#24 Japanese Lacquer Urushi and Wajima Lacquerware with Urushi Artist Suzanne Ross

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We are deep in the forest and surrounded by urushi trees.

Did you know that urushi lacquer is made from tree sap?

Urushi is tree sap that is dripped out as a defence mechanism like humans would form a scab when they get a cut.

Currently in Japan, urushi tapping can only be found in limited areas such as the north eastern part of Japan.

What’s important to note is that each tree takes 12 to 20 years to grow. But each would produce only 200 grams of the sap and will be chopped down after the tapping season, which would last only for half a year.

That’s why urushi is so precious that it’s called as drops of blood.

Let’s go back to the forest and hear how urushi tapping is done.

It’s not an easy process for both trees and human beings. We can see that, so why has the Japanese kept this tradition for thousands of years. And how is this precious material being used in our lives?

To address these questions, I have spoken to Suzanne Ross in Wajima City, where the tradition of lacquerware production is still evident. With three decades of career as an urushi artist, she has not only studied wajima nuri and other lacquer techniques but also has taken unique approaches to Japanese lacquerware, attracting younger people to the world of urushi.

More information about Suzanne Ross and her work can be found in the following sites:

https://www.suzanneross.art/

https://www.ross-studios.net/

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