Profile | Tomoko Maeda
Tomoko Maeda
Jewelry Artist/Metalworker
Sink into the depths of your creation, as if guided by nature and tranquility
The moment I touch the metal, my mind becomes quiet.
Heat, pound, and polish.
In each process, thoughts and intentions are stripped away,
Only the material and inner tranquility remain.
At the root of my creation is the Japanese sense of beauty.
The compositional power of the Rinpa school, the atmosphere of wabi-sabi, and the tranquility that resides in the "ma" and "all space."
All of these are the essence of beauty that I want to put into the little universe of jewelry.
It is also influenced by the concepts of "beauty of use" and "mercy of things" in Japanese crafts and art history.
They are rooted in me as ideas that bring in a tranquility that resonates with the heart and mind in their works, not merely decorativeness.
The creative attitude of accepting the true nature of the material and accepting change is also in line with the Buddhist ideology of impermanence in everything.
To put each piece into shape with a prayer-like feeling - that is what I create for me.
It's not just for decoration,
As an entity that will create quiet ripples in the hearts of those who wear it.
With the aim of achieving such jewelry, we interact with materials every day.
History and background
Born in Tokyo.
Graduated from the Department of Crafts, Department of Metalwork, Faculty of Art, Tokyo University of the Arts.
While attending school, he was attracted to metal crafts, and while learning techniques such as metal forging and carving, he deepened his attitude towards facing materials.
After graduating, he began working as a private writer. While presenting his works both domestically and internationally, he continues to create works with the theme of bringing stories and serenity to the minimal space of jewelry.
My thoughts on creativity
Jewels and pearls are not just decorations.
Each of them is an irreplaceable being born in nature.
To make it breathe life into it with human hands.
That's my job.
Be polite when you can't see.
Even if the user doesn't notice it, jewelry remembers it.
So I don't cut corners on any small part.
That's my attitude towards manufacturing.
message
One of the only materials in the world,
You, one person in the world, will meet you—
We deliver jewellery that brings you a sense of tranquility that connects this "connection."
