The Unfinished Print : A Mokuhanga Podcast

The longer you create mokuhanga, the more your individual tastes reveal themselves in your own  work, your style, your ideas, and your unique way of seeing the world. These are the qualities that make a mokuhanga artist or craftsperson shine, and they represent the place many practitioners aspire to reach. On this episode of  The Unfinished Print: A Mokuhanga Podcast , I speak with someone who has...

On this episode of  The Unfinished Print: A Mokuhanga Podcast , I have the opportunity to speak with Kazuko Hioki, Head of Preservation and Preservation Librarian/Conservator at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa. We discuss how washi was used in book preservation during the Edo period in Japan, its connection to mokuhanga, and the many ways washi was used during this period of Japanese paper hist...

When mokuhanga becomes a passion, I find it has the ability to clarify everything, in how you see the world, how you take everything in, and even how you analyze it. Mokuhanga has the ability to make so many things come into focus, pointing you into a clearer direction.   On this episode, I speak with Australian printmaker Yvonne Hering. Yvonne has taken her passion for mokuhanga and made it her l...

Mokuhanga is a medium that invites an adventurous side to ones personality. It can carry your ambitions to different places, allowing you to explore and grow—not only in your work, but in yourself.   Raluca Iancu joins me, a mokuhanga printmaker who investigates her practice through other forms of printmaking, travel, and learning from diverse teachers and instructors from around the world.   Ralu...

As regular listeners may know, in my free time, I'vbe been  researching Japanese washi. I'm looking for the "perfect paper," something that I can return to again and again in my own prints. It hasn't been straightforward. There's a lot of washi out there. A lot to test. A lot to understand. The search continues.   I'd like to introduce  you to a papermaking community in Saitama Prefecture, Japan —...

I'm trying to make my travels to and from Japan as fruitful as possible—through interviews, printing and carving, and by continuing to educate myself about mokuhanga. The goal is to keep improving, to make work I'm truly proud of, and to bring you the highest quality content I'm capable of. On this episode of  The Unfinished Print: A Mokuhanga Podcast , I'm joined by Gotō Hidehiko, a mokuhanga pri...

One of the hallmarks of mokuhanga is building a strong foundation grounded in tradition. By studying deeply and making work informed by those who came before us, today's mokuhanga printmakers help carry this beautiful tradition forward.   On this episode of  The Unfinished Print , a mokuhanga podcast, I speak with Roslyn Kean, a mokuhanga printmaker who is continuing the tradition of mokuhanga whi...

For many of us, travel to Japan is something we do once in a while. We save and plan, then journey to a country that offers so much to our mokuhanga practice. But for others, the trip becomes extended, and Japan becomes a place to build a life and make work. Japan becomes central to who they are and how they see the world. On this episode of  The Unfinished Print: A Mokuhanga Podcast , I speak wit...

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 Unite...

Collecting mokuhanga has never been easier. You no longer need to visit galleries as often; you can purchase prints online from anywhere in the world, all from the comfort of your own home. But you'd be doing yourself a disservice to stop there. Seeing prints in person at galleries is a wonderful experience — it allows you to get up close to the work, to see what your potential investment looks li...

For everyone listening to today's episode—especially if you're a mokuhanga printmaker—you can probably trace your first step into the art form back to a single person, someone who sparked your journey into mokuhanga, however it has evolved over time. On this episode of  The Unfinished Print: A Mokuhanga Podcast , I speak with that person for me: Elizabeth Forrest. Elizabeth was my first mokuhanga...

For many artists, an art career takes many twists and turns—an adventure shaped by different mediums, jobs, and ways of sustaining creative work   while at the same time, educating oneself with the histories of your chosen path.   On this episode of The Unfinished Print: A Mokuhanga Podcast , I speak with printmaker Charles Spitzack. We talk about his discovery of mokuhanga and how it connects to...

If you're a creative person, going abroad, exploring the world, living in new surroundings, seeing new things can add a new dimension to your work. It can inspire you to see your practice in a new light. The influences you gather over time, especially through travel, can only enrich what you create. On this episode of  The Unfinished Print , a mokuhanga podcast, I speak with printmaker Kay Watanab...

Positivity is at the heart of any kind of success. A desire to succeed, paired with a positive mindset, good friends, and hard work, can create momentum and growth in any direction you choose. On this episode of The Unfinished Print , a Mokuhanga Podcast, I speak with Michael Verne, a gallerist specializing in Japanese prints and paintings. Michael shares his approach to success, the power of posi...

Making mokuhanga takes dedication. It demands energy, a sense of empowerment, and joy in the process. It's that passion that pushes you forward, to evolve and mature within the art form. On this episode of  The Unfinished Print: A Mokuhanga Podcast , I speak with printmaker Andrea Starkey. Andrea is deeply passionate about mokuhanga—the way it feels, the process of creating, and how each print tak...

Mokuhanga is carried by those with a desire to explore the medium to its fullest, to foray into uncharted territory, to educate many, and to draw more people to the art form. On this episode of The Unfinished Print, I speak with Vladimir Ivaneanu and Soetkin Everaert, co-founders of the Japanese print promotion project Mokuhanga Magic! We discuss how Mokuhanga Magic! began, exploring the mokuhanga...

Mokuhanga can be a standalone medium or combined with other artistic practices, offering endless opportunities for experimentation and creative exploration. In this episode of The Unfinished Print: A Mokuhanga Podcast , I speak with printmaker Karen Kunc, who has worked with mokuhanga for many years. She integrates it into her broader printmaking practice, which includes book arts, mixed media, le...

Toyohara Kunichika (1835-1900) is considered one of the last great ukiyo-e print designers of Japan. His evocative works helped shape some of the most significant prints from the latter era of ukiyo-e and burgeoning Meiji nishiki-e . I welcome back to the show Dr. Monika Hinkel, Lecturer in the Arts of East Asia at SOAS ( the School of Oriental and African Studies ) at the University of London and...

When it's time to practice mokuhanga outside of your comfort zone, there are several places you can go. Seminars and workshops in your hometown are great options, but what if you want to experience something different—a new culture, a new space, a new environment? One such setting is the Mokuhanga Project Space (MPS) in Walla Walla, Washington, United States. This residency allows mokuhanga artist...

When it comes to immersing oneself in the understanding of mokuhanga, Jacek Machowski  is dedicated to constantly deepening his knowledge and practice of the art form. His exploration of mokuhanga is both inspiring and dynamic, as he continually shares, creates, and evolves his expertise and approach to this wonderful art form.   I speak with mokuhanga printmaker, educator, and mokuhanga explorer...

For those who are regular listeners of The Unfinished Print, you will know that I had the privilege of visiting the city of Echizen in Fukui Prefecture, Japan, where I attended the 2024 Mokuhanga Conference earlier this year. Echizen is renowned for its long history of paper production, supplying paper to the entire country. In this episode of The Unfinished Print, I speak with Nicholas Cladis, As...

Mokuhanga can be approached in many ways. For some, a hands-on approach is the most appealing, as it places full responsibility on the artist to carefully craft each step—designing, carving by hand, and printing—to achieve the best possible result. However, other mokuhanga artists take a more experimental route, where the possibilities are limitless, and innovation leads to unique outcomes. On thi...

When developing a business centered around Japanese prints, there are many factors to consider: the audience, the history, and how you want to be perceived by the public. The appeal of the Japanese aesthetic, along with your own personal aesthetic and brand identity, can also be just as important to your business. On this episode of  The Unfinished Print , I speak with Malene Wagner, a gallerist,...

The journey of an artist is a winding one. You make the decision to start, not knowing where it will take you. Over time, if you're fortunate, you build a career from your work while gaining the freedom to explore new forms of expression, with each project becoming an important and affirming part of that journey.   In this episode of The Unfinished Print, I speak with Mariko Jesse, a professional...

When embarking on your mokuhanga journey, whether through making or collecting, one name stands out above the rest: (pause) Yoshida. The Yoshida family of artists have helped create some of the most important and exciting mokuhanga prints of the last 100 years. Their designs, techniques, and marketing transformed the perception of prints in Japan and around the world.   I speak with Dr. Monika Hin...