Akiko Sugiyama
Fiber artist Akiko Sugiyama was was born and raised in a remote town in northern Japan. Now a resident of semi-tropical Florida, Sugiyama finds inspiration in the abundant flora of the region. She is fascinated with the many flowers, seeds, leaves and pods she encounters and her pieces often echo their forms, textures and patterns.
Sugiyamas paper constructions do seem to have sprung, vigorous and lifelike, from their paper foundation, only to completely obscure this surface with dense, mysterious textures teeming with energy. These compressed and layered plantings, achieved through labor-intensive techiniques and time consuming exploration invite minute, intimate observation and reveal the artist’s skillfully subtle, yet palpable manipulationof her material. Like great beauty encountered in nature... a perfectly formed flower, a tiny polished pebble, or a breathtaking evening sky...Sugiyama’s work impels the same unexpected, yet familiar, delight and reverence... and we know we have discovered a rare and exquisite vision.
