b. 1941
Kajiwara is one of the first female bamboo artists to become a full member of the Japan Craft Arts Association. She became interested in the genre while helping her husband, Kajiwara Koho, with his work. When her youngest daughter entered grade school, she enrolled at Beppu Occupational School, the premier bamboo arts training institution in the country, and graduated in 1980. Encouraged by her teacher, she and 15 other women formed a bamboo craft association that organized its own exhibitions.
Shortly thereafter she began winning awards for her baskets, including the Beppu Mayor's Award at the 22nd Bamboo Craft Arts New Work Exhibition. She was first admitted to Japan's esteemed Traditional Craft Arts Exhibition in 1992, and thereafter numerous times, and is the recipient of the President's Prize, the highest honor bestowed by this organization. Her work is part of the San Francisco Asian Art Museum's collection.
"Many bamboo artists must take part-time jobs, which keeps us from our craft artwork," she says. "You cannot become rich as a bamboo artist even if your work wins awards of excellence. But you know I love working with bamboo. I am still weaving and plaiting in the middle of the night. You cannot create that wonderful curved line with any other materials and the feeling when you have achieved what you imagined is unforgettable."
K a j i w a r a A y a | C V
b. 1941, Oita prefecture, Japan
E d u c a t i o n
1959, Graduated from Iwata Women’s High School
1980, Graduated from Oita Prefecture Beppu Occupational School, Bamboo Crafts Division
E x h i b i t i o n s + A c c o l a d e s
1985, Admitted to Japan Traditional Craft Arts Exhibition,Western Division for the first time (thereafter 10 times)
1985, Winner of BeppuMayor’s Award at 22nd Beppu New Bamboo Craft Arts Exhibition
1986, Winner of Division Chief’s Award at 21st Western Japan Traditional Craft Arts Exhibition
1986, Winner of Encouragement Award at Oita Prefecture Arts Exhibition
1987, Winner of Oita City Mayor’s Award at 22nd Japan Traditional Craft Arts Exhibition, WesternDivision
1987, Winner of Chamber of Commerce Chairman’s Award at 24th Beppu New Bamboo Craft Arts Exhibition
1988, Winner of Oita Governor’s Award at 23rd Japan Traditional Craft Arts Exhibition, Western Division
1989, Beppu Mayor’s Award at 26th Beppu New Bamboo Craft Arts Exhibition
1990, Winner of Tokiwa Award at 27th Beppu New Bamboo Craft Arts Exhibition
1990, Winner of Kagoshima Governor’s Award at 25th Japan Traditional Craft Arts Exhibition, Western Division
1991, Winner of Oita Governor’s Award at 26th Western Japan Traditional Craft Arts Exhibition
1992, Admitted to Japan Traditional Craft Arts Exhibition for the first time (thereafter 5 times)
1993, Winner of Advancement of Traditional Craft Arts Association Award at 30th Beppu
1993, New Bamboo Craft Arts Exhibition
1994, Winner of Advancement of Traditional Craft Arts Association Award at 31st Beppu
1994, New Bamboo Craft Arts Exhibition
1997, Winner of Asahi Newspaper Silver Award at 32nd Western Japan Traditional Craft Arts Exhibition
1998, Winner of Japan Traditional Craft Arts Award at 33rd Japan Traditional Craft Arts Exhibition Western Division
1999, Received Superior Skill Award from Mayor of Beppu
2000, First woman to become a full member of Japanese Traditional Craft Arts Association
2001, The International Asian Art Fair, New York
2001, The International 20th Century Art Fair, New York
2002, Arts of Pacific Asia, San Francisco
2002, The International Asian Art Fair, New York
2002, SOFA New York
2003, The Classic Japanese Basket, TAI Gallery, Santa Fe
2003, Antiques Chicago
2003, The International Asian Art Fair, New York
2003, The International Art & Design Fair, New York
2004, Antiques Chicago
2004, The International Asian Art Fair, New York
2004, Exhibited in the Hand Workshop Art Center, Richmond, Virginia
2005, The International Art & Design Fair, New York City
2006, The New York Asian Fair
2006, Palm Beach!, Florida
2006, Art Miami
2006, Hin: The Quiet Beauty of Japanese Art, Grinnell College, Iowa
2006, Hin: The Quiet Beauty of Japanese Art, Chicago Cultural Center
2007, The Arts of Pacific Asia Show, San Francisco
2007, The International Asian Art Fair, New York
2008, Palm Beach!, Florida
2008, SOFA New York
2009, SOFA New York
2009, SOFA West: Santa Fe, New Mexico
2010, A Different Sensitivity: Women in Bamboo Art, TAI Gallery, Santa Fe
2010, Int’l. Fine Art and Antique Dealers Show, New York City
2011, SOFA New York
2011, Art Antiques London
2011, SOFA New York
2011, Art Antiques London
2011, International Fine Art & Antique Dealers Show, New York City
2011, SOFA Chicago
2013, Oita’s Art Movement, in partnership with the Oita Prefectural Government, a museum-quality show, TAI Gallery, Santa Fe
2014, Group show, Japanese American Cultural Community Center, Los Angeles
2017, Masterpieces of Japanese Bamboo Art, TAI Modern at Joan B Mirviss LTD, New York, NY