Artistic Creation Drawing upon Her Home City of Kanazawa

Following her graduation from college, Kitamura continued on to the Kanazawa Utatsuyama Kogei Kobo craft workshop, drawn by the fact that the workshop makes itself available for use even after the end of a program. Kanazawa is famous nationwide as a hub of traditional crafts, and she has found the city itself to be a factor in her creative output, providing inspiration through its lush natural environment, and the old-fashioned scenery here and there throughout town.

Each and Every Line, Carved by Hand

Kitamura enjoys the task of carving out designs, so the process of stencil dyeing appealed to her, as it offers the chance to carve stencils and use those to dye items. Though the carving process is very detail-oriented and requires great focus, she says it is also her favorite part of her work.

A Magical World of Japanese Motifs, Built on a Personal Fondness

Much of Kitamura’s work features a theme of yokai, or supernatural beings from Japanese folklore. The reason for this is simple: she just likes drawing them. Sometimes she draws them on their own, and sometimes she incorporates Japanese motifs or elements of the four seasons, giving her body of work a fun sense of variety.

Finding Designs That Resonate with Audiences — and the Techniques She Uses

Kitamura hopes that people will find designs they enjoy, created through the feel and unique style of color blending made possible through stencil dyeing. Each of her items is made possible through finely detailed cutting work, and her attention to minute details and technical skill can be seen in every piece she produces. The resulting work exudes her one-of-a-kind sensibility, adding whimsy to everyday life.