Two Haiku

A Haiku is a short form of Japanese poetry. Traditionally a haiku consists of 3 lines with 5, 7 and 5 syllables in each.Other characteristics of Haiku include having a seasonal reference and containing a juxtaposition of two images or ideas. Haiku rose to popularity in Japan in the 17th Century.  I have been interested in haiku poetry for a long time. As with many Japanese artforms I love their deceptive simplicity and ability to evoke powerful evocative images which pay homage to nature. They are also fun to try and write!

This piece is named "Haiku" and was the first of my "kimono" pieces.This is a great example of how these works take me on their own journey. When I realised that that this woman was going to be holding a book I also knew instantly that she would have to be reading a haiku and that the words of that haiku would be depicted as an integral part of the piece. The haiku depicted is by Matsuo Basho who was one of the first masters of haiku poetry in 17th century Japan. It reads: "Will you turn towards me, I am lonely too, This autumn evening"

This piece is named "Bev's Haiku" and was made as a private comission for a friend who was gifting it to their mother. I greatly enjoyed personalising the original piece, using fabrics chosen for the person it was made for and incorporating a haiku written by my friend for their loved one. This haiku reads: "The wise woman reads, pages flapped by sea breeze, strong mind peaceful life".