Analogue Life

EN | JP

Shiro Urushi Kowan - Mizumezakura Wood ( White Urushi Finish) / Ø9cm x h8.5cm

Small lidded bowl (kowan) finished with an urushi coat. The urushi (lacquer) finish will vary slightly in tone from piece to piece and the color will gradually lighten with use. Urushi is very durable and the bowls are safe for use with both hot and cold foods.

Hiroyuki Watanabe has been working as a woodcraft artist since 2001. He primarily uses wood and other natural materials to create everyday tools for daily life. His work is guided by an appreciation for the presence of objects and the atmosphere they create within a space. Watanabe uses small hand tools to delicately decorate the surfaces of his pieces, and his vessels are often finished with Urushi, a traditional Japanese lacquer that enhances the wood’s natural beauty or adds color depending on its application. It also increases the durability of the finished piece.

Hiroyuki Watanabe
1971 Born in Ibaraki Prefecture
Graduated from the Department of Crafts, specializing in Urushi (lacquer) at Tokyo University of the Arts.
Completed the graduate program in Wood Crafts at Tokyo University of the Arts.
Currently working as an independent artist.