This message comes from Sha Sha Higby:

May 13 &14 Open Studio at 3 Spring Ave at Park in Bolinas
Sha Sha will be having a guest Master
Urushi Lacquer artist from Japan,
Nagatoshi Onishi,come to give these various
activities. He will also share open studio with
Sha Sha May 13 & 14th

NAGATOSHI ONISHI
Master Artist’Urushi Lacquer Works
May 13-18, Claudia Chapline Gallery
Claudia Chapline
P.O. Box 1117
3445 Shoreline Highway
Stinson Beach, CA 94970
Demonstration:
Saturday, May 13, 5:30-6:30 P.M.
Reception: Sunday, May 14, 4-6 P.M.
Hours: 11-5, Fri-Sun & by appt
415 868 2308 www.cchapline.com
www.urushi-gansen.com

Lecture/Demonstration: Tuesday, May 16, 6-8 P.M.
The Japan Society of Northern California
500 Washington St., Suite 300,3rd flr. SF, 94111
415 986 4383 www.usajapan.org
( $10 members, $15 nonmembers, elevators)

Workshop:
Wednesday, May 17 6:30-9:30 P.M.
Richmond Art Center
2540 Barrett Ave, Richmond, CA 94804
510 620 6772 www.therichmondartcenter.org
($25 racmembers, $30 nonmembers)
also more of Onishi’Urushi works can be seen at

Sha Sha Higby's open studio, 3 Spring at Park Ave
in Bolinas, May 13 &14, 10:30-3:30 PM.
Marin Open Studios is in West Marin that weekend.
For any other questions about these events call
415-868-2409, www.shashahigby.com

"This is a rare opportunity into the aspects of a
highly refined and 7000 year old craft of working
with the almost magical sap of the Urushi tree.
Famed as a traditional adhesive and coating in
Asia and Southeast Asia, the urushi processes
demonstrated can be used to apply an incredibly
durable, transparent or colored opaque surface to
a wide range of materials. It can be used to
build up sculptural forms, or develop an
extraordinary palette of decorative finishes with
gold powder, leaf, or and shell for decorative
makie techniques.
Nagatoshi Onishi will demonstrate basic handling
and drying techniques, such as opaque texture of
Sitaji coating, and gold leaf application .There
will be time for questions.. This informative
workshop will broaden your understanding of
adhesives, and a peak into the richness and depth
of this incredible art form, perhaps wet your
palette for further study in Japan.
This workshop is targeted mainly to working
artists who want to apply the urushi sap to their
own work and have knowledge of the hazards of art
materials in general. Urushi is actually
non-toxic, is more of an herb, but is of the
poison sumac family and can cause skin rashes if
not handled properly. Nagatoshi Onishi will show
a safe method. But it will not hurt you, and is
safer than most art materials. If you get a
little rash, it is considered a blessing in
Japan. Urushi sap is alive, a living substance.
Space is limited so please reserve early to avoid
disappointment.

Things to bring for the workshop: bring a sample
of whatever material you would like to coat:
metal, wood, reed, paper, cloth or perhaps a
small item to gold leaf that has a handle, a
lidded plastic food container box or cardboard
box or the purpose transporting and drying your
piece, a notebook, apron, long sleeved shirt,
sandpaper, toilet paper, latex gloves, face
cream, piece of soft cloth, little dish