Artist
Atelier Sernella
About
From Hand-Painted Yuzen to Fabric Felt
Captivated by the ethereal world of Itchiku Kubota (kimono artist), I began training as a hand-painted Yuzen artisan at the age of 26. At 44, I became independent and worked as a kimono artist for ten years. Later, due to the rapid decline of the kimono industry, requests for Yuzen work decreased, and I began helping my wife with her handmade felt creations. Gradually, I shifted my work entirely to felt production, and in 2008, my wife and I launched our original brand, “Atelier Serenella no Saku Koro.”
Since kimono design is also a form of textile design, dealing with color and composition, much of what I had learned as a kimono artist proved highly applicable to felt creation. Although wool felt was still relatively unfamiliar in Japan, this presented unlimited possibilities for individual felt artists and gave me the courage to make a career transition.
During my kimono artist years, I received the Kyoto Mayor’s Award for two consecutive years (2004 and 2005) at the 24th and 25th Yuzen Exhibition. In felt work, I was awarded the Good Fashion Award at the 22nd Creators Market in 2010.Itchiku Kubota
Atelier Sernella
Artisan
Utilizing the skills cultivated as a Yuzen artisan, the Tsuji-ga-hana(floral) patterns are hand-painted directly onto silk organza fabric with a brush, creating a unique wool felt shawl that blends traditional Japanese and Western styles.