Mokuhanga is an artistic medium that can challenge those who practice it. Over a long career, printmakers often feel the desire to see what else they can do with the medium, to push its boundaries and explore where it can take them.

On this episode of The Unfinished Print, a mokuhanga podcast, I speak with Nobuko Yamasaki, a mokuhanga printmaker whose career has taken her from Japan to the United States, where she has settled in Michigan and built her life. Nobuko and I talk about her early work and her mokuhanga teacher, Richard Steiner his teachings and the importance of the artist's name he bestowed upon her. We discuss how mokuhanga continues to evolve in her mind, her use of sumi and how she harnesses its energy, how she incorporates old woodblocks as well as the concept of memory in her work. Nobuko also shares insights on baren making, and her approach to teaching mokuhanga.

Please follow The Unfinished Print: A Mokuhanga Podcast and my own mokuhanga work on Instagram @andrezadoroznyprints or email me [email protected]

Notes: may contain a hyperlink. Simply click on the highlighted word or phrase.

Artists works follow after the note if available. Pieces are mokuhanga unless otherwise noted. Dimensions are given if known. Print publishers are given if known.

Nobuko Yamasaki - website

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Disclaimer: Please do not reproduce or use anything from this podcast without shooting me an email and getting my express written or verbal consent. I'm friendly :)