A Japanese fish kite One of the things that I love about Arts and Crafts-style design is how it draws on the simple lines and craftsmanship of Asian, and especially Japanese, handwork. I came to my appreciation of Arts and Crafts design from living in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood, near Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House. I was also quite fortunate to have spent three months in Japan with my husband and daughter soaking up the culture's incredible melding of art and nature.
Several projects in 100 Things a Girl Can Make (Bonnie E. Snow and Hugo B. Froehlich, Lippincott, 1922) show a clear Asian inspiration. The fish kite shown above (and my mini-version below) are modeled after Japanese koinobori, which are hung to celebrate Children's Day (5/5). We spent Children's Day at a festival in a remote part of Japan, and the long streamers of koinobori hung suspended from a bridge over a wild gorge.
I just made a mini-version of the carp kite to try it out, but I'd love to make a whole group of these to hang outside next spring.
A Chinese coin purse
I love working with found metal containers (my daughter and I started an Altoids tin project), and the Chinese coin purse above is an inspiring project to make. The authors suggest using a gas mantle box (there are probably not a lot of extra ones of these around because the gas mantles used to be made from radioactive thorium!) or "a suitable box may be obtained at any drug store where they are in constant use as containers of various powders, tablets and salts. They are about three inches high and two inches in diameter." I know what I'll be looking for on my next thrifting/antiquing trips!
If you're interested in seeing the instructions for these projects or more images from 100 Things A Girl Can Make, you can download an electronic version at the Internet Archive. Isn't the Web amazing?
Also, check out lotusgreen's two blogs here and here for a fascinating melding of Arts and Crafts/Art Nouveau and Asian influences.
7 comments:
oh! thank you so much!
i love your find--and the two projects you picked out look really cool.
check this out. the author's last name is actually Lemos--don't know what happened to that L (but it's on the book). sometimes he is de lemos, and i recommend him highly.
his work is also from the early 20s and he has bunches of crafts books (art teachers) as well as having published an art for school kids magazine.
I love all your posts about this amazing treasure of a book. I haven't been doing much reading lately but am looking forward to getting back in that groove as soon as some important projects are completed. I picked up a few new (old) books at thrift stores in Nova Scotia. Your fish reminds me of the lantern festival we have every year in toronto down near lake ontario. It is magical.
I love your koinobori...these would look beautiful in a cluster hanging from a child's ceiling. i can't believe I can sit at my computer and check out this amazing book. I have to admit, I'd prefer to gently turn the pages of the original. I still marvel at what an amazing discovery this little book of yours was!
I have been inspired, thank you.
Linda
Awesome, going to check this link out!
That book is really becoming a treasure and love that you are sharing. Your hanging fish rocks! And I'm very curious about your altoid tin project, since I can never bear to throw those out and have a few sitting around.
Oh, and the green dress is beautiful!
OMG thank you so much for sharing this!
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