (patched work clothes and covers) from the Collection and pieces in my own holdings. In February, I visited Lee and Ginger Heidel at their new digs at The Landings in Savannah. They are now the proud owners of 3 of my works in impressed metal leaf from the Endangered Cities series. They have a prime spot for them in their 2-story living space.
I returned to Kyoto in early April at the height of cherry blossom season and was pleased to welcome the return of John and Susan Powers with daughters Juno and Nova. Susan was grad asstistant in my Study Abroad Japan and John joined us there as well. We celebrated Nova’s 1st birthday at my Kyoto house. John currently teaches sculpture at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. We toured highlights they had missed in years past and revisited favorites including the extensive flea market at Kitano Shrine.
Spring provided great opportunities to view a variety of exhibitions. These included contemporary works at the Some’ (dyeing) Museum, an exhibition of beads from all over the world exploring a wide variety of materials at the Ethnographic Museum, and traditional wooden sweets molds at the Mingei (folk craft) Museum, both in Osaka. The Museum of Modern Art Kyoto mounted a rather impressive exhibition of jewels from the archives of the French jeweler Van Cleef & Arpels and Japanese works focusing on the similarities between Japanese craft and the French jewelry.
Most of my summer was spent at my retreat in the N Georgia Mountains enjoying the quiet surrounding forests with regular trips to the Fitness Center and Swim Club. In August, I made my now-annual trip to Wisconsin and Michigan to visit family with Wisconsin stops in Whitewater to spend time with cousin Mick and intense games of Gin 21, then on to Kohler to see nephew Kurk, wife Paula and daughter Katie in their new abode undergoing renovation. Next, a drive further north to the UP for visit with my sister Karol and her husband John who had recently sold their log home and acreage and had settled into a grand camper at a park on the shores of Lake Michigan. Their permanent home is now in Trinity, Texas. I found a cottage nearby that proved to be both comfortable and convenient. Niece Kris, her daughter Maya, plus niece Kari and her husband John joined us. A happy reunion! We spent a day at the Upper Michigan State Fair on the midway and checking out arts and crafts exhibits, all manner of animals and sampling a host of edibles. I followed Kris and Maya back to Boyne City in N Michigan (down state) spending an enjoyable time with them including the solar eclipse from Kris’ deck.
Grandson LTJG Lee Kaufman moved to his Naval Base near Seattle during the summer and experienced his 1st three-month sub cruse in late summer and early fall. While on land he has embraced the mountains nearby with climbing documented in some scary video captured on his helmet-mounted camera. Subsequently, he has taken some spectacular photos of mountain views most recently of ice caves and snowy landscapes. He had to work on Christmas but there is a chance we’ll see him in March. His is a life under-sea, atop mountains!
Page and Jeanne continue to embrace their life on Lake Lanier in North Georgia with frequent cruises on the lake in their pontoon boat during spring through fall. Their e-commerce business is thriving with Jeanne taking responsibility for fashion and accessories and Page totally involved with his own passion, Teas Unique. In addition to a wide variety of Korean organic teas, Japanese tea, tea-flavored chocolates, tea flavored spread and honey he is now selling selections of Korean instant noodles and snacks. Check it out: <teasunique.com> and also on Amazon.
Each fall for the last 5 or 6 years I have been able to partake in Kyoto Experiment showcasing artists from both East and West through music, dance and experimental performance. In 2017 these included a “choreography of light” in which shadow was a prime element; “music for percussion” with clapping and knee slapping; Demolition Incorporada a dance group from Brazil influenced by Japanese Butoh and finally the famous American group, Trisha Brown Dance Company, with outstanding works including a piece that incorporated “fog sculptures” by Fujiko Nakaya. In addition, I saw the drum group KODO for the 6th time.
WRAPPED: WELCOME TO THE TOOLSHED GalleryGallery, Kyoto, November 4 – 18, 2017
A Tool is a hand held gadget or implement used to carry out a particular function. Recent discoveries in Africa suggest stone tools were used 3.3 million years ago. This allowed early man to kill and consume large animals thus helping toolmakers to survive. The Bronze Age, which ushered in agriculture, and Iron Age, both enabled man to fashion high quality metal tools followed this Stone Age.
Wrapped suggests something is surrounded or covered with some material. I am intrigued and fascinated by hand tools of all sorts. As an artist I have used a diversity of hand tools for a wide variety of tasks including weaving, painting, drawing, printing, mounting, carpentry and cooking among others. My father was a carpenter and homebuilder so I was exposed to wood working tools at an early age. Later I was employed in my father’s business, in my student days, so I had more direct experience with hand tools.
Since I have lived and worked in Japan for many years I have used traditional tools in producing my art here. In addition to working with tools I have become attracted to tools seen in flea and antique markets here and began to collect them with the goal of “A Celebration of the Hand Tool”. I have also “imported” some tools from America. My approach to this collection of hand tools was to embellish them with wrappings of a wide variety of natural fibers, yarns, cords, strings, colors, etc. with the goal of transforming simple tools into objects by mounting and exhibiting them in a gallery setting.
December, 30, 2017 Big Canoe
The beautiful snow has long since melted and today the view out the window wall is still dominated by the strong trunks of the trees. Bright sunshine casts dark shadows on the leaf-covered ground. While the sun warms the house the outside temperatures are in the 40’s.
Best Wishes to all for excellent health and happiness in 2018, The Year of the Dog. Grrrrrrrrrr!